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Duke and bluecrop blueberry Cross pollinate?

ellieloughlinellieloughlin Posts: 19
edited June 2020 in Fruit & veg
Hi, 

I've bought two blueberry bushes, one Duke and one bluecrop. Now I'm wondering will these be able to cross pollinate or will I need to buy two more!?

Many thanks, Ellie 

Posts

  • janntimsonjanntimson Posts: 54
    edited July 2020
    I have exactly those 2 blueberry plants. Yes I'm pretty sure they do :) Only got them earlier in the spring and had already set a lot of their fruit but the Duke definitely still had a lot of flowers which then pollinated and it can only have been the blue crop that did it.  As a general rule high bush types will pollinate other high bush.  It wouldn't hurt to get one or 2 more plants to increase chances of cross pollination. Sorry if that's being a bad influence.... blueberry addict here lol 
  • ellieloughlinellieloughlin Posts: 19
    Thank you, as I understand it they are both self pollinating, but you get a better yield if you have more than 1. I may be wrong though! 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    ellieloughlin said:
    Thank you, as I understand it they are both self pollinating, but you get a better yield if you have more than 1. I may be wrong though! 
    No, you're right :)

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • ellieloughlinellieloughlin Posts: 19
    Pete.8 said:
    ellieloughlin said:
    Thank you, as I understand it they are both self pollinating, but you get a better yield if you have more than 1. I may be wrong though! 
    No, you're right :)
    Thanks Pete, so will these two help each out or will I need two of the same variety for that to work? 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Different varieties will work best.
    I have Herbert, Patriot and Ozark Blue and am getting very good harvests.
    The first to ripen is Patriot, but I find the taste quite bland.
    Next is Ozark Blue, huge berries and very good flavour
    Herbert ripens just after OB and has a very strong blueberry flavour but is less sweet than the others.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • janntimsonjanntimson Posts: 54
    I have Duke and bluecrop. I was under the impression that Duke is one of the earliest to ripen and bluecrop on the later side. My Duke is just getting some ripening but so is my bluecrop! I've snuck one of the Duke berries already and it's delicious. You're in for a treat next year. I also have a pink lemonade which I only planted this year and it hasn't flowered yet. Fingers crossed for next year...

    If you have a bush that's self fertile another thing you can do is use a clean makeup brush or something every couple of days to help it. I think I'll leave the bees to do the hard work though  :)
  • ellieloughlinellieloughlin Posts: 19
    Mine both have berries on and yes they look similar maturity. I know I've planted them the wrong time of year, but I was impatient. Fingers crossed for some ripening soon and they haven't drowned in all this rain! 
  • janntimsonjanntimson Posts: 54
    I was also impatient and only planted mine a few weeks ago. Doesn't seem to have done them much harm. I hear you about the rain. It feels like every time I am responsible and give mine a good drowing there's then a massive downpour shortly after  :s I think what blueberries really hate though is drying out so as long as your pots drain well it will be doing them good! 
  • ellieloughlinellieloughlin Posts: 19
    They're not in a pool of water, and I did put some wood chip in, so hopefully they're happy! 
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