Old overgrown blueberry farm

D

Dshamel

Member
I acquired an old overgrown blueberry farm that is 80% bushes that are susceptible to the gull wasp and are not worth saving. I would like to excavate the land and possibly replant with newer varieties of blueberries. I live in west Michigan and the soil is very sandy. I only have about 6 inches of good topsoil. I have about 20 acres I want to replant.

what would be the best method to clear this land and preserve the topsoil so I can replant?
 
F

farmerm

Member
Location
Shropshire
Dshamel said:
I acquired an old overgrown blueberry farm that is 80% bushes that are susceptible to the gull wasp and are not worth saving. I would like to excavate the land and possibly replant with newer varieties of blueberries. I live in west Michigan and the soil is very sandy. I only have about 6 inches of good topsoil. I have about 20 acres I want to replant.

what would be the best method to clear this land and preserve the topsoil so I can replant?
Click to expand...
Pots…
9E0AAA60-6D44-43D7-8CFE-5774C00AE44A.jpeg
 
davidroberts30

davidroberts30

Member
Location
pembrokeshire
Dshamel said:
I acquired an old overgrown blueberry farm that is 80% bushes that are susceptible to the gull wasp and are not worth saving. I would like to excavate the land and possibly replant with newer varieties of blueberries. I live in west Michigan and the soil is very sandy. I only have about 6 inches of good topsoil. I have about 20 acres I want to replant.

what would be the best method to clear this land and preserve the topsoil so I can replant?
Click to expand...
is fire an option?
 
Bogweevil

Bogweevil

Member
Flail off tops, dig out roots, flail those too, disk, plough, amend pH and nutrients, level field, leave for a year under a biofumigant crop, test for nematodes and root diseases, renew irrigation, replant with cultivars that have some gall bug resistance. Good luck.
 
Fruitbat

Fruitbat

Member
BASIS
Location
Worcestershire
I grew mine in pots, they need to be wide and shallow. Don't start in too big a pot though, start small and pot on after 2-3 yrs. Lime free, well drained compost.
Otherwise, flail off, get a cover crop on for a year with a decent root structure and replant. Vine weevil, scale and tortrix moth more of a problem here, and pseudomonas. Birds, squirrels, mice….
 
Tags
cover crop crusher cultivator fire flail irrigation nematodes nutrients plough roots sandy varieties

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