Thank you! I am very glad that I was able to answer your questions and don't hesitate to ask if anything else pops up. Best wishes for a wonderful blueberry crop in the future and I hope you have a great week!

Have you tried to dig a huge hole and fill it with acidic compost?

@@grzegorz16100 could work in neutral soil, but the soil where I live is so alkaline that it doesn't help.

Thanks for mentioning the damage to environment from over harvesting of peat moss.

@@marypaquet3372 as I've delved deeper into researching this subject, I've come across information that says peat is an ok choice if you purchase from companies dedicated to sustainable harvests and that in my area of the world it's actually a more responsible choice than shipping in coconut coir from tropical locales. There is so much conflicting info, my head it starting to spin!! Is sustainably harvested peat legit??

Me too, Dora!! I tried wearing gloves for all of about 1 video and then gave up... can't stand them. My nails aren't very pretty all summer, but it's worth it to feel the dirt. Take care!

Nice! Wanna do my laundry? LOL!

How do you keep the soil from drying out your skin? My fingers split open and take weeks to heal if I spend a day digging in the garden without gloves. ☹️

@@orangemanok5800 g Get disposable gloves, put Vaseline on your hands,put your gloves on and go to sleep. Helps alot.

Don't love wearing gloves but found out I'm allergic to dirt,pollen,leaves etc. Told the doctor not giving up my garden so now i wear long sleeve,long pants,boots,mask gloves and a hat in the ga heat.

AND wild strawberries. Northern Ontario has a bounty to be harvested. ❤🇨🇦

That really is a blessing!

You are welcome-- and I have a question for you regarding peat. In another of my videos I recommend that if you must use peat, try to get peat that has been certified by the Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association because they guarantee the application of good management practices in all aspects of sustainable development. A commenter told me this is a load of bunk (that it's just basically marketing and they don't actually do what they say). Do you happen to know anything about this, as far as what the truth of the matter is? There is so much conflicting information out there, the more I research the more confused I get! If you have any info you could share, it would be greatly appreciated. Take care & have a wonderful week!

@@GrowfullywithJenna I have never researched that, I just switched to coir.

@@jturtle5318 thank you for letting me know!

I just got 16 qt of peat moss and I don’t know what to do with it so I threw it in my garden 💀

I've read that Canada's peat is being replaced faster than the harvest

I'm glad it's working for you!

Do you drill holes in the bottom of your 5 gallon buckets?

Thank you for subscribing- I'm glad you found the video useful. Best of luck with your blueberries!

Oh no!! we used to have a dog that would do this with our grapes 😆. I hope you have good luck growing blueberries in grow bags. Take care & have a great week!

@@GrowfullywithJenna Birds stripped mine before they even got ripe!

@@ludlowfalls8856 oh, that is aggravating!! I'd definitely invest in some bird netting if you haven't already! Do be sure to secure it down tight- those birds are masters at getting into the netting!!

I'd be laughing too hard to scold the dog. My Keeshond used to chew on the unripe tomatoes.

@@jturtle5318 oh no 🤣 . We got a German Shepherd and an Australian Shepherd last summer, and I found out they love cucumbers! I definitely can't scold them- they will both hold the cukes between their front paws and just gnaw on them!

Your friend has a most charitable attitude 😀- his birds are quite lucky!

Great story 😁 Everyone benefits 👍

I have wondered about this many times and have had trouble finding a definitive answer as to 'what is more sustainable'. Thank you so much for your input! Take care!

Yep. And big box garden/dyi centers in the US most often ship their peat in from Canada. It may have a US address, but if you look there will be a Quebec address as well, very often (Riviere du Loup, etc). Feels a bit better than shipping from Asia in sulfur-spewing container ships. Regardless, this video was very interesting and I will try it out!

Hi Tina! So good to hear from a fellow Ohioan! I'm glad you found me too 😊. Take care & have a wonderful day!

