Can you help me save this blueberry plant?

[julia.scheidt]

Hello,
I had posted this at Houzz, but only one person replied, and he advised me to post here instead.

So, below are some pictures of my southern highbush Snow Chaser variety.
I was told it is infected with Stem Blight, do you guys confirm this diagnosis?

Is there a way to save this plant? Please help!

Thank you!

[pppldj]

That looks like what ravaged my Brightwell rabbiteyes last year. My research (still looking) indicates most probably stem blight. Best remedy seems to be cut back the affected stems below the affected area and remove the infected material. In the winter, spray with dormant oil. I also found on smallfruits.org that Brightwell is more susceptible than most varieties. If they give me trouble this year, they will be gone. At my previous location, I never had any problems at all. Now I am like you and looking for answers.

[WillsC]

Julia,

Hmm.......it does not look like stem blight to me. Generally with stem blight it affects just a single limb and the rest of the plant remains perfectly healthy looking. Later it can spread to other limbs. Sacrifice a limb that is brown. Take it off down near the base and show us the cut end. If it is mostly green inside then has a streak of brown it probably is blight.

Correct me if I am wrong but in addition to the really bad limb it looks like most other limbs have burned leaf tips? if so I think it is fertilizer burn or the plant got too dry, or too dry then was fertilized while dry? When was the last time fertilizer was applied? How much and what type? You have to make sure the plants soil is always moist especially when you fertilize.

[julia.scheidt]

WillsC,

Yes, the other limbs have burned leaves from fertilizer burn that occurred last year when I used to fertigate everyday. Then I changed the regimen and started ferlizing only once a week.
So, in the photo you can see burned leaves from last year's overfertilization, and also young brown leaves that I suspect are infected with Stem Blight.

I will cut off a stem and post the photo here, as you said.

I really need this plant to survive! It cost me a lot of money because I live in Brazil and we don't have blueberries here. Help!!!

[Gina]

Hi Julia,

I'm not that familiar with blight (don't get it too much here), but what happened to your plant reminds me of what can happen to mine if they get too dry. You are growing snow chaser, in April it still has leaves from last year, so I assume you live in a warm state. Are you in a drought now? Perhaps in a container against the sunny white wall, the root ball just dried too much. Blueberries are absolutely unforgiving if that happens.

If the damage is just from being too dry, make sure it's moist without over watering, and eventually cut off the dead parts. If not too much damage has been done, it should be OK.

[julia.scheidt]

Hi Gina, thanks for you reply!

I live in Brazil, so it was summer just a few weeks ago, now it is fall.
My climate here is warm. It is like zone 10 in the USA, kind of like the climate in Florida.
I do hope the damage is just from being too dry, as you said. But we just left summer, which is sunny but you usually get those late afternoon showers, our summers are kind of humid, so I don't know...

[m5allen]

That looks like what happens to my plants if they get too dry.

[WillsC]

Julia,

I'm pretty sure it isn't blight......if the leaves are browning, drying and falling off you can be sure it isn't blight. Blight ridden limbs don't drop the leaves. But if you do cut a stem and it is just green inside you will know. One thing that may help is to mulch the plant soil surface heavily...or put in a timer so it gets a drink midday.

[penandpike]

I think it is a water stress too.
Here some pictures from my plants.

No water because of failed dripers


Botritis



Fertilizer (nitrogen) burn