The blueberry plant is not only easy to care for but also has very interesting medicinal properties, since it is our best ally to prevent and / or cure urine infections and strengthen the health of the kidneys. For this reason, sowing its seeds is a magnificent experience that, without a doubt, will be of great help to us to be healthier.
So if you want to have this plant in your patio or garden, then I will tell you when and how cranberry seeds are sown.
Table of Contents
- 1 When are cranberry seeds sown?
- 2 How are they sown?
- 2.1 Put them in a glass of water to see if they are viable
- 2.2 Choose a seedbed and fill it with substrate
- 2.3 Sow the blueberry seeds
- 2.4 Place the seedbed outside
- 3 How is the blueberry plant?
- 4 Where to buy blueberry seeds?
When are cranberry seeds sown?
The blueberry, a shrub that belongs to the genus Vaccinium, is a round plant that measures 2 meters in height. Resisting frosts down to -15ºC, it can be grown in temperate regions around the world. The question is… when are your seeds ready? In autumn-winter.
It will be then when we have to collect them, take advantage of their pulp to consume fresh or to make jams or desserts, and clean the seeds well to sow them.
How are they sown?
Now that we have the clean seeds, we have to proceed to sow them. And we will do it in the following way:
Put them in a glass of water to see if they are viable
The first thing you have to do is put them in a glass of water for 24 hours. After that time, you will see which are the viable ones (they will be the ones that sink), and which ones are not. Those that remain floating, the most normal thing is that they do not germinate, but you can sow them separately just in case.
Choose a seedbed and fill it with substrate
The next step is to prepare the seedbed. As such you can use pots with holes in their base, although we recommend seedling trays to have the seeds more controlled. In any case, fill it with universal substrate or for urban garden and water conscientiously.
Sow the blueberry seeds
Now you have to place a maximum of two seeds in the pot or socket if you have opted for the seedling trays, and bury them a centimeter or a little more in the substrate. Next, sprinkle with copper or sulfur to prevent fungal infections, a problem that often appears in tree and shrub seedlings.
Place the seedbed outside
Finally, place the seedbed outside, in semi-shade. Keep the substrate moist but not waterlogged, and so on the seeds will germinate throughout the spring.
Once they do, leave them there for the first year to grow and become strong enough to, when the time comes, move them to a larger pot or to the garden if it has acidic soil (pH 4 to 5).
How is the blueberry plant?
Image – Wikimedia / Franz Xaver
The cranberry is a terrestrial or epiphyte shrub or tree belonging to the genus Vaccinium. This is made up of 172 accepted species of the 908 that are described. Its leaves are evergreen or deciduous, with a short petiole, and have entire or serrated margins. The flowers are grouped in clusters, although they can be solitary, and they sprout in spring. Its fruits are berries that contain numerous seeds.
Of all the varieties there are, the best known and most cultivated are:
- Vaccinium corymbosum: known as blueberry, because of the color of its fruits. It is an evergreen shrub that does not exceed half a meter native to the United States.
- Vaccinium vitis-idaea: known as cranberry, for its fruits. It is an evergreen subshrub with a creeping bearing native to Europe, Asia and North America that reaches 20-40 centimeters in height.
But regardless of what type of blueberry it is, all require the same care; that is to say: sun or semi-shade, moderate watering and from time to time some pruning to remove dry or broken branches.