Thanks for sharing

Hi. Im in Ohio and just purchased plants (july) in nursery pots. What type? And size pots? What do you do with youre containers with high snow? Thank you.

@@ltgemini1599 I'm sure Jenna has better advice than me, but I personally use 20 to 24 inch diameter pots for my blueberries. I like the half whiskey barrels you can find at most big box stores. I've gotten decent results with actually burying the container halfway in the ground and using extra mulch to protect from the cold. I have a bunch of white pine trees so I have no shortage of pine bark and needles. For smaller plants that are more delicate and have more trouble in the winter, I bring the containers in the garage if I need to when we get a hard freeze in the winter.

Hey neighbor! I'm so happy that you are growing your own food- that is awesome! I hope this gardening season goes great for you.

😊Thank you so much, Felicia! I appreciate your kind words & support. Take care!

I'm glad to hear you've had success!

I'm so glad to hear this- thank you!

Glad you enjoyed it, Peggy. I've recently come across info stating that purchasing Canadian peat from sources that are verified "sustainable harvest" is an OK option-- do you happen to know anything about this? Lots of conflicting info out there! Any info you can share would be greatly appreciated!

You can do it!

You are welcome, Carl! Best wishes for great success with your blueberry bushes and take care!

So lucky!

That's awesome, Julie-- enjoy your new home & garden!

Thank you for the great feedback! I appreciate it!

Best of luck!

I hope you find some useful tidbits!

Hi Leslie- I'm very glad you found the video helpful! Yes, unfortunately here in Ohio, blueberries just don't love our soil (how I wish they did, I would have so many more planted). Do you think you'll be moving them back into pots? Thanks for watching and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

How big of pots do you recommend, I can’t afford the wine barrels they are sooo expensive

@@Fattiapples I prefer growing in at least a 20 gallon container. I've had great luck using 20 gallon grow bags like these: www.gurneys.com/product/potato-grow-tub and they're more affordable than the whiskey barrel planters. You might also consider growing a dwarf blueberry variety, as you can get away with planting in a smaller container (perhaps as small as a 10 gallon pot) due to the smaller plant size. Hope this helps & take care!

@@Fattiapplesif you have any cattle farmers, I get the barrels their supplements come in… free!!! Just ask

Thank you so much, Mike! Take care & enjoy your week!

Awesome! Thank you!

Thanks for sharing!

Ooh- I've never tried blueberry wine!

Glad it was helpful, Rene! You are welcome!

Thank you! I hope you all have a wonderful week as well!

Great to hear from a fellow Ohio gardener! Best of luck with your blueberries!

If it makes you feel any better- I kill succulents too 😀

Several years ago, I managed to under water a cactus. It died. A few years ago I miraculously grew brown thumbs. Every year they get slightly more green instead of brown 😊 I'm hoping after a few more years they'll be a lovely shade of green with no hint of brown or black left.

Hi Katie- you are welcome! I prefer to grow them in two separate containers, placed near each other. As blueberries grow, I'm afraid 2 in 1 container would just become too crowded.

It is indeed. After spending a lot of time & energy battling against nature, it seemed kind of silly to keep trying to grow them in-ground here! Thank you!

Best of luck if you try planting them again!

I'm glad to hear that your blueberries are doing great! Take care!

Thank you so much- I really appreciate this, Katie! I'm so excited to hear you're expanding into year-round gardening. Regarding the soil- I've done a lot of work with it- check out this video on some of the techniques I've used: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/h7lnpLSHtOCvZ5s.html

Glad to hear it!

Thank you!

You're welcome, but I have a question you might be able to help me with! I've recently come across info stating that purchasing Canadian peat from sources that are verified "sustainable harvest" is an OK option in North American-- do you happen to know anything about this? Lots of conflicting info out there! Any info you can share would be greatly appreciated!

