Introduction

Recent interest in the lowbush (wild) blueberry industry on Prince Edward Island has brought about a need to develop guidelines for people who wish to acquire and develop land for blueberry production.

Will the land produce blueberries?

The most important factor to consider is "are there blueberries growing on the land now?" Blueberries are not planted, they must be naturally present. Since blueberries are very slow growing they must be present before development is even considered. Land which has blueberries growing over a wide area is potentially much more productive than if the blueberries are only found in isolated areas.

The density of the blueberries is also another important factor. It is recommended that the land should have at least 30% of the area where blueberry plants are present. To determine the percentage of coverage, walk in a straight line transecting the property. At regular intervals check a random one square foot area and note whether blueberry plants are present. If at least three out of every ten sites have blueberries present then the blueberry coverage may be sufficient to consider for development. In general, the higher the initial coverage the better the potential for development. Some of the most productive fields have been developed from properties which initially had 60 to 80 % coverage.

In heavily shaded area, such as under trees, the blueberries have the ability to go dormant and are not readily apparent. In this case, the blueberries may appear after the trees have been removed. If you suspect that there may be a high potential for blueberry production on this type of land then the land should be assessed for potential one or two years after the trees have been removed.

Circumstantial evidence may be useful in determining if an area has potential. Factors to look for include the presence of blueberries on the sides of logging roads, the presence of commercial blueberry production in the area, and the soil type. The soil types commonly associated with naturally occurring blueberries are listed in the Agriculture Canada publication Soils of Prince Edward Island (1988) on page 117. The publication also include maps which identify the location of these soils. Although the publication is out of print, it is still available for viewing through various offices of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

Land which has been cultivated (plowed, disced, limed) in the past 20 years does not usually have good blueberry potential.

Is the land economical to develop?

Is does not matter how productive the land is if the costs of production and development exceed the return on investment. Generalized costs of development are hard to determine because blueberries can be found on a wide range of land type. However some of the factors to consider and their potential cost are given below.

Blueberry lands range in price from $200 to $3000 per acre. Purchasers should consider the actual amount of area on the property that has potential for blueberries and if the non-blueberry areas of the property have other types of potential. Short term leases, unless they are renewable, are usually not a viable option for blueberry growers.

To be competitive in blueberry production the land should be reasonably level so that production can be mechanized. The cost to level blueberry land ranges from $300 per acre to $1500 per acre. It should be noted that there are many areas in the province that were farmed a number of years ago and have since been abandoned and recolonized by wild blueberries. These areas often require significantly less land levelling than virgin forest.

Construction of a road into the area to be developed is sometimes required. Many blueberry production activities occur early in the spring when the land is wet and less accessible. The cost for a Class 1 Forestry road is $1500 per kilometre.

If tree removal is required then this cost should be included as part of the cost of development. Sometimes the harvested trees have a marketable value that will help to off-set the costs. Remember, big trees mean big stumps. Stumps are usually removed a few years later as part of the land levelling procedure. Small brush can be cut using a tractor-mounted brush cutter. However, this can only be accomplished if the land is level enough for tractor operations. Even after trees and brush have been cut, the slash and cut brush must be removed.

The length of time before the grower sees a return on the investment is an important financial consideration. The presence of large stumps, the density and coverage of the naturally occurring blueberry plants, and requirement for land levelling all contribute to the time it takes a field to become productive. In general land takes from three to ten years to become productive.

Are there other factors I should consider?

1. Production practices and the environment.
How wet the land is can have a significant effect on its production potential. Many of the agricultural pest control products that are required to obtain reasonable yields are water soluble and do not work properly if the soils are too wet. As mentioned earlier, many of the management practices occur early in the spring when the land may be at its wettest. The land should be developed so to prevent pesticides and fertilizers from entering streams or the ground

The proximity of urban areas or residential dwellings may restrict some agricultural practices. The management practices that have been most affected by the proximity of residential dwellings are burning and application of pesticides.

The local climactic conditions in a blueberry field can have a significant effect on yield. Areas which are prone to late spring frosts will not, on average, yield as well as sheltered areas. Wind can also have a significant effect on yields. Areas which have high winds will not have as effective pollination by insects. High winds in winter may also remove snow from some areas thus exposing the plants to extreme low temperatures. In general, gently sloping fields which are surrounded by windbreaks are more likely to achieve their maximum potential.

For further information please contact Chris Prouse at the P.E.I. Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

• Factsheet: Basic Blueberries - An Introduction to Growing Wild Blueberries on Prince Edward Island
• Factsheet: Blueberry Services Directory