pink spots on my blueberry

**Iamhanuman** · 10-05-2009, 09:32 PM

yelp no responses!!!
am I doomed to spottiness?

**FB.** · 10-05-2009, 09:46 PM

Perhaps it was the tap water. It has been suggested to let tap water stand for a few days (to acidify), or add a drop of vinegar to each cup of water.

**Iamhanuman** · 11-05-2009, 08:41 PM

Originally posted by FB. View Post

Perhaps it was the tap water. It has been suggested to let tap water stand for a few days (to acidify), or add a drop of vinegar to each cup of water.

i thought twas the fact that lime was in tap water?

does that make pink spots appear before my eyes?

**FB.** · 11-05-2009, 09:03 PM

Yes, lime neutralises acid.
Lime-containging water will increase the pH. Blueberries are sensitive to an increase in pH.
Leaving water to stand can allow atmospheric gases to be absorbed (think; acid rain), which makes the water more acidic.
Adding a drop of vinegar for toe ach cupful of tap water is reckoned to drop the pH enough.

My blueberries live in a drain soakaway, which remains moist and slightly acid all year round. Occasionally, they get rainwater from my water butts, if I think that we've had an unusually long dry spell.

**Iamhanuman** · 11-05-2009, 10:34 PM

and how do they turn out FB?

**FB.** · 12-05-2009, 09:48 AM

My blueberries turn out fine. They grow well and fruit well. Never noticed any signs of pests, diseases or nutritional problems.
The birds like them; if I don't net the berries, they'll peck off all the berries long before they're ripe!

**pigletwillie** · 12-05-2009, 10:55 AM

Originally posted by FB. View Post

My blueberries turn out fine. They grow well and fruit well. Never noticed any signs of pests, diseases or nutritional problems.
The birds like them; if I don't net the berries, they'll peck off all the berries long before they're ripe!

How strange, here on our plots the birds leave them alone, unlike redcurrants or gooseberries.

**Iamhanuman** · 12-05-2009, 09:45 PM

i worried mine would be picked to buggery too

**Iamhanuman** · 18-05-2009, 09:24 PM

update on this
my blueberry plant is in a terrible way now
i repotted it, but admittedly didn't have much ericaceous, so dumped in some vinegar to try and make it more acidic.
i just needed to give it some more space
but it looks awful
nearly all the leaves have curled up and gone a browny pinky colour

there are what look like some new shoots around the base so i am waiting to see
just giving rain water at present
who knows what will happen...

**FB.** · 18-05-2009, 10:02 PM

The amount of vinegar only needs to be one or two drops in each cupful of water (or compost). That's about a teaspoon of vinegar per litre.

**TonyF** · 19-05-2009, 06:05 AM

Stop with the vinegar, buy some erocaceous compost and try to save it with that. Ypou're trying to stop something that is already happening but it could be that the original soil is the problem and adding vinegar, letting water stand etc (it needs to stand for several weeks to acidify properly) obviously isn't doing anything.

Change the soil and cut the plant back to 6" long, then leave it alone for the rest of the year. If it doesn't recover, you're no worse off than you are now.

**Iamhanuman** · 19-05-2009, 12:43 PM

Originally posted by TonyF View Post

Stop with the vinegar, buy some erocaceous compost and try to save it with that. Ypou're trying to stop something that is already happening but it could be that the original soil is the problem and adding vinegar, letting water stand etc (it needs to stand for several weeks to acidify properly) obviously isn't doing anything.

Change the soil and cut the plant back to 6" long, then leave it alone for the rest of the year. If it doesn't recover, you're no worse off than you are now.

thanks for that advice Tony
i did only do a drop of vinegar in about the right amount for the size of pot
i will go ahead and do what you suggest as it does appear to be shooting near the base and the energy for the rest of it will probably kill it

thanks!!!!

**Squizz** · 19-05-2009, 12:58 PM

I was going to ask the same question, the leaves on my blueberry have all turned pink, (quite pretty really) but as this is my first plant I wondered if it was quite normal!

**Iamhanuman** · 19-05-2009, 01:02 PM

get a load of ericaceous compost round that plant quick Squizz!!!

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