Blueberry growing in coir could bring the season forward in Florida, meaning farmers could consolidate their position with higher yields to compete with Mexican and Peruvian imports.
“In the USA there is a geographical ‘ladder’ of production as more fruit floods the market throughout the year. Florida has a slight competitive advantage because it has an early season, with a window running from mid-March to the end of April,” explains Dylan, researcher at the University of Florida.
“Moving from growing in the ground to coir could deliver timing and yield benefits and an even earlier harvest,” says Dylan.
The University of Florida sees such potential of blueberry growing in coir, that it has invested in a new blueberry 14-month hydroponic trial.
“We’re testing two different pots in the same Botanicoir coir blend, comparing traditional 7-gallon pots to ‘Pioneer pots’ from Blackmore Company which contain a net to separate the roots from the ground, allowing for better air flow and root development,” says Dylan.
“We’re hopeful that the results will show that blueberries can be grown successfully in coir, and that they do better in this environment than in the ground.
“We need to change the perception that blueberries are a ‘hands off’ crop. If growers move to coir substrate planting in pots, it will mean they will need to get a technical understanding of managing them, but the yield benefits could be the pay off.
“It is a hard-sell because of the initial cost of switching to coir from the ground, but the benefits of growing in a system that uses substrate outweighs this cost. The crop will last longer and will be healthier and better-performing,” says Dylan.
“Coir can last the lifetime of the crop and preliminary data clearly shows that the return on investment is better than not growing in coir, because you don’t have to re-plant.
“If you get it right, cultivars will yield better, earlier, and you can save money,” adds Dylan.
