Effect of mechanical soil treatment in blueberry orchards

Summary

From June 2004 onwards a trial was conducted on a blueberry farm in the Lüneburg
Heath, Northern Germany, in which methods of mechanical soil cultivation were compared
with mulching. The aim was to determine how far the mechanical methods and equipment
established for soil management in viniculture and pomiculture can be adapted to
blueberry cultivation, and can be improved. The results showed a clear advantage of the
methods based on mulch technology in the shape of increased yields. Whilst the
mechanical treatments provided acceptable weed control, they cannot be recommended
for routine use at present because of strong yield reductions associated with damage to
the shallow root system of highbush blueberry shrubs.