Gardening: Blueberry Thrill

Come July, fields of ripening blueberries are a South Jersey roadside staple.
To make this summertime crop yours, you need a little backyard space, direct sunlight­ — and about $15.

Pie-bakers require a variety that can bear bigger berries, like ‘Bluecrop’; if you’re dreaming of pancakes and muffins, try a smaller-berry producer like ‘Weymouth.’ Anthony DiMeo III, co-owner of Hammonton’s DiMeo Farms — where they sell ready-for-planting (but one to three years from bearing fruit) blueberry bushes — suggests the ‘Duke’ variety for beginners.

The effort may be year-round — planting in fall, trimming in winter, fertilizing in spring — but blueberry scones on a ­summer morning are well worth a little extra work.

DiMeo Farms, 336 Middle Road, Hammonton, 609-561-5905, dimeofarms.com.