Blueberry Bonus: description of the variety of large-fruited tall berry, features of planting and care

History of variety development

The Bonus blueberry variety was bred by American breeders from a university located in Michigan. The basis was taken from a wild blueberry variety, Vaccinium highbush.

The year of official creation of this blueberry variety is 1978. Thanks to the high frost resistance of the Bonus blueberry, this variety is grown in many regions of Russia with harsh winters, however, covering the plants in the same way as rose bushes.

Blueberry Bonus - photo

Ripening time

The description of the variety states that it begins to ripen in August. More precise timing of fruiting depends on the growing region and weather. The bonus is not distinguished by the simultaneous ripening of fruits, so the harvest ripens in waves, and it has to be harvested in several stages. Berries are considered ripe if they have acquired an even blue color and are covered with a white waxy coating, have juicy pulp and a sweet taste.

Fresh fruits of this variety are not stored for too long - from 5 to 7 days at a temperature of +10...+12°C. During this time, it is advisable to eat them or make juice, jam or jam from them, which can be stored in the basement or refrigerator for a year.

Among gardeners, Bonus blueberry is considered the largest-fruited variety with a dessert taste of berries. This shrub will not only provide the owner with a good harvest of healthy fruits, but will also decorate the summer and autumn garden with elegant foliage.

Blueberry Bonus: characteristics and description of the variety

Bonus blueberry bushes are tall, the diameter of the plant can be up to 1.1-1.2 m, the height of well-leafed spreading shoots is 1.4-1.6 m.

The foliage is elongated, wide at the base and slightly pointed at the tips, shiny, smooth, dark emerald in color, attached to the shoots with short petioles.

The buds from which the leaves grow are located along the entire length of the shoot in the leaf axils. Flower buds grow at the ends of the branches; they are collected in racemose inflorescences, each of which can produce up to 7-10 bell flowers with white petals.

Ripe berries are round in shape, up to 3 cm in diameter, the weight of one Bonus blueberry is 4-5 g.

The color of the dense, rather thin skin is pale blue or dark blue, on which a pale waxy coating is clearly visible. The scar is clearly visible on the side. The pulp is juicy, sweet, greenish in color.

On a note!

If blueberry juice gets on your clothes or skin, removing it is easy and simple.

The harvested crop tolerates transportation well over long distances and can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time. Ripe fruits are eaten fresh, in cooking, and can also be preserved. The berries are also frozen for the winter.

Harvesting and storage

Blueberry bushes bear fruit from mid-July. Large berries are easily collected and do not fall off on their own. For convenience, use a comb. You can store pure blueberries in the refrigerator, usually for no longer than 2 weeks in glass containers. Fresh blueberries can be used to create fruit purees and desserts.

Frozen fruits retain all useful components. You should not wash blueberries before freezing; their skin will become too tough. When candied or dried, the shelf life is no longer than 1 year.

Productivity of blueberry variety Bonus

Bonus blueberry bushes bloom in mid to late May.

(depending on the climatic conditions of the growing region). Therefore, Bonus blueberries ripen from the last ten days of July to the last ten days of August - depending on the area in which this berry bush is grown.

From each blueberry bush of this variety you can collect 6-8 kg of ripe berries.

Blueberry Bonus produces its first harvest 3 seasons after planting blueberry seedlings in a permanent place.

Care after landing

Pruning is the main stage of caring for adult bushes, allowing you to reduce the amount of young growth that darkens the crown and makes it difficult for the sun and air to enter the crown. This procedure also solves the problem of obtaining a large number of marketable berries, as it allows you to form the next season’s harvest on wood grown in the previous year. This is important because branches that are 4 or 5 years old no longer produce quality fruit.

Pruning has several purposes:

• formation of a bush with 8–10 main branches;
• stimulation of the growth of new fruit shoots;
• control over crown volume;
• obtaining annual full harvests.

Regular pruning prevents aging of the plant and weak growth of young shoots. If this is not done, the bush will be burdened with almost no fruit-bearing powerful perennial branches. The procedure is carried out at the end of February or early March, at a time when severe frosts have already receded, but the blueberries are still at rest. The end of the fruit season is also suitable for this - the time when the entire harvest is removed from the bush, this period occurs at the end of August or September.

