Despite an unusually cold and prolonged spring, tunnel-grown blueberries in Ukraine delivered better-than-expected results this season. Container-grown Duke blueberries produced more than 2 kg of berries per bush, exceeding the farm’s initial yield forecast, EastFruit reports, citing SEEDS.
The results were shared by Anna Dombrovska, co-founder of the Ukrainian berry farm Fruktovyi Sad AT, which grows blueberries in pots under protective tunnels.
According to Dombrovska, the farm had expected to harvest around 2 kg of berries from each bush. However, the final yield was slightly higher.
“We expected to obtain 2 kg per bush this year, but the actual result was somewhat better. We are satisfied with the yield and plan to continue monitoring and studying tunnel blueberry production over the next few years,” she said.
Cold spring delays flowering and harvest
The 2026 production season was affected by exceptionally cold spring days and nights. Low temperatures prolonged the flowering period inside the tunnels and slowed plant development.
Harvesting of tunnel-grown blueberries began on June 8, three days later than in the previous season. The harvest also finished around seven days later than last year.
Cold weather had a similar effect on blueberries grown in open fields. The outdoor harvest started approximately one week later than usual.
Nevertheless, the tunnel crop maintained an important timing advantage. By the time the farm began its first major blueberry harvest in the open field, workers were already completing the final picking inside the tunnels.
Tunnels help extend and manage the blueberry season
The results demonstrate the potential of tunnel cultivation to help growers manage harvest timing, protect crops from unstable weather conditions and supply blueberries earlier than open-field plantations.
Growing blueberries in containers also allows producers to control the substrate, irrigation and nutrient supply more precisely. However, the farm intends to evaluate the technology over several seasons before drawing final conclusions about its long-term economic performance.
For Ukrainian berry producers facing increasingly unpredictable spring weather, protected cultivation may become an important instrument for reducing production risks and extending the marketing window for fresh blueberries.
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