Premier Blueberry Bush
Vaccinium ashei 'Premier'
Premier Blueberry Bush
Vaccinium ashei 'Premier'
How are the heights measured?
All tree, and nothin' but the tree! We measure from the top of the soil to the top of the tree; the height of the container or the root system is never included in our measurements.
What is a gallon container?
Nursery containers come in a variety of different sizes, and old-school nursery slang has stuck. While the industry-standard terminology is to call the sizes "Gallon Containers", that doesn't exactly translate to the traditional liquid "gallon" size we think of. You'll find we carry young 1-gallons, up to more mature 7-gallons ranging anywhere from 6 inches to 6ft.
How does the delivery process work?
All of our orders ship via FedEx Ground! Once your order is placed online, our magic elves get right to work picking, staging, boxing and shipping your trees. Orders typically ship out within 2 business days. You will receive email notifications along the way on the progress of your order, as well as tracking information to track your plants all the way to their new home!
Why are some states excluded from shipping?
The short & sweet answer is: "United States Department of Agriculture Restrictions." Every state has their own unique USDA restrictions on which plants they allow to come into their state. While we wish we could serve everyone, it's for the safety of native species and helps prevent the spread of invasive disease & pests. We've gotta protect good ole' Mother Nature, after all.
About Me
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Everyone loves blueberries, and the Premier Blueberry is the top-choice variety for warmer zones, where many other varieties will fail. It grows into a compact bush, just 6 to 8 feet tall, and it carries a big harvest of large berries, which ripen in May and June. It grows best in full sun or partial shade, in well-drained soil, and growing your own blueberries is not difficult. These healthy berries taste best when fully ripened on the plant, and the only way to enjoy that incredible flavor is to grow your own. For muffins, pies, and of course pancakes too, nothing beats homegrown berries. There is never any waste, because you simply pop the extra berries straight into the freezer, to enjoy months later.
- Superb heavy-yielding bush, with large berries
- Best variety for warmer states
- Tolerates higher pH levels than other varieties
- Will grow in sheltered parts of zone 6
- Compact size is ideal for growing in pots
The Premier Blueberry should be grown in acid soil, with a pH between 4.0 and 6.0. This variety is more tolerant of higher pH than others, so it is the best choice if your soil is 6.0 to 6.5. If you don’t have suitable soil, simply grow your plants in pots or boxes, using potting soil for acid-loving plants. Blueberry bushes usually don’t suffer from pests or diseases, and they only need a light pruning in spring, so this an easy plant to grow, if you have the right growing conditions.
- Plant Hardiness Zones 7-9
- Mature Width 5-7
- Mature Height 6-8
- Sun Needs Full Sun, Partial Sun
Nothing can compare to bush ripened blueberries, and ones from the store are always picked under-ripe. The only answer for all blueberry lovers is to grow your own, and although they might not be quite as easy as some other fruits, it is really not difficult to have your own blueberry crop right at your fingertips – ripened to perfection. Blueberries are so versatile, from pancakes to muffins and pies, or simply eaten fresh, alone or over cereal. No matter how you enjoy them, you will enjoy them so much more when they come from your own garden. As well, there is never any waste with blueberries, because berries you don’t use can be put straight into the freezer without washing, and they will last for months.
Growing Premier Blueberry Bushes
If you live in warmer parts of the country you need to be careful in choosing the blueberry bush to grow, as many of them only do well in cooler climates. For zones 7, 8 and 9 you need to grow a variety of the rabbiteye blueberry, which grows wild in southern states. A selected form of this species should be your choice, and the Premier Blueberry is a superb variety, and the top choice of gardeners and commercial growers alike. If you live in the area from Virginia south into Florida and west into Texas and Arkansas, then the Premier Blueberry is the variety for you.
It has other advantages too: it is one of the hardiest, and it will crop well in sheltered places in zone 6; and it is less particular about acid soil, so if your soil is on the borderline – pH 6.0 to 6.5 – then this variety is your best chance for success. Most important of all, Premier is a great-tasting blueberry, producing a big crop of large berries on vigorous plants.
The Premier Blueberry should be grown in a sunny or partially shaded place, avoiding low-lying and wet areas. It does need a good supply of water, but the soil should be well-drained. If in doubt, plant on a raised mound of soil. In the garden you can plant a row, spacing your plants 5 to 7 feet apart, and the rows 12 feet apart. The bushes take several years to reach their full height of 6 to 8 feet, but they will begin to bear berries almost immediately. In spring you will see clusters of bell-shaped white flowers, on stems that grew in the previous year. These will develop quickly into berries, and by May or June you will be harvesting your first berries. They ripen over several weeks, so you have a long cropping period, and of course you can simply freeze the surplus to enjoy later in the year.
Soil Conditions
The Premier Blueberry needs acidic soil, with a pH reading of between 4.0 and 6.0, although this variety will tolerate a reading up to 6.5, which most other varieties won’t do. If you don’t have acid soil, don’t bother with the often-unsuccessful work of trying to make your soil acidic, just grow your plants in pots or boxes. Use potting soil for acid-loving plants and you are all set for success. Both in the ground and even more in pots, you need to fertilize your bushes, and since blueberries are sensitive to some fertilizers, we recommend you feed them organically, using cottonseed, alfalfa or soya-bean meals. Sprinkle a ¼ cup over the root zone in spring, increasing the amount a little each year until you are using 2 cups on a mature bush. When planting in the garden, even if you have acidic soil, blend about a bushel of peat moss into the soil for each bush when planting. Add a 4 to 6-inch layer of mulch over the root zone (but not on the stems). Use pine bark, peat moss, pine needles, leaves or grass clippings for mulch, and renew it each spring. This will keep your soil acidic, control weeds, and conserve moisture.
Care and Maintenance
The crop is so heavy on this bush you may need to use some stakes or wires to hold the stems up while the crop is ripening. Apart from that, the only care needed is a light pruning in spring, to remove any crowded older stems, and encourage new growth for future crops.
History and Origins of the Premier Blueberry
The Rabbiteye Blueberry (Vaccinium ashei) is a native blueberry that comes from the southeast, growing naturally from Texas to North Carolina and down into Florida. Wild plants have small berries, so it is best to grow a selected form, and the variety called ‘Premier’ is the top choice for vigor, and for producing a big crop of large berries of excellent color and flavor. It was released in 1978, after being developed in a breeding program at South Carolina State University, with the assistance of the Agricultural Research Service of the US Department of Agriculture. Our plants are carefully grown, and they are true to the variety. Avoid cheaper plants simply labelled ‘Blueberry’, as these will be of unknown origin, and inevitably of much poorer quality in every way. The demand for to top blueberry varieties is always huge, so if you want the best, order your Premier Blueberry bushes now, before the ‘sold out’ sign goes up.
