Fruit Yields From Rabbiteye and Highbush Blueberry Plants

Introduction

Growing blueberries is a long-term endeavor. It takes 7 to 10 years for blueberry plants to reach full maturity. With good care blueberry plants will likely remain productive for 30 to 40 years. Blueberry plants fruit produce plenty of blueberries that are enjoyable when eaten fresh or used in pancakes, muffins, pies, or when used on breakfast cereals. Blueberry plants also add beauty to the landscape. They can be grown in beds, rows or as a hedge along the property border. Blueberries can be used in group plantings, or as single plants. Blueberries make an ideal year-round source of beauty to the landscape. Growing blueberries presents a challenge because the plants require acid soils that are well-drained, loose and high in organic matter. Blueberry plants can provide a good "organic" approach of gardening, because pesticides are not often required.

Rabbiteye plants yields

1. In well-managed irrigated plantings a rabbiteye bush can be harvested during the 2nd year after planting in the field.

2. A mature, healthy rabbiteye bush should produce about 20 lbs of blueberry fruit per plant each year or 20 to 25 pints. Rabbiteye varieties can occasionally produce up to 25 lbs per plant. Approximate rabbiteye yields in pounds per acre for years 2 through 6 can be:

    * Year 2 100-500,
    * Year 3 500-1,000,
    * Year 4 1,000-2,000,
    * Year 5 2,000-4,000,
    * Year 6 4,000-6,000,
    * Year 7 After year 7 under good conditions yields should range from 8,000 to 12,000 pounds per acre. Rabbiteye blueberries have good fruit quality.

3. The rabbiteye fruit matures in about 90 days from bloom.

4. About 300 rabbiteye blueberries equal 1 pound of fruit.

5. In general rabbiteye blueberry plants are easier to grow than southern highbush plants. Rabbit eye blueberries are more droughts tolerant partly because they have a more robust root system than highbush blueberries.

Highbush plants yields

   1. For the less vigorous highbush cultivars, no fruit returns can be anticipated until the 3rd year after planting.
   2. Mature highbush cultivars may produce 6 to 10 pints or 6 to 10 pounds of blueberries. Highbush might average 6,000 to 10,000 lbs per acre.
   3. . Southern Blueberry fruit ripens over a 60 day period after bloom, so despite earlier bloom date than highbush, the rabbiteye fruit ripens later.
   4. About 250 highbush blueberries equal 1 lb of fruit.
   5. Highbush plants as a group, are harder to grow than rabbityeye. Highbush blueberries do not have as strong a root system as rabbiteye blueberries and are less droughts tolerant.

Weather patterns

The weather patterns have been changing with it being warmer further north than in the past. For example, although central Kentucky is in growing zone 6, rabbiteye plants have recently been successfully grown in south central Kentucky even though they normally are only recommended for growing from zones 7 to zone 9. This increases the blueberry yields farmers can get and thus increase their profits.

Summary

Rabbiteye can produce large amounts of fruit and are more vigorous and drought resistant than southern varieties. Rabbiteye varieties can, on occasion, produce 10 to 20 lbs per plant. Highbush cultivars may produce 6 to 10 pounds of blueberries. In well-managed irrigated plantings a rabbiteye can be harvested during the 2nd year after planting in the field.

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