About

Diseases and pests

Although Bonus blueberries are highly resistant to a number of dangerous diseases characteristic of other varieties of this berry crop, there are diseases to which this variety’s resistance is quite low.

Blueberry Bonus has low resistance to the following diseases:

1. From fungi - to gray rot, mummification of berries, fruit rot, drying of branches;
2. From viral ones - to mosaic, filamentous branches, red spotting of foliage.

For prevention purposes, this shrub should be treated with fungicidal preparations several times a season:

• 3 treatments with an interval of 6-8 days before budding. And the processing is carried out the same number of times after harvesting;
• Before the buds open and after leaf fall, the above-ground part of the bush is treated with a solution of Bordeaux mixture.

Blueberry Bonus - video

The following pests can also attack these blueberries:

• aphid;
• caterpillars;
• leaf rollers;
• flower beetle;
• kidney mites.
  Effective preparations against pests:
  Biofungicide "Glyokladin" Insecticide "Kinmiks" Drug "Fitoverm"

For preventive purposes against pest attacks, insecticidal preparations are used.
To prevent wasps and birds from damaging the ripening fruits, the bush is covered with a special net during ripening.

What you need for good growth and productivity

If the growing conditions are met, the bush will delight you with a harvest within 2-3 years after planting. Main requirements:

• regular watering;
• introduction of nutritional compounds;
• loosening the soil surface;
• shelter for the winter (in too cold regions);
• pest control;
• preventive treatments.

Another requirement is regular pruning, otherwise the bush will look sloppy and lose its decorative effect.

Regularity of irrigation

It is recommended to water elderberries frequently, especially in the summer. The regularity of watering depends on the weather. If it is too hot, irrigate the soil 3-5 times a week. Use warm water, standing for several hours in the sun. Watering with a hose is not recommended; there is a risk of causing unsightly spots to appear on the leaves.

Watering should be stopped in mid-autumn; the bushes should prepare for winter. Overmoistening the soil before frost will lead to freezing of the root system. Frosts will not cause any particular harm, especially to unpretentious varieties. They will quickly grow with the onset of warmth and quickly grow new roots. More delicate species recover poorly, and some may even die.

Fertilizer application

For fertilizing, use complex fertilizers. Do not overdo it with the addition of nutrients; one fertilizing per month is enough. If compost was used for mulching, fertilizers can be abandoned; useful elements will penetrate into the soil with water.

Be sure to water the soil thoroughly beforehand so as not to burn the roots passing near the surface.

Formative pruning

It is better to prune in early spring, although it is better to shape old bushes in the fall. Usually, frozen, dry, wind-broken branches are removed. Elderberry can be turned into a standard tree, leaving the main trunk and regularly trimming the side shoots at the bottom of the plant.

Pest control and disease prevention

There is often no need to fight insects; pests are reluctant to invade the plant. Most often, aphids settle on elderberries, against which it is recommended to use an infusion of ash:

1. Bring 5 liters of water to a boil
2. Pour boiling water over wood ash (500 g).
3. Leave for 5-8 hours, tightly closing the container.
4. Strain and process the bush.

To get rid of insects you will need up to 3 treatments. To prevent re-infestation by pests, use the infusion for prevention at least once a month.

If the plant is infected with elderberry mite or fly, you will have to resort to chemicals. It is recommended to carry out treatment with Fufanon. Usually, after the first watering of the leaves, the insects disappear, but it is better to re-apply the solution after a week - this ensures that after some time the pests do not occupy the bushes.

Elderberry gets sick extremely rarely, but it is better not to take risks and carry out preventive treatment with copper sulfate every spring. Some gardeners use Bordeaux mixture, which is no less effective at preventing disease infection.