As she uses it herself

Thank you, Beth. What a smart idea- using containers to deal with your harsh growing conditions! I've resorted to moving my larger containers with a dolly- which isn't always the easiest, but some of them are so heavy I can't lift them by myself. I just spied this handy product the other day www.amleo.com/potwheelz-small-pot-mover/p/PW250?mkwid=GsWWS7fC&pcrid=&msclkid=331c5502a25a15e680e634effdef243b but I'm not going to drop $300 to move my pots 😂. Thank you also for subscribing- I appreciate the support!

I truly hope the container method works for you! I know how frustrating it can be to try and try to grow something and it just doesn't work. Best wishes for wonderful blueberries and take care!

Add coffee grounds to the potting soil and pine needles around the top of the plant to feed acid to your blueberries. Oh and add crushed eggshells to the potting soil and only feed with rain water you’ve collected in buckets or coolers for at least the early stages of the plants growth! The results will be amazing!

@@theresakelly1915 I missed this comment- so disregard my comment re: I'd love to hear your process". Thanks for sharing. I'm curious if you've done a pH test on the soil you've amended this way versus unamended soil? That would be really interesting! Thanks again.

@@GrowfullywithJenna, I add coffee grounds to the potting soil and crushed yard egg eggshells. When the plant springs up to keep it fed I stuff pine needles around the plant like you would a mulch only about 1/4 the amount of mulch so It slowly seeps into the soil. One of reasons you don’t see grass in a forest with pine trees except in an open meadow is because the acidic acid in the pine needles is so high is kills off grass, it’s fantastic for growing certain veggies and plants! The other trick is that I only water my plants with rain water that I’ve collected in coolers and buckets! ALL plants love rain water! There is a huge different in the health of your plants if they are drinking city water vs rainwater!

@@theresakelly1915 Thank you for taking the time to provide all of this information!

Yes- I'd be happy just having enough extra to freeze... not to that point yet! My kids eat everything I can grow fresh off the bushes.

@@GrowfullywithJenna One of natures candies. Healthy, and, keeps the kiddos happy. Maybe when you get a few more plants. 😁👍🏻

Best of luck! I'm glad the video was helpful!

This is fascinating! It's this kind of thing that makes me wish I had all the time in the world to research! I appreciate you sharing this information and I can't wait to learn more about (and experiment with) the different types of mycorrhiza and their applications. Thank you and have a wonderful week!

Hi Ali- I'm so glad to hear this! And yes- with most blueberries, you want to plant two different varieties with similar bloom times close to one another so that cross-pollination occurs, leading to larger yields.

Hello fellow Ohioan! Sounds like a great mix for blueberries- those should do really well for you! Take care & have a great week.

Hi Theresa, glad to hear that your carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes are all doing well- very exciting! I suspect that many folks aren't utilizing these natural products because they either don't have access (I, for one, don't have any pine needles lying around) OR they are unsure how to utilize them to get the specific change in pH they are looking for. I'd love to hear your process. I prefer to add coffee grounds and eggshells to my compost, as I've found I have better results with them after they've broken down fully rather than adding them in an uncomposted state to growing media. Thanks for watching & have a great week!

Looking at the plans again, I realize that all 4 corners may need hinges.

One thing I did not say, the top is to be covered by a lid that has hardware cloth on it. It is meant to fit tightly onto the top separately.

This sounds like a fantastic way to keep those critters out, Suzanne! You will definitely benefit from having such a well thought out design. Thank you for sharing!

Then bunnies will nibble the bird netting at the ground level, allowing a nice access point for all interested birds to find their way in, but subsequently not being able to find their way out...thus annihilating each and ever berry while being the best bird trap in the neighborhood.. Ask me how I know. :D

I feel the same way!

He'll be like my kiddos- out there picking the fruit the moment they turn blue 😆. Take care!

