Blueberries

Evergreen Production System for Southern Highbush Blueberries in Florida

Douglas A. Phillips, Jeffrey G. Williamson, and Patricio R. Munoz

In central and south-central Florida, many southern highbush blueberries are grown in an evergreen system, where the plants do not go dormant, and are managed to retain their leaves from the previous year through harvest the following spring in order to support early flowering and fruit set. The evergreen system has also been used under tunnels in north-central Florida. This publication provides an overview of the evergreen production system for SHB in Florida.

Pruning Southern Highbush Blueberry in Florida

Douglas A. Phillips and Jeffrey G. Williamson

Pruning is an essential part of blueberry production and is used to help establish new plantings; promote postharvest growth of new foliage and fruiting wood; balance vegetative and reproductive growth; reduce disease and certain insect pressure; assist in harvesting efficiency; and promote new cane growth and plant longevity. The following is a discussion of pruning practices on southern highbush blueberry in Florida.

Establishment and Production Costs for Southern Highbush Blueberry Orchards in Florida: Enterprise Budget and Profitability Analysis

Ariel Singerman, Marina Burani-Arouca, Jeffrey G. Williamson, and Gary K. England

Blueberry Gardener's Guide

J. G. Williamson, P. M. Lyrene, and J. W. Olmstead

Home gardeners: Use this guide to successfully grow blueberries in Florida.

Nutrition and Fertilization Practices for Southern Highbush Blueberry in Florida

Doug Phillips and Jeffrey G. Williamson

This publication provides guidance and management suggestions to Florida growers of southern highbush blueberry (SHB) for monitoring, supplying, and maintaining proper plant nutrition in commercial production operations.

Calendar for Southern Highbush Blueberry Management in Florida

Douglas A. Phillips, Jeffrey G. Williamson, Philip F. Harmon, Oscar E. Liburd, and Peter J. Dittmar

Southern highbush blueberries (SHB) are commercially grown throughout Florida in both deciduous and evergreen systems. This calendar addresses general management requirements on a monthly basis for Florida commercial blueberry growers in conventional (nonorganic) systems and should be used in coordination with other UF/IFAS Extension EDIS publications.

Crop Insurance Policies Available to Blueberry Growers in Florida

Ariel Singerman and Robert Ranieri

Introduction to Southern Highbush Blueberry Cultivation in Containers

Gerardo H. Nunez, Martin Zapien, and Douglas A. Phillips

Blueberry bushes prefer well drained, acidic soils with high organic matter content. These soil characteristics are not common in many parts of the world. Thus, blueberries are traditionally grown in soils amended with pine bark and elemental sulfur. The need to create optimum conditions for the roots of blueberry bushes has recently led to blueberry cultivation in containers filled with soilless substrates. The intended audience for this publication is commercial blueberry growers. The purpose of this publication is to complement existing information sources by introducing the materials and practices used for blueberry cultivation on container-based farms.

How to Calculate Fertigation Injection Rates for Commercial Blueberry Production

Guodong Liu, Jeffrey Williamson, Gary England, and Alicia Whidden

A UF/IFAS numbered Fact Sheet for Commercial audience(s).

An Overview of the Mexican Blueberry Industry

Feng Wu and Zhengfei Guan

Blueberries are a healthy source of antioxidants and vitamins. Global demand and production have been increasing rapidly over the last decade. This publication provides an overview of the Mexican blueberry industry in terms of production, price, trade, and cultural practices. It also sheds light on factors that have contributed to the fast growth of the blueberry industry in Mexico.   

Consumer Preferences for Florida-Grown Blueberries Part 2: Locally Grown Blueberries in the Marketplace—Insights into Florida Consumers' Awareness of Brand Origin and Purchasing Behavior

Younghyeon Jeon, Hayk Khachatryan, Xuan Wei, and Doug Phillips

This publication is second in the multi-part "Consumer Preferences for Florida-Grown Blueberries" series. The objective is to enhance the marketability and competitiveness of Florida-grown fresh blueberries by analyzing consumers’ preferences for various blueberry attributes. Audiences include Florida blueberry growers, marketers, and retailers. We examine labels and attributes and provide recommendations on how to optimize packaging to meet consumer demand and enhance the product’s market share. Part 2 of the series examines the importance to Florida consumers of the Fresh From Florida logo compared to other labels and investigates their preferences and willingness to pay for the logo. Next, it assesses their knowledge of the local blueberry season and their experiences purchasing Fresh From Florida labeled blueberries. Finally, it evaluates overall local brand awareness among Florida consumers. This analysis will help inform Florida growers’ marketing decisions.

