Name: Blueberry (Patriot) | Berries
SKU: Blueberry (Patriot)
Availability: InStock

Blueberry (Patriot)

Patriot carries quarter-sized berries, the largest of any early blueberry, on a short bush that takes cold, frost and heavier wetter soils in its stride. It is a great choice where the ground is against you.

Very large berries, among the biggest of the early blueberries.
Tolerates heavier, wetter soils, cold weather and spring frost.
Short and open, under 4 ft, so it fits where a tall bush will not.
Concentrated ripening: two main pickings rather than a long dribble.
Self-fertile; a second blueberry variety improves size and yield.

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

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

Description

Patriot is the early blueberry to plant when the ground is against you. It tolerates heavier and wetter soils than most of the crop will accept, handles cold weather, and comes through spring frost better than its neighbours.

The berries are very large, quarter sized and slightly flattened, medium blue, with a bright acidic flavor that cooks and preserves beautifully and freezes well. Ripening is concentrated, so the crop comes off in about two main pickings. The bush is vigorous, moderately erect and open and stays under 4 ft, with snowy blossom in spring.

Overview

Very large, quarter-sized berries early in the season.
Takes heavier, wetter soils, cold and spring frost.
Short at under 4 ft, vigorous, moderately erect and open.
Concentrated ripening, so the crop comes in two main pickings.

Growing Details

Latin Name: Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Patriot’
Site and Soil: Full sun; acidic, well drained soil, pH 4.5 to 5.5
Hardiness: Hardy to USDA Zone 3
Rootstock: Grown from cuttings or tissue culture
Bearing Age: Fruits right away; full production in 5 to 6 years
Size at Maturity: Vigorous, moderately erect and open, under 4 ft
Ripening Time: Early season; June into July
Pollination: Self-fertile; a second blueberry variety improves size and yield

Additional Notes

Grower’s Insight: Of all the blueberries this is the one to try where the soil is heavier or wetter than the books say a blueberry will take.
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 – Patriot 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: Vigorous, moderately erect and open; under 4 ft
Pollination: Self-fertile; a second blueberry variety improves size and yield
Harvest: Early summer
Hardiness: Hardy to USDA Zone 3

Planting & Care – Patriot 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.
More forgiving of heavy ground than most, but still wants drainage.

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

Expect two main pickings rather than a long drawn-out season.
The bright acidity is excellent baked, preserved and frozen.

General Tips

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

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