Oh procrastination at its finest! At least you're doing something productive while avoiding your assignments 😁! A wooden crate will work just fine, as long as it is large enough to accommodate your plant. The only thing to keep in mind with a wooden container is that it will rot away relatively quickly (sometimes within just a few years, depending on the type of wood). But it would look great! Take care!

You're welcome! I hope that you are able to turn those plants around & get them growing right. I've found that blueberries are fairly care-free once you get the soil acidity/fertility on point. Best of luck!

@@GrowfullywithJenna will do! Thanks

@@PopeyeModesto you're welcome!

I’m so glad to hear this, Robin! I try to be as thorough as possible 😊

I've continued to try to learn about the coir/peat thing for the couple of years since I posted this video. I'm starting to think peat is the more responsible option in the northern US & Canada.

I believe you are correct Paul, as this seems to be the way humans behave with most all of our resources. What is your opinion on companies that claim to be harvesting peat sustainably?

@@GrowfullywithJenna I think that sales people are sales people. At the end of the day they have to make money to provide for themselves and families. The possibility that they will lie to make the sale is greater than them not. I believe it is doable, but it doesn't recover fast enough for the harvesting to be worthy of the tools and time and turn a profit.

Indeed, and isn’t Pro-Mix organic garden mix mostly sphagnum peat moss?

@@jgm3796 the majority of OEM household names use it as a main ingredient in their mixes.

You're welcome!

Happy planting!!

Ivory Gilyard good morning! I’m glad you found the video helpful. There are holes for drainage in the bottom- I would always recommend a planter with drainage holes. In the spring & fall, (during cooler weather with more rainfall), I find that I only need to water once a week. Through the hot summer months, I’m typically watering 2-3 times per week. I have a lot of potted plants on the patio that I’m watering, so I typically just hit all of them with the garden hose. I’ll leave the hose on the blueberries till I feel like the soil is good and saturated, maybe a minute’s worth of watering, and move on. Hope this helps and have a wonderful weekend!

Thanks for the question- as I mentioned in the video, I'm in 6a Ohio and I typically surround the base of the container with straw bales (thereby mimicking the insulation of being in-ground) or bring them into an unheated greenhouse for the winter. I've also left my potted blueberries outside unprotected and they've survived some of our milder winters. Blueberries do typically need to meet a chill hour requirement (hours the plant spends at or below 45F0- chill hour requirements vary by cultivar) to produce fruit, so you wouldn't want to bring them into a space which is going to be warmer than 45F. I hope this helps! Have a great week and thanks for stopping by!

Absolutely- rain water is awesome for blueberries (and the entire garden)!

Awesome! Thank you, Pam. It's great to hear from fellow Ohioans!

Another Ohioan here! Yay!!! Yesterday, I bought three big pots and all the soil and amendments. My blueberries have been suffering for three years in the ground. I have clay soil and it’s a bugger to work with and the blueberries are not happy. From now on, no more suffering for them.They’re getting dug up and put in the pots. I, too, have one ka-bluey plus two other varieties. Can’t wait to see how they do. Thanks for the video.

Great point regarding the deer!

Interesting! I may have to check them out. I wonder if it’s possible that they are sitting on a pocket of soil that is naturally a bit more acidic. Thanks!

Next trip passing them,I'll check for their business name phone number and address I'm going past it couple times a month. I couldn't find the Longhorn peppers anywhere, But after getting Gipsy Hybrid I've discovered that is a cross between the Longhorn and Bell peppers so sounds great for me testing, We have stuff peppers 4-5 days all season and I've never said I've had to many. Thanks

@@johnjude2685 That would be fantastic! Gypsy is a great variety- I've grown that one in the past as well. The bullhorn type that I grew this year are the Triple Delight Mix from Gurneys Seed: www.gurneys.com/product/sweet-pepper-triple-delight-mix

Thank you!

You are welcome- best of luck with your blueberry!

Best of luck with those berries!

Hello neighbor! So good to hear from you, and thank you for the kind words. I do hope you give blueberries a try again-- best wishes for great results! Take care & happy 1st day of Spring!