Advantages of the variety

Gardeners include the obvious advantages of the Bonus blueberry variety:

1. large fruit;
2. ripe berries can easily be transported over long distances and are stored in a cool place for a long time without losing their taste and presentation;
3. the collected fruits contain a large amount of vitamins and other useful substances;
4. blueberries reduce blood glucose levels;
5. high decorativeness of the shrub;
6. this berry crop is hardy and also resistant to a number of diseases;
7. excellent taste of ripe blueberries Bonus and delicious aroma;
8. this berry bush does not require frequent pruning;
9. high resistance to cold (up to -35 degrees Celsius);
10. high yield.
    Berry varieties:
    Black currant Pygmy Cherry Fatezh Cherry Molodezhnaya

Along with the undoubted advantages, the Bonus blueberry variety also has a number of disadvantages:

• the crop ripens unevenly;
• from the moment the characteristic color of the skin appears until the fruits fully ripen, at least 12-14 days pass;
• The bush has an average degree of growth, so there is no increase in yield.

Advantages and disadvantages of growing

Positive sides:

• dense berries do not wrinkle during transportation;
• high productivity;
• endurance, resistance to changing climates and pests;
• large inflorescences are convenient to collect manually;
• attractiveness for buyers;
• high content of vitamins and antioxidants in berries;
• bushes are used in landscape design.

Flaws:

• uneven ripening of berries;
• the variety is not suitable for automated collection;
• To determine the ripeness of berries, experience in growing the variety is required;

The disadvantages include the long development of yield - the peak is reached 5 years after planting the seedling.

Planting blueberries Bonus

Bushes should be planted in a permanent place in the spring, when the return spring frosts have passed.

It is necessary to purchase two-year-old plants - they acclimatize best in a new place after planting and grow faster.

Young bushes are planted in sunny areas where there are no drafts or gusts of north wind. The soil should be loose and fairly fertile - nitrogen-fertilized peat bog and river sand are best suited for this berry crop.

Advice!

Before planting Bonus blueberries, you should check the acidity of the soil. And if it is elevated, you should add lime or dolomite flour to the soil and then regularly check it so that the acidity level does not increase.

Planting holes should be about 1.0 m in diameter and 1.0 m deep

. When planting a large number of Bonus blueberry seedlings, the distance between the holes should be at least 1.5 m, and the direction of the rows should be strictly from north to south.

If groundwater comes close to the surface of the earth, then a layer of drainage material at least 5 cm thick is laid at the bottom of the holes. Broken brick or large expanded clay can be used as such material.

10 liters of water are poured into each hole, wait until it is absorbed, and only then the plants are planted. The seedlings are placed in the center of the holes, the roots are straightened to the diameter of the holes, covered with soil and compacted. Cover the top with a layer of mulch 7-9 cm thick. Rotted sawdust or a mixture of pine needles and peat can be used as a mulching material.

Features of reproduction

Blueberry Bonus (description of the variety, photos confirm its productivity) is easily propagated by dividing the bush. You can also get healthy specimens of the crop using layering and cuttings.

Dividing the bush

This propagation method is suitable for strong and healthy shrubs aged 4-5 years.

The event should be held in mid-spring, during the process you must adhere to the following instructions:

1. First you need to prepare the area for future plants. To do this, the soil must be dug up, cleared of weeds and leveled. Next, you should dig planting holes with a depth of 50 cm and a diameter of 60-70 cm.
2. Having retreated 50-60 cm from the center of the bush, you need to dig around it in a circle.
3. Place a shovel under the blueberry and carefully lift it to the surface.
4. The roots of the culture must be freed from the earthen clod. If damaged or rotten shoots are present, they must be removed.
5. Using a sharp and sterilized instrument, the bush should be divided into several parts. Each division should contain several strong shoots and a sufficient number of roots, 5-7 cm long.
6. The cuttings must be placed in the center of the planting holes and covered with prepared fertile soil. It is advisable to deepen the growing points of the plant by 10-12 cm. Then the shrubs will quickly take root and grow roots.

After planting, blueberries need to be watered well. Then you need to shorten the shoots of the bushes to a height of 15 cm.

Layerings

This method takes a lot of time, because the roots of the layer grow over the course of 2-3 years. But the process is almost painless for the plant and gives 100% results. It is better to start propagating blueberries by layering in late spring - early summer.

And the procedure itself should be carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. Under the bush it is necessary to slightly loosen and level the soil.
2. Having chosen strong and healthy side branches, you need to press them to the ground and secure them with staples.
3. Future layerings should be sprinkled with sawdust and moistened well.

