Becoming Better Blueberries
We compared the nutrient content of harvested blueberries treated with our VITAL Blend 5M and found an increase in antioxidants (11%), dietary fiber (33%), sugar (3.1%), and protein (125%). These results were from plants receiving only one application of VITAL Blend 5M Soil amendments. The application rate used for our 5-micron sized biochar blended with liquid humate was 1.5-2.0 gal/acre.
About Blueberries
In an earlier blog of mine, I talked about Indian Pipe (Corpse Plant) being a distant relative of blueberries. Blueberries and Indian Pipe are part of the same family (Ericaceae) as cranberries and huckleberries. They share a similarity in flower structure and both can live in more acidic soil conditions. There are two types of blueberries1; highbush and lowbush.
- Highbush blueberries are the type found in grocery stores
- Lowbush are smaller, sweeter and used in juices and jams
About Antioxidants in Blueberries
Blueberries are blue because of the purple-blue pigment called anthocyanins. Blueberries, along with other foods such as elderberries, concord grapes and eggplant, have a high concentration of this pigment. Anthocyanins are powerful antioxidants that boost our immune system and maintain a healthy blood pressure.2 Some studies have shown that increasing anthocyanins and other colorful plant food pigments (phyto-flavonoids) in our diet can ward off chronic inflammation, cardio-vascular disease and cancer.
About Increasing Nutrient Content
Good news – our soil amendment increases the nutrient content in blueberries and increases germination and yield in other food crops. These benefits originate from the soil’s response to the VITAL Blend soil amendment. It is not a fertilizer. It is an organic and natural soil amendment.
The VITAL Blend improves the soil in several ways:
- The biochar attracts and holds moisture, nutrients, and fertilizers within the soil.3
- The biochar has lots of surface area and complex pore structure that provide stable living spaces for micro-organisms and fungi.
- The humate liberates soil macro-nutrients (chelate), makes water move through the soil easier
- (surfactant) and helps the soil hold moisture.
- The humate acts as a powerful stimulant for root development and for growth of beneficial fungi in the soil.4
These benefits promote plants to create better fruit, such as the blueberries. Therefore the healthier the soil life is, the more efficient a plant will be in obtaining necessary minerals from the soil and maintaining disease resistance within the root area (rhizosphere). This is one of the many reasons why we say, “the Beauty Above comes from the Science Below.” For more information regarding VITAL Blend soil amendments, please call or email us .
#blueberries #antioxidants #vitalblend
References:
1.) Farm Flavor Blog by Rachel Bertone, “10 Fun Facts about Blueberries,” 5/30/18, https://www.farmflavor.com/us-agriculture/10-fun-facts-about-blueberries-infographic/
2.) J. Scott Smith, Kansas State University professor of food chemistry, https://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/feb11/purplefood20911.html
3.) Benefits cited from “Soil & Water Benefits of Biochar,” http://biochar-us.org/soil-water-benefits-biochar
4.) Benefits of Humate are described at www.blackearth.com/research