Pollination Best Practices in Southern Highbush Blueberry in Florida

Rachel E. Mallinger and Douglas A. Phillips

A UF/IFAS numbered Fact Sheet. in support of UF/IFAS Extension program: Integrated Pest Management

Preparing a Southern Highbush Blueberry Field for Machine Harvesting

Jeffrey G. Williamson and Douglas A. Phillips

Blueberries are grown commercially in Florida for the early-season fresh fruit market. The majority of Florida’s blueberry crop is currently harvested by hand to ensure high quality standards for fresh fruit production. However, hand harvesting is the single greatest annual production cost for Florida blueberry growers, and mechanization of berry harvests could greatly reduce production costs. This is particularly important when considering the volume of fruit imported into the United States from countries where labor rates are significantly lower. Also, at times the availability of harvest labor when needed may be an issue for Florida growers; mechanization could help address that issue. This publication provides information for commercial blueberry growers interested in adopting machine harvesting.

Impacts of Hurricane Damage on Southern Highbush Blueberries

Douglas A. Phillips, Jeffrey G. Williamson, and Philip F. Harmon

This publication discusses the types of hurricane damage that can be incurred in blueberry production operations, the impacts of these damages, preparations to make before the storm arrives, and suggestions on best management practices in the aftermath of a storm.

Southern Highbush Blueberry Cultivars from the University of Florida

D. A. Phillips, J. G. Williamson, P. M. Lyrene, and P. R. Munoz

Cultivar selection involves weighing the advantages and disadvantages of a cultivar relative to the grower’s needs. Unfortunately, there are no perfect cultivars suited for every location and management system. The following discussion categorizes southern highbush cultivars into three groups: (1) new cultivars; (2) established cultivars; and (3) secondary and obsolete cultivars.

Consumer Preferences for Florida-Grown Blueberries Part 1: Florida Fresh Blueberry Consumer Behavior—Insights on Shopping Locations, Frequency, and Spending

Younghyeon Jeon, Hayk Khachatryan, Xuan Wei, and Doug Phillips

Fresh blueberries have become one of Florida’s fastest-growing agricultural products. This growth aligns with growing consumer interest in local foods. Florida blueberry producers are capitalizing on demand by marketing their products with distinctive branding, particularly the Fresh From Florida logo. State production has met demand, but the Florida blueberry market faces challenges from imports from Mexico and Peru and from other US states. This publication is the first in a series designed to help local growers differentiate Florida-grown fresh blueberries in an increasingly competitive marketplace. It describes research into consumers’ purchasing preferences and awareness of locally grown fresh blueberries and identifies additional labels that can add value to existing ones to strengthen the competitive advantage of Florida-grown blueberries and attract more consumers.

Benefits of Mixed Cultivar Plantings for Cross-Pollination in Blueberry: A Guide to Maximize Yields

Clement Larue, Stan Chabert, Doug Phillips, and Rachel Mallinger

The purpose of this publication is to provide Florida blueberry growers with information on the benefits of cross-pollination in southern highbush blueberry production systems and advice on how to plant a highly productive orchard optimized for cross-pollination and fruit production.

Government Agency Resources for Florida Blueberry Growers

Douglas A. Phillips and Jeffrey G. Williamson

Several federal, state, and local government offices and agencies offer assistance and resources to Florida blueberry growers. These include the University of Florida and IFAS Extension, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), and various Florida water management districts. This publication summarizes some of the resources and assistance available from each of these agencies, along with website links as a starting point for growers to use in learning more about and accessing that assistance.

Organic Blueberry Production in Florida

Douglas A. Phillips, Peter J. Dittmar, Philip F. Harmon, Oscar E. Liburd, Danielle D. Treadwell, and Jeffrey G. Williamson

A UF/IFAS numbered peer reviewed Fact Sheet for Commercial audience(s). Published by Plant Systems

Florida’s Commercial Blueberry Industry

J. G. Williamson and D. A. Phillips

This publication provides background, statistics, and other information about the commercial blueberry industry in Florida.

Irrigation Practices for Southern Highbush Blueberry in Florida

Douglas A. Phillips and Jeffrey G. Williamson

This new 4-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department provides guidance on irrigation requirements and practices to Florida Southern highbush blueberry growers. Written by Douglas A. Phillips and Jeffrey G. Williamson.

Protecting Blueberries from Freezes in Florida

J. G. Williamson and D. A. Phillips

Blueberries bloom in late winter or early spring in Florida, making the flowers and young fruit highly susceptible to freeze and frost injury. Killing freezes can occur as late as mid to late March throughout much of Florida, long after the initiation of bloom, especially for early-ripening southern highbush blueberry cultivars. This publication describes conditions that often occur in commercial blueberry fields during and after bloom when the potential for freeze damage exists. Practices that growers can use to minimize freeze damage are also discussed.