I live in the outskirts of Raleigh, NC and would like to know of a good source to purchase blueberry plants. Are the Ozark's a common plant at local nurseries?

Thank you for your time.

Patty

-- Patty Forster (patty.forster@att.net), March 20, 2002

Answers

Hi Patty, I ordered a free catalog on-line from Isons nursery in Georgia. www.isons.com They have grapes, blueberries and other fruits that are well suited for the south. The blueberry selections they list are rabbit-eye.

-- Annie (mistletoe6@earthlink.net), March 20, 2002.

You might try your local Southern States store. Ours just got them in and they are the nicest looking bushes I have ever seen and only $7.00 each!

-- Karen (mountains_mama2@hotmail.com), March 20, 2002.

Hi Patty, I purchased 9 plants from the Lowe's in Cary, three years ago! All are alive and well. Had blueberries the very first summer! I planted different varieties: Bluejay, Jersey ,Climax, Bluecrop amd Premier. 'Bluecrop' have really large, sweet berries and lots of them. Some are early, some are later and some are smaller berries. If I had it to do over I would not have planted so many! Good luck!

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), March 20, 2002.

You can usually get blueberries from your local nursery - or they can order them for you. Make sure to get at least two, preferably more varieties, and at least! four bushes (better to have 6), otherwise they do not produce berries very well.

-- Chenoa (ganter@primus.ca), March 20, 2002.

I ordered berries last year from Raintree Nurseries in Washington state (they have a website). The berries are of 2 year old stock. They arrived in great condition. Had a bountiful crop the first year. So ordered more for this year. I am sold on them.

We live in Kentucky so didn't know if they were adaptable, but they were. Have a great selection of varieties.

-- Carole Kington (kington@duo-county.com), March 20, 2002.

Patty, Howdy, neighbor. I live over towards Spring Hope/ Rocky Mount. I recently got to looking around for trees (I hadnt even thought about blue berries until reading your post), and wound up buying, in Nashville (Old Nashville Road) a bunch of rather difficult to find trees from the nusery there. I got figs, chestnuts, peaches, almonds and couple of Bradford pears for looks. They had a bunch more. They should have Blueberries too. Now if I could just find some strawberry sets, Id be in business! Everyone is sold out of them.

-- Kevin in NC (Vantravlrs@aol.com), March 20, 2002.

Finch Blueberry Nursery Contact: Dan Finch, Owner PO Box 699 Bailey, NC 27807 USA Phone: 252-235-4664 Fax: 252-235-2411 E-mail: danfinch@cocentral.com Blueberry plants

Patty - The above information came from the N.C. Dept. of Agriculture site under "Nursery Products". I've ordered from them before but I must confess I haven't had much luck with blueberries. I don't fault the company though. I think I didn't put forth enough effort preparing the ground. Good luck!

-- Mel Carroll in N.C. (frank.a.carroll@worldnet.att.net), March 21, 2002.

A few yrs ago someone in Abington, VA wrote a article for Countryside. They ahd a B&B, had Blueberries, moved the plants with them from New England. They successfully grew the plants, but had to put nets over to stop the birds.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), March 21, 2002.

ms. forester,i'll be ordering from these folks this fall, can't beat the prices[from .60 cents up to a whopping 4.50 per plant] or the selection [dozens of northern,rabitteye, highbush,& creeping, to pick from] & i personally belive the younger, un- pot bound stock adapts & grows quicker.

http://www.danfinch.com/berrys.htm

finch blueberries is located in nc, they aparrantly have a retail nursery too, outside of bailey. happy shopping! :( i'm jealous you get to pick out your own!

-- bj pepper in C. MS. (pepper.pepper@excite.com), March 21, 2002.

patty, we have acres of rabbit eye or huckleberry's. i live in N.GA. if you can figure a way to ship them, i will send you some. the past few years they have been almost the size of regular blueberrys. very sweet too! cody

-- cody (urbusted@alltel.net), March 21, 2002.

ooops, i mean ship the plants. not the berries

-- cody (urbusted@alltel.net), March 21, 2002.