The shoots will grow roots within 2-3 years. When the cuttings become stronger, they should be separated from the mother bush and planted in a previously prepared area.

Cuttings

Blueberry Bonus (description of the variety, photos confirm the large size of its berries) is propagated using cuttings. But this method does not give 100% results, since the shoots do not grow roots well.

It is necessary to harvest cuttings in mid-to-late March, while the bush is dormant. For propagation, you should use annual strong shoots and cut them with a sharp, disinfected knife.

The twigs need to be tied into bundles and stored in the refrigerator or cellar. It is important that the temperature near the shoots is maintained within +3...+5 °C. Also, do not allow the branches to dry out too much.

You need to start rooting in the middle - end of May, and the activity should be carried out in a special bed in a greenhouse. In the selected area, it is necessary to remove the soil to a depth of 20-25 cm, and fill the vacant space with a mixture of peat, sand and rotted sawdust.

During the process, you should follow these instructions:

1. You need to make cuttings from the saved shoots. The length of each workpiece should reach 10-15 cm. The lower cut must be made oblique and immediately below the bud. The top one should be located 1.5-2 cm above the last bud.
2. The lower cut of the cuttings must be treated with a special rooting powder. You can also use growth stimulants, for example, Kornevin or Epin.
3. Cuttings should be buried 3-4 cm into the soil. A distance of 5 cm should be maintained between several plants.
4. The soil needs to be well moistened using a fine spray.
5. It is necessary to stretch a plastic film over the planting, and lay spunbond on top of it.

The cuttings will take root within 2 months. At this time, you need to regularly ventilate the greenhouse and also moisten the soil, preventing it from drying out. It is also necessary to treat plants with fungicide solutions to prevent the development of diseases. It is worth feeding the cuttings once a month, using fertilizers with a minimum nitrogen content.

At the end of August, the shelter must be removed. In early October, you will need to mulch the surface of the beds with peat or sawdust, 5-7 cm thick. In the first ten days of November, you need to cover the planting with spunbond.

In the spring, when the soil warms up enough, you can remove the cover. When the cuttings are sufficiently strong and reach the age of 2-3 years, they should be planted in separate areas.

Further care for the Bonus blueberry variety

Further care for blueberries Bonus consists of the following agrotechnical measures:

• In compliance with the irrigation regime;
• in fertilizing;
• in removing weeds and loosening the soil;
• in carrying out periodic pruning;
• in the preventive treatment of shrubs against diseases and pest attacks.

Since the soil on which blueberries grow is very light and conducts moisture very well, watering must be taken very seriously. Irregular watering can lead to a decrease in yield, a deterioration in the general condition of the bushes, and sometimes even to their death.

For each bush, 10 liters of water are required once a week.

In hot and dry weather, the number of waterings is increased, and at the same time, in the evenings, the shoots are sprayed with settled warm water.

Preparation of planting pit and seedlings

The pit for blueberries is prepared about a week before planting. The depth of the hole should be 50 cm, and the diameter should be 60-70 cm. The fertile layer of the excavated soil is mixed with additives:

• high peat;
• coarse sand;
• pine bark;
• rotted sawdust.

This composition of the soil mixture is ideal for blueberries, as it provides the necessary looseness and correct acidity.

When purchasing seedlings, two-year-old specimens are selected. You need to purchase them from large garden centers or trusted nurseries. In this case, the health of the seedlings and their compliance with the variety will be ensured. It is better to choose plants with a closed root system, sold in containers.

If the roots of the seedling are exposed, they will need to be soaked in warm water for several hours before planting. A healthy root system looks quite developed. The seedlings themselves should not have dark spots, dried shoots, or mechanical damage.

How to feed blueberries Bonus

In total, fertilizers are applied to blueberries three times per season:

• in spring, before the first young leaves appear;
• when the leaves begin to bloom;
• after harvest.

Blueberry feeding

In the spring, blueberry fertilizers containing a large amount of nitrogen are usually applied to stimulate the growth of the vegetative mass of the bush.

During the period of active emergence of young foliage, apply a fertilizer composed of the following substances:

1. 2 tbsp. l. ammonium nitrate;
2. 3.5-4 tbsp. l. superphosphate.

