Knowledgebase
Blueberry Blueberry Blueberry #746939
Asked April 29, 2021, 5:06 AM EDT
Livingston County Michigan
Expert Response
David,
We do not do visits to individual gardens. Hopefully I can give you some information and get things started.
Raspberries are likely easier to grow than blueberries. There are several varieties you can choose from. They grow best in full sun. You can find plants from local nurseries, or online sources. If you order online look for plants that will grow well in your area. Look for plants that can grow in zone 6a (sometimes it will just say zone 6). Here is a bulletin with lots of details about growing raspberries. It gives information on several varieties. It is from University of Minnesota Extension, but since it has similar climate to us the information will be useful in Michigan as well.
https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-raspberries-home-garden#choosing-raspberry-plants-331662
Blueberries may be harder to grow because they require acidic soil to grow and produce berries. They need soil with a pH of 4.5 to 5.5. A soil test will tell you your pH. You can then see what you need to do to prepare the soil to grow the blueberries. You can get a soil test from MSU bookstore at: https://homesoiltest.msu.edu/ It is much better to prepare the soil before planting the plants than trying to “fix” it afterward.
This is a bulletin on growing blueberries. It also is from University of Minnesota. Again, growing here will be similar.
Good luck with your fruit growing and feel free send in other questions if you need further help.
David,
Sorry, we do not recommend or review companies.
Yes, you can try several varieties of raspberries. Cross pollination will not be an issue with raspberries.
Blueberries and raspberries can be grown in the same general area as each other, however, soil requirements, (soil pH) are very different for the raspberries and blueberries. Blueberries will need a very acidic soil compared to raspberries. So, they could be at different ends of your long plot, but would not likely grow well interspersed. You can refer to the bulletins I sent for soil requirements and fertilizer recommendations.
