Citrus Growers Forum

gary27 · Joined: 05 Dec 2005 Posts: 17 Location: Baton Rouge, La

I managed to get a couple of small cuttings of Desoto blueberry, and am trying to root same. It's been over a month, and they haven't rooted but they haven't died either. It wouldn't be so hard if the cutting weren't so small. Is anyone growing this new variety? Supposed to be semi-dwarf, late ripening rabbiteye that only grows to 6 ft. It was developed at Poplarville, Ms. I haven't been able to find plants anywhere..........Gary

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Gary

morphinelover · Posted: Mon 25 May, 2009 3:15 pm

I sent a email back in October to Stephen Stringer at the ARS/USDA in poplarville, ms and here is what he sent me
"Several nurseries are taking orders for these. One, Island Grove Ag Products, Hawthorne FL. may have more plants being propagated than some of the others. Their phone # is 352-4815558. Duartes Nursery in CA is also working on micropropagating DeSoto, and may be a good source of plants. Another source you might try is be Ambers Blueberry Farm in Waynesboro, MS (601) 735-4840"
Here is http://www.duartenursery.com/ and http://www.islandgroveagproducts.com/index.html also check out there new southern highbush selections "Gupton" and "Dixieblue". I have ordered a few cuttings of Desoto a couple weeks ago like you but have yet to receive them but have had very good luck with getting blueberry cuttings to root. Sometimes it takes a while. Between the two of us if I get them to root I will send to some more cuttings to try. I have numerous cultivars for you to try. I also ordered some of these http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/person/1718/PDF/2007/EhlenfeldtandFinnHortScience2007.pdf

gary27 · Joined: 05 Dec 2005 Posts: 17 Location: Baton Rouge, La

Thanks for the links. Maybe between the two of us, we can get at least one Desoto to root. My cuttings came: http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=53-58-15-00
They sent five, but only 2 were viable. Very, very small cuttings. That was a very good article on the Florida Rose, G 435 and ARS 96-138. Hope you have good luck getting them to root. They root for you, send me a cutting! .......Gary

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Gary

morphinelover · Posted: Mon 16 Nov, 2009 8:32 pm

any luck on getting them to root?

gary27 · Joined: 05 Dec 2005 Posts: 17 Location: Baton Rouge, La

I only have one that is still alive, and it's not doing so well. The cuttings were just too small. I did call one of the nurserys that you mentioned, (Amy's Blueberry Farm in Mississippi) and was able to get 5 well rooted and grown out cuttings. Thanks very much for providing that information.......Gary

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Gary

morphinelover · Posted: Wed 18 Nov, 2009 1:30 pm

gary27 wrote:

I only have one that is still alive, and it's not doing so well. The cuttings were just too small. I did call one of the nurserys that you mentioned, (Amy's Blueberry Farm in Mississippi) and was able to get 5 well rooted and grown out cuttings. Thanks very much for providing that information.......Gary

When they get bigger and start fruiting let me know how they compare to other cultivars. The main thing that interests me is how late they will ripen compared to other late cultivars like powderblue or tifblue. I'm hopeing that Desoto will lengthen the season at least a week.

gary27 · Joined: 05 Dec 2005 Posts: 17 Location: Baton Rouge, La

Be glad too. Living in a subdivision, size and space is always an issue with me...........Gary

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Gary