Establishment of a Non-dormant Blueberry (Vaccinium Corymbosum Hybrid) Production System in a Warm Winter Climate

Abstract

A high-density planting of three southern highbush cultivars was established in 1994 in southwest Florida to test the feasibility of a non-dormant blueberry production system. A non-dormant system involves continuous application of nitrogen throughout fall and winter, which enables the plants to avoid the normal dormancy cycle and the concomitant chilling requirement. Three nitrogen fertilizer rates and two organic soil amendments (muncipal solid waste compost and acidic peat) were evaluated for effects on maintaining plant growth in this system. In general, increasing N rates from 84 to 252 kg·ha–1 increased plant canopy volume, leaf retention, and rate of new vegetative budbreak. Plant height and volume were consistently greater for plants grown in the compost compared to the peat amendment, but there were no differences in leaf retention or vegetative budbreak between the two soil amendments. Flower bud density and fruit yield were increased in plants grown in the compost compared to the peat, while N rate had no effect on either. Plants in this non-dormant system have shown no deleterious growth effects, suggesting that establishing a blueberry planting in a warm winter climate is feasible under the described conditions.