After the harvest is harvested, fertilizing consisting of:

• 2.5-3 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate;
• 2.5-3 tbsp. l. superphosphate.

Need to know!

Do not apply manure, compost or bird droppings under blueberry bushes!

Benefits of blueberries

Blueberries are a source of nutrients. They are able to protect, strengthen and heal the human body. The juice contains vitamins (A, B1, B2, K, C), amino acids, micro- and macroelements. These substances remove radioactive metals, strengthen blood vessels, stimulate the gastrointestinal tract, help with colds and sore throats, and lower blood pressure.

Decoctions, tinctures, jams, compotes with the addition of not only berries, but also leaves relieve attacks of rheumatism and fever, improve vision, and relieve muscle spasms. They are used for diabetes and a tendency to form tumors.

Blueberries have no contraindications. Of course, it must be consumed in moderation, like any other product. An excess of berries in the body leads to allergies, nausea, intestinal disorders and decreased muscle tone.

Preparing blueberries for winter

In the process of preparing this berry bush for winter, the following activities must be carried out:

• moisture-charging irrigation, during which 25-30 liters of water are added to each bush;
• fertilizing consisting of potassium salt and superphosphate;
• Before the onset of cold weather, the shoots are bent to the ground and covered with a covering material that allows air to pass through - burlap, spruce branches or spunbond.

Important!

You cannot cover blueberry bushes with polyethylene - the bushes may simply die.

Description

The variety has a medium-late ripening period, in the southern regions it ripens in the second half of July, in other regions in late July and the first half of August (in South Haven, Michigan, USA, it ripens from the end of July). The Bonus bush is medium-sized, has an elevated habit, open, produces shoots well, 1.4-1.6 meters high, as an exception it can grow up to 1.8 meters. The shoots are powerful, elastic, erect, but rather spreading. Withstands the weight of numerous large berries. The width of the bush is up to 1.2−1.3 meters. In adult plants, the thickness of the stems is 2-3 cm. Young shoots are green; by autumn they acquire a reddish-brick hue, which, paired with reddened foliage, looks very decorative. With age, blueberry shoots become woody and turn light brown. The variety thickens moderately, so it requires moderate pruning. It propagates quite well by green cuttings.

The leaves are intense dark green in color, smooth, dense. They are elliptical in shape, pointed at the ends, on short petioles, with solid edges. 6−8 cm long and 3−4 cm wide. Young leaves are light green. By autumn they turn red, acquiring a beautiful scarlet color. This makes the Bonus quite suitable for decorative purposes.

The root system is fibrous, well branched, without hairs that absorb nutrients from the soil. It grows to a depth of 40 cm. The variety is quite sensitive to the required acidity of the soil; it should be at a pH level of 3.5−4.0. The plant is nourished by mycorrhiza. Mycorrhiza (fungal root) is a symbiosis of fungal mycelium with the roots of higher plants, in particular blueberries. If, for example, the leaves become pale, yellowish in color, then the acidity of the soil has approached neutral. Mycorrhiza can absorb nutrients from the soil only in an acidic environment. And even if the Bonus is located in soil rich in nutrients, it will not be able to receive them, since the mycorrhiza will not “work”. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the acidity of the soil, in which case acidification should be carried out using citric acid, an electrolyte diluted with water, etc.

The flowers are white, pot-bellied, bell-shaped, up to 1 cm in length, with small teeth curved back. Collected in numerous brushes. Blueberries bloom in the second half of May, flowering is long-lasting and can last until the third decade of June. The variety is resistant to returning spring frosts. The bonus is self-fertile, but cross-pollination with other varieties improves the quality and size of the berries. It is necessary that the flowering dates coincide. For example, Blugold is suitable for these purposes.

