Blueberries for the Home gardener

One of the neat things about blueberries is that they can be raised successfully all over the country. Here the Ohio State Horticulture and Crop Science program explains how the home gardener can take advantage of the blueberry's excellent taste and nutritive properties:

Blueberries are a very popular fruit in the United States because of their unique flavor, small edible seeds, and ease of preparation. Blueberries can be eaten fresh or used for jelly, jam, pies, pastries, or juice. Blueberry fruit is also low in calories and sodium, contains no cholesterol, and is a source of fiber. A major constituent of the fiber is pectin, known for its ability to lower blood cholesterol. Blueberries contain measurable quantities of ellagic acid, which has inhibiting effects on chemically induced cancer in laboratory studies. Blueberry juice also contains a compound that prevents bacteria from anchoring themselves to the bladder, thereby helping to prevent urinary tract infections.

Don't forget to acidify your soil!