Thanks for sharing, Bill!

Thanks for sharing this info, David!

Very interesting!

Mulching with pine needles is a great idea!

Hello Jennifer! I'm happy you found me AND very happy you've taken up gardening!! I hope you have a wonderful season and enjoy planting those blueberries next year. Take care!

Oh good- I'm so glad to hear that! Take care & enjoy those berries when they start fruiting!

Nice!

Welcome, Teresa- I'm glad you found the channel too! I love hearing from fellow Ohio gardeners. I hope you can find some useful tidbits here! .

Ps. I also have very hard clay soil, and lots of rocks. Can’t wait to get back into the dirt every day.

Happy planting, Peggy! I hope your blueberries do great!

I've heard about folks using it with tomatoes, but had not heard about blueberries.

I hope it works well for you!

Oh my goodness! Sounds like 'dead' soil- no beneficial soil inhabitants to break down the organic matter. I'm sorry you're dealing with this, but you do bring up a great point- folk other folks dealing with this type of depleted soil- focusing on rebuilding the life in the soil is key to long-term success.

​@@GrowfullywithJenna I agree dead soil is a real issue and causes more problems than just having to add slow release fertilizer and inject for phytophthora in avos. Ive been playing with a few citrus the last couple of years and ants farm them a lot less now I add sticks/branches as mulch. My commercial orchards (pers, star) I converted to not removing pruning's for burning at all anymore (even if its sick wood). I just chop them up with the electric loppers and lie them down on the rows. I'm finding less things like angular leaf spot, weevils, and ants farming mealy bug (I think its because ants like farming fungus in rotten wood). I don’t think blue berries growing issues are about dead soil though. According to the growers, the best way to grow them is: put down rows of mulch, cover it with black plastic and plant through the plastic. They don't really like soil, just mounds of mulch. I can make the same environment in a pot on my veranda and I don't have to walk on the wet dew to get some for breakfast. People have commented that they grow really big eventually so ill need a really big pot or put them out, but I haven't run into that issue. Even though the plants are producing well, the root ball is staying surprisingly small and I don't want to up the pot size yet because of the leaching issues with oversize pots. Would the blueberry you planted fill out that pot in a year ? Have you done any repotting of them after a year or two ? Mine wouldn’t fill out that in a year, maybe my varieties are slower, not opening up the roots enough during planting, or something else, I get significant die back on mine sometimes. The commercial growers spray a lot of fungicides, could be the wet summers here.

Thanks for all the detail! The blueberry I planted won't fill it out that pot in a year, but maybe 3. I had one in a 20 gallon grow pot, and it was so root bound by the 4th year I had a heck of a time getting it out.

Wow, thank you!

Nice!! Do you mix the sawdust with something and are you using sawdust from any specific type of wood? Thanks for sharing!

@@GrowfullywithJenna honestly, lol, idk. It's very fine, light wood. I'm in Salem, Oregon and it's all I've ever seen here? The nurseries also pack it with the soil around the roots when they put them in the plastic bags? These sat a week and a half on the porch before we got back from out of town and didn't know they were being left gifted to us, and roots were still very damp!

I think you will have great success doing this, Shelly! Best wishes for wonderful blueberries & take care!

Can you point me in the direction of a credible resource for this information? In my video on making your own seed starting mix, I did more research on the peat vs coir conundrum and ran across information stating that peat is OK if you get is from certified sustainable harvesters in Canada. But I had folks claiming that this was B.S. started by the Canadian peat industry. At this point I am so confused I don't know what to believe! I'd be so thankful if you or anyone could share some definitive research on this topic. Thanks!

@@GrowfullywithJenna hi Jenna, I can tell you where to get the info. Go to: Gardener Scott channel. He has done much research as he use to say you shouldn’t use it also. But has since changed his view on it.

@@w.bevans5454 thanks!