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  • Blueberry plant is losing its leaves.

    For whatever the reason my blueberry (one of) has started to lose its leaves and some of the branches have started to turn brown.
    This plant had been fine throughout the last season and the only thing done to it recently was potting it up into a bigger pot.

    Now, i don't know if this is because of the ericaceous compost i'm using (B&Q's Verve) from last year or if there is something else going on.
    If it is the soil then i am at a loss to explain why because i purchased another Blueberry plant a few weeks ago and that was potted up at the same time and is thriving.

    I figured that it could be because of the soils pH so i gave it a good soaking using water that i had lowered the pH level of.
    I did this yesterday so i don't expect any improvements yet but i think i am going to get another back of ericaceous compost from a garden centre on Friday and pot it into that to see how it reacts.

    I will get some pictures uploaded of it tomorrow but in the meantime, what do you guy's think could be the problem?
    I am at a loss to explain what the hell is wrong with it.

    ------Edit-------

    I should also add that the flowers are still on it and it hasn't really lost those as of yet.
    Last edited by Chomerly; 23-04-2014, 10:36 PM.

  • #2
    Not an expert and a newbie on the field but could it be canker?

    Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)-Fusicoccum Canker {Godronia Canker} | Pacific Northwest Plant Disease Handbook

    Disclaimer: Please beware I could be very wrong so wait for experienced members before you act on the above.

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    • #3
      I certainly hope it isn't Canker.
      Based on what i've read, and some of the sample pictures shown from that link, it does seem to have the same characteristics as described.
      I'm not sure what i should do if it is Canker.

      Here are the pictures i'd promised.



      Comment


      • #4
        I'm not an expert on the matter, but that looks kippered! The only experience I've had with canker was on a plum tree which was oozing a sticky sweet brown sap type stuff ... probably a totally different canker though.

        If it was mine I'd be on the net looking for a replacement, and at the very least I'd be looking at "quarantining" it (moving it well away from any others) so you only have one problem bush. However, I believe canker is spread by insects, so if it is diseased distancing might not be enough, which means purification with fire. Literally.

        I am however a fully fledged badge carrying noob when it comes to plant diseases, so I might be totally wrong .... and I really hope I am

        Some please give Chomerly something positive ...

        Comment


        • #5
          Its a strange one.

          It had been fine up until it was potted up into its current sized pot.
          It was just over a week or two after potting up that i started to notice the leaves looking a bit spindly and barren.

          Comment


          • #6
            If you went more than one pot size up it could be to wet for the roots.

            Comment


            • #7
              I had a similar thing happen with my blueberry plant. Re potted it and was fine for a while then leaves dropped and when it died and i pulled it out the pot there were barely any roots on it. Not sure if its what yours is sufferring from? I replaced the plant in new compost but from same bag (from wyevale) and its thriving


              Sent from my iPhone using Grow Your Own Forum mobile app

              Comment


              • #8
                I think i may have some pots that are slightly larger than the one it was in originally.
                There was quite a substantial root ball which is why i took it up a couple of pot sizes.

                I'll try a smaller pot and see what goes on.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Chomerly View Post
                  For whatever the reason my blueberry (one of) has started to lose its leaves and some of the branches have started to turn brown.
                  This plant had been fine throughout the last season and the only thing done to it recently was potting it up into a bigger pot.

                  Now, i don't know if this is because of the ericaceous compost i'm using (B&Q's Verve) from last year or if there is something else going on.
                  If it is the soil then i am at a loss to explain why because i purchased another Blueberry plant a few weeks ago and that was potted up at the same time and is thriving.

                  I figured that it could be because of the soils pH so i gave it a good soaking using water that i had lowered the pH level of.
                  I did this yesterday so i don't expect any improvements yet but i think i am going to get another back of ericaceous compost from a garden centre on Friday and pot it into that to see how it reacts.

                  I will get some pictures uploaded of it tomorrow but in the meantime, what do you guy's think could be the problem?
                  I am at a loss to explain what the hell is wrong with it.

                  ------Edit-------

                  I should also add that the flowers are still on it and it hasn't really lost those as of yet.
                  I do not Grow or have ever grown Blueberries 'cause I would have to grow them in pots and I hate fruit in pots.
                  That said, it looks like lack of water to go that quickly (the roots may be sat in an air pocket), I would remove it from the pot, check to see if the roots are dry(remove all compost from the roots), then repot with fresh compost and water normally with rainwater (do not over water).
                  You say you lower the PH of the water---how do you do that? as it may be relevant.
                  What ever happens, it isn't likely to recover quickly.
                  This is just a guess, can any other problem act so quickly and not have some effect on similar plants around it. (my guess, it is something to do with the roots)
                  Also, whilst looking at the roots check for vine weevil grubs in the compost.
                  All is not lost ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------YET.
                  Hope this helps
                  Last edited by fishpond; 26-04-2014, 04:41 PM.
                  Feed the soil, not the plants.
                  (helps if you have cluckies)

