Blueberries are considered one of the healthiest foods there are and often referred to as a superfood. As a natural source for extremely high levels of antioxidants, blueberries are also a delicious way to help balance the usually acidic levels from Western diets by having an alkalizing effect in our bodies.
In addition to having fresh blueberries as a snack, we enjoy them in our gluten free pancakes and muffins. I also combined them with fresh blackberries to can yummy jam.
Because it seems one cannot have too many blueberries, I have taken clippings from our large bush to propagate. By simply taking healthy ends with small buds forming for next year, I soaked the cut ends in clean water, then dipped them in rooting hormone. The new blueberry plants are spending the winter in small pots on shelves in front of a sunny South facing window where I water them two to three times per week. After the last threat of frost in the Spring, I will move them to their new home outdoors.
After a bit of research, it seems extra blueberries can be easily frozen. Wash them, let them dried thoroughly. Lie them next to each other (dried) on a baking sheet or in a flat dish and freeze them for several hours. Then take them out and put them in a freezer bag. (They will not clump together if they are dry and have been frozen flat.) Put them in a freezer bag and remove all the air. (Can be done effectively by sucking out extra air with a straw.) I like to then double bag them just to be sure they are sealed tight. They will keep in the freezer for up to 12 months, until next year's batch are ready to be picked. :-)
I pick and freeze roughly #50 of blueberries every year. No need to wash before freezing, just rinse them off while still frozen at the the point of use which for me is approx 1/2 cup every morning in my oatmeal. This has become a ritual mid-morning breakfast for me. I simply mix them in after preparing my oatmeal (which is most easily accomplished in the microwave) then to back into the microwave for two minutes. I top my finished oatmeal with a tablespoon of chia (or hemp) seed and a teaspoon of cinnamon powder, mix in with homemade yogert (and continue to top with more yogert while eating) Superfood breakfast of champions I call it… and delicious
@skicentral
Sounds wonderful. :-)
I have propagated about ten small blueberry plants in a sunny window over the winter. They came from the huge bushes (practically trees) that we found growing here, hidden under an overgrowth of kiwi. I hope to do the same several times more times so we will always have enough to eat and freeze for year round treats. Maybe I can plant a few in strategic location to lure that old bear away from the garden too.
Mrs. Cog, I’m learning something new. I always dug up the sprouts near the blueberry bush. You take cuttings and root them? Do you cut in the spring or fall? Do you cut within 4 inches of the end of a branch?
@casey stengel
Sprouts? Did they come up in the Spring, Summer or Fall? I will have to search the blueberry patch area! I love a good treasure hunt. Thanks for the tip.
I was following instructions and I took cuttings in the fall. Some of them were as short as four inches, some as tall as ten. I carefully trimmed the end, dipped them in “rooting hormone” and planted in dirt and perlite. I will know in another few weeks if they took root this way and whether I was able to transplant any or all of them. They have enjoyed the winter in my sunniest window. :-)
This guy has some great video’s on the subject of propagating. I’ve use his knowledge on tomato plant propagation 25 and counting on 6 seed starts this year. Here’s the link for Blackberries.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KYZ04eC7bw&list=TLzG1plBV40nhEfuDPAPLeOk2-X0rju7z4