The berries are rounded and flattened, with a small perianth. Size from medium to large and very large, 1.8−2 cm in diameter, but can be filled up to 2.5−3 cm. Weight on average 1.8−2.5 grams, but often falls short with large diameter fruits and up to 3.5 grams. As for a blueberry, this is a very large berry. According to American studies, there are an average of 100 fruits per 1 pound (0.45 kg). Bonus berries have another quality - they cause the so-called “wow” effect in people seeing them for the first time. In this he competes with another recognized leader in fruit size - Chandler. The marketing term "wow effect" is essentially a joyful surprise when a person is, as is often said, amazed by some dramatic change in his condition. That is, again, the task of such an effect is to amaze and stun, to express all the emotions from what you see with the exclamation “Wow. " The fruits are collected in open clusters, mostly 10-20 pieces. Mature plants may have more berries in clusters. The Bonus becomes fully effective after reaching the age of five. Moreover, the berries are often of heterogeneous shapes and sizes. Interestingly, there is a direct relationship between shape and size - the larger the berries, the more flattened they are.

The variety's fruits themselves are high-quality, elastic and dense, but the flesh is juicy, greenish in color with small seeds. With a small dry scar after harvest. The skin is strong and elastic. Blueberries are bright, deep light blue in color, covered with a strong waxy coating. They retain a beautiful color even when stored after collection. The fruits are very good, rich, bright and memorable taste with a slight piquant sourness, sweet, with a strong aroma. The fruits have a perfectly balanced balance of sugar and acid. But what’s interesting is that a color change from green to blue does not mean complete ripeness. Only after 10-14 days after coloring do the fruits become truly tasty and sweet. Bonus berries are rich in valuable physiologically active substances: bioflavonoids, anthocyanins, leukoanthocyanins, catechins, chlorogenic and triterpene acids. Also, its fruits are a valuable source of an important anti-atherosclerotic and lipotropic substance - betaine, which has an anti-ulcer effect.

The fruits have good keeping quality and are stored for a long time, especially after cooling. They transport well over long distances, do not wrinkle or leak. The berries look great on a market stand, immediately attracting the attention of buyers. The fruits are used for personal consumption and the fresh market, and are suitable for freezing. Due to their excellent taste and aroma, as well as their impressive size, they are actively used in cooking, in particular for decorating desserts, cakes, etc. Very good for baking and all kinds of processing - jams, syrups, sauces, etc.

The variety is productive and quite hardy. The harvest is regular, in adult plants the yield reaches 5-6 kg, sometimes up to 8 kg. But such a harvest can be obtained on a well-developed, tall bush with proper agricultural technology, which includes timely provision of blueberries with all the necessary micro- and macroelements. The fruits ripen rather unevenly, there is no mass production, so the Bonus is not suitable for mechanized harvesting, it is simply not economically feasible. But it is very suitable for manual sampling, thanks to open clusters and large fruits. And the originators recommend only manual picking for the fresh berry market.

Reviews

You can hear a lot of positive and satisfied reviews about blueberries.

“I didn’t really hope to get a blueberry harvest this year, but “Bonus” suddenly made me happy with the first berries. Really a bonus!”

“This year the berry has not grown so large, but the size is still satisfactory. The taste is sweet with a slight sourness. I like."

“I’ve been growing Bonus for many years now and I’m happy with everything. The berries are easy to care for, and the harvest always pleases with its abundance. I plan to plant a couple more bushes so that blueberries will continue to make me so happy in the future.”

Description

Highbush blueberry Bonus belongs to the Heather family. Its bush can reach a height of 1.3–1.5 m. The plant produces more than a dozen main skeletal shoots, which have numerous lateral branches.

A feature of the variety is its large fruit, due to which it is one of the most productive representatives of the crop. With proper cultivation, one plant can produce from 4 to 7 kg of fruit. Harvest ripening occurs in August, as the variety is mid-late. Due to the dense consistency of the pulp, the berries are suitable for transportation over various distances. It has excellent resistance to sub-zero temperatures (–27.–34°C), but requires stable, moderate soil moisture.

Root system

The underground part of this shrub is well branched and lies in the surface layers of the soil, no deeper than 15–20 cm. Usually it consists of 4-5 thick perennial shoots up to 1 cm in diameter and many small, long and thread-like ones. They are covered with smooth gray-brown bark, the inner wood is green-yellow in color, and is juicy and elastic. When mechanically damaged, a healthy root abundantly secretes clear juice.

Leaves

In the spring, leathery leaves of a dark green color, with slightly jagged edges, appear on the Bonus; in the fall they turn red, which looks very beautiful. This variety can be grown not only for berries: the plant itself will decorate a garden or personal plot.