                  Man v Squirrels, pigeons & Ants
                  Bob

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Hi,

                    I've only watered it once using water that i had lowered the pH level of.
                    I did it in response to what i initially thought could have been because the pH of the soil wasn't as low as it should be.
                    I had this happen last year when i purchased a bag of ericaceous compost from B&Q and had to return it because the pH level was no lower than a regular bag of MPC.
                    The bag i have now (same brand/type from B&Q) is what's left over from the replacement bag i was given in exchange.

                    Both of my Blueberry plants have been potted up in the same soil in the same way but this one seems to have taken a huge step downhill since.
                    I have found a pot which is a bit bigger than the one it was in originally so will get it changed over.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I would suspect that the compost is not really acidic enough, also not sure how you reduced the Ph but if it is by addition of vinegar then really most plants do not grow well in vinegar (acetic acid).

                      They do not seem to mind being wet so I doubt it is that, I find they are better if kept wet/damp. I can wet mine daily and not a problem. They do dislike getting dry, think the leaves shrivel and the branches die which looks like the condition.

                      I would drag it out and replace the compost with something a bit more trustworthy and put it in a nice big pot. Mine is about 22" across and much the same in height. If you have a pot that has the small cones on the base to keep water in use that, don't put drainage holes in the base (they like to be damp). Then get something to catch rain water.

                      I think that pine needles compost down to be acidic and also sawdust, if you can get any therefore of either add them to the mix.

                      Put a mulch over the top of the pot to keep moisture in.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Blueberries should grow in most soils as a plant, the eraciousness (new word??) relating to its prolificness with fruit as opposed to killign it off.

                        have you pruned it - how old is it ? Is it not just two year old wood that needs chopping out this season ?

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I would find out the PH of that soil and in the mean-time flush the pot with water. If the pot holds 30 liters, then put 20 liters of water through it. This will resolve any air pockets, and also help to mix the nutrients of your old and new soil, making life much easier for the roots. It can also flush out any excess nutrients which could be locking the plants uptake of other nutrients.

                          I recently had to flush my basil after repotting with new, different soil. After about 16 hours they were in a terrible state. Lots of leaves with dead, brown streaks through them. I figure i didn't water enough to mix the soil and clear air pockets so flushed them all, the browning stopped dead in its tracks. I also had to flush my cape gooseberry, which were starving because the soil was too rich, the plants were nute locked. Now they are flourishing though. Just make sure you have sufficient drainage.
                          Last edited by davelaneward; 28-04-2014, 10:53 PM.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            I used a product called pH down in order to change the pH level of the water i used.
                            I have one of those dial form pH readers for soil that i purchased from B&Q and it told me the pH level was in the region of 5.5.
                            I added water that i had pH'd to 3.3 and watered it thoroughly.
                            The thing is, when i checked it the next day it was still 5.5 but had rained heavily during the night so i don't know if that was a factor.
                            Both plants currently sit at around the 5.5 mark now.

                            I also removed the plant from the pot i planted it into.
                            it was absolutely saturated as the drainage holes in the bottom had no clearance when sat on the floor.

                            I found a pot that was a touch larger than the one it was in originally and made up another mixture of ericaceous soil and perlite.
                            Before putting it in this mixture i removed a good portion of the old(er) saturated soil.
                            I didn't water it when i changed it over to the new soil in the hope that some of the root ball would dry out a little.
                            I gave it a little bit of a watering earlier this afternoon (rain water that had collected in the watering can) just to help it due to the lovely sunny weather today.

                            I'm just going to sit back now and watch how it develops.
                            The one thing i can say for certain is that whatever the reasons for it turning the way it has, it doesn't seem any worse now than it did a couple of days ago.
                            I think i will put it in the greenhouse if it starts to rain again so i can make sure it isn't saturated again.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I have had problems in the past with blueberry growing. I have to grow them in containers as the soil in my garden is heavy clay. I planted the bush in a large pot of 60 cm diameter and put a layed of large porous pieces of volcanic rock at the bottom for drainage. The pot is on a large floor tile on the earth and is separated from the tile by other pieces of tile to allow free drainage. The soil in the pot is a peat based mixture. I water the plant with only rain water when I have it or with filtered water. I have had no problems with flowering or fruiting. Previously I had blueberry plants from the northern parts of New England but the one I have now is from Georgia. It would appear that repotting the bush with plenty of drainage and a good acidic peat based mix would do the trick. You could also add flowers of sulphur to the mix to lower the pH.

                              Comment

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