Blueberries have long been one of my favorite fruits; my mother relates that I spent much of my infancy eating nothing but Gerber's Blueberry Buckle baby food. I haven't changed much as an adult—like many Americans, I still want to get my hands on asmany blueberries as possible. Native to North America, blueberries grow only in areas with acidic soils. But even if you don't live in these areas, it's quite possible to grow healthy, tasty blueberries in your own backyard. Blueberries are packed withantioxidants, vitamins and minerals; a recent USDA-funded study ranked them first among 40 fruits and vegetables assessed for their cancer-fighting antioxidants. It's relatively easy to reap all this goodness, but bear in mind that growing blueberries requires an initial investment of time and energy. They take a while to mature: After purchasing two-year-old plants, it will take another three years before the bushes begin to bear, and another couple of years before they really hit their stride. Once established, however, blueberries are very long-lived— 30 to 40 years is not unusual.
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