Blueberry Bushes for Southern Calif.?

Anybody growing any blueberries here successfully? I guess I'm in zone 8 not sure if it's a or b. We are what is called the upper desert. We get chills in the winter down to about 18 degrees or so. Summers can get as hot as 110 degrees. I think from what I've read I can grow Southern highbush? Now the problem is getting somebody to ship them to Cal. I found one place but they wanted $100 min. order(that's alot of blueberry bushes) and .30c per bush for washing the roots. I found another one here in Cal. but they wanted $12.95 per bush. I suppose they can get away with charging 3x the normal price because you can't get them anywhere else. I originally bought three Jersey bushes at our local Lowes Garden Center but they died. These were not good for my area but they sold them anyways. Any ideas?
-Juli

Juli, I had the same problem with the Lowes Blueberry bushes, don't remember what type they were. We have very similar climates here in Moreno Valley and Victorville.. I did see a bush in Redlands near San Bernardino with fruit on it, it was in a container and very protected near the porch area.

I'm wondering if maybe it was a rabbit. I sprinkled this rabbit repelent around so we'll see if the leaves can come back. The other two I think are definately gone. I hope he tripped as he hopped away and choked. Where is Elmer Fudd when you need him?
-Juli

Juli,
I recommend Georgia Blue (early and large) and Sharp Blue (first year to bear, but it is LOADED) (they are starting to blue-up just as Georgia is slowing down). We grow them in the older Rubbermaid pots that were sold as self-watering but I took the wicks out because being wet all the time killed (or tried to) several bushes first time around! In azalea mix with perlite.

I bought the first at Batavia Gardens in Orange and the second at Laguna Hills Nursery (Jeronimo near El Toro Rd). Yeah, I probably paid $13-15 for the first as it was already June and they had it in a fair-sized pot and I think it even had a few berries on it... bought the SharpBlue in season (Feb? March?) of 2004 -- they had "canned" them all and I forget what it cost, I'll guess $8-10.

I have some generic blues bought at OSH, bareroot, I think three to the pak... bought AFTER season (all leafed out as I recall)... I think I put all three in the same container, they were so wimpy... however, the pot *did* produce (is producing) this year, not so big or nice as the named varieties, but good.

These are not the only ones we've had (and lost), unfortunately I am drawing a blank on the names of the ones that were not successful!

~'spin!~

Hi Spin! Thanks. Lowes got some in 1 gal. containers(not bareroot). They look much better. They are newly developed for Cal. I bought 4 bushes. 2 Oneal, 1Misty, and 1Sharpblue. I still have one little Jersey trying to hang on. They have berries on them so we'll see. So far they look great.
-Juli

Oneal is one I have had... actually still have... for some reason it lost all its leaves this winter (maybe the drainage hole is plugged, w/all that rain?) -- but I never got around to throwing it out and it surprising me by coming back and even a handful of small berries on it. Even the ones that are "gone", did bear for a couple-few years -- maybe they just have a life-span? and that was it?

I checked when I went out to pick this morning and the generic is only one plant; I'm pretty sure it started as three! but it/they was cheap...

The berries on the Sharpblue seem to take longer to get really BLUE (not red-tinged), maybe that is why it is "sharp" as in tangy -- not quite as ripe as you're used to!

It is fun to pick a cup of berries (every 2-3 days) fresh for breakfast! Probably not economical, even as expensive as berries are, but fun!

~'spin!~

Are yours all in pots? Mine are in the ground. It says they make a hedge and I'm wondering if in time they will make a solid hedge. It says the bark turns red in the fall on some of them. I think this will be lovely.
-Juli

I've grown O'Neal in a container before. It did well for a few years but died when we remodeled and had to move it to a shadier spot. I recently ordered 6 Southern Highbush bareroots (3 Star, 3 Misty) from www.bluegrassblueberries.com. They were 6"-8" twigs with roots, leaves, flowers and even some berries upon arrival. I followed the planting instructions and they are doing well now (6 wks later). I'm getting new leaves and have pinched off most of the berries.