Name: Blueberry (Elliot) | Berries
SKU: Blueberry (Elliot)
Availability: OutOfStock

Blueberry (Elliot)

1 Gallon, more sizes

Elliott is the last blueberry standing: it ripens after everything else, firm half-inch berries that store better than any other, on a bush that blooms late enough to duck a spring frost. The stems turn bright burgundy in winter.

Ripens later than any other blueberry, carrying the season into fall.
Firm, light blue, half-inch berries that store exceptionally well.
Blooms late, which keeps the crop clear of most spring frosts.
Bright burgundy stems for winter interest on a 6 ft erect bush.
Self-fertile; a second blueberry variety improves size and yield.

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Arrives healthy, guaranteed. Problem within 14 days? Send a photo and we replace it or credit you.

Ships in 1 to 4 business days from our nursery in Washington state, in a 36 inch box.

SKU: Blueberry (Elliot) Categories: Berries, Blueberry Tag: online

Description

Elliott exists to extend the season. It is the latest-ripening blueberry in common cultivation, coming in when every other bush has finished, and its firm, light blue, half-inch berries hold in the fridge longer than anything else you will pick.

The flavor is tart rather than sweet, which is exactly what you want for baking and preserving and which mellows considerably if you let the fruit hang until fully ripe. The bush is erect and vigorous to about 6 ft, very precocious, and it responds to hard pruning. It blooms late, so spring frosts tend to pass it by, and the stems turn bright burgundy through winter.

Overview

The latest-ripening blueberry, picking when the others are done.
Firm half-inch berries with outstanding storage life.
Tart and excellent for baking and preserves; sweetens if left to hang.
Late blooming, so it dodges most spring frosts.

Growing Details

Latin Name: Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Elliott’
Site and Soil: Full sun; acidic, well drained soil, pH 4.5 to 5.5
Hardiness: Hardy to USDA Zone 4
Rootstock: Grown from cuttings or tissue culture
Bearing Age: Fruits right away; full production in 5 to 6 years
Size at Maturity: Moderate to high vigor, erect, about 6 ft tall and 5 ft wide
Ripening Time: Late season; August into September
Pollination: Self-fertile; a second blueberry variety improves size and yield

Additional Notes

Grower’s Insight: Leave Elliott on the bush longer than feels right. Picked early it is sharp; left to hang it sweetens and the flavor fills out.
Regional Insight: Blueberries crop best where winters are cold enough to meet their chill and the soil is naturally acid, which covers most of the country once the planting hole is prepared properly.
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Planting & Care

At a Glance – Elliott Blueberry

Sun: Full sun
Soil: Acidic, well drained soil, pH 4.5 to 5.5
Water: Steady moisture all season; never let it dry out
Size: Erect and vigorous; about 6 ft tall, 5 ft wide
Pollination: Self-fertile; a second blueberry variety improves size and yield
Harvest: Late summer into fall
Hardiness: Hardy to USDA Zone 4

Planting & Care – Elliott Blueberry

Site Selection

Full sun gives the heaviest crop and the best flavor.
Avoid low spots that hold water; the roots are shallow.

Soil Preparation

This is the work that pays: get it right once and the bush crops for decades.
Bring the pH to 4.5 to 5.5 with elemental sulfur before planting.
Work in peat moss or composted bark to open the soil and hold moisture.

Planting Instructions

Dig three times the width of the root ball and no deeper.
Mix the backfill half and half with peat or composted bark.
Tease the circling roots apart before planting.
Set it at the depth it grew, firm gently, then water thoroughly.
Mulch 3 to 4 inches deep with bark, kept off the stems.

Watering & Fertilizing

Keep the root zone evenly moist; the roots are shallow.
Feed in early spring with an acid-plant fertilizer.
Never use nitrate fertilizer or lime.

Pollination

Self-fertile, and a second variety improves size and yield.
Prune hard in late winter; this one crops young and needs the help.

Pruning & Training

Prune in late winter while the bush is dormant.
Take out the oldest canes and anything weak or crossing.
Strip the first year’s flowers so it builds roots instead.

Harvest & Use

Wait for full ripeness; early-picked fruit is noticeably tart.
Stores longer than any other blueberry, fresh or frozen.

General Tips

Refresh the acid mulch each spring; it holds the pH.
Net the bush as the fruit colors.

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