This is my 3rd season with blueberries. After a great showing last year, and a LOT of good growth, they are completely crapping out on me this year. I've got 1 plant dead, and another starting to go the same route, and I'd like some advice on why it might be.
My 3 remaining plants are currently showing a little bit of iron deficiency (pale leaves, dark veins), but nothing terrible. I didn't have this problem at all last year, which is curious. I use holly-tone and elemental sulfur to lower the pH for them, though I don't have a pH tester. My plants are also in a potting mix that is peat based, so it should have a slightly acidic pH to begin with.
Basically, the following is happening:
1) a few twigs begin to die. leaves dry out and curl
2) the whole branch begins to die
3) repeat until entire plant is dead. process seems to take 3-4 weeks (week 4 for the dead one, currently week 2 for the one dying)
I've toyed with some ideas: Overwatering, lowering the pH too much, heat stress, or some pest. I do not think its the heat we've had this summer (95+ for like...2 weeks). Last summer wasn't that hot here, but we still had plenty of mid-90 temps and the plants just thrived. They would wilt a bit, but they'd bounce back after watering. Plus my largest potted plant (with a pale pot) is the one currently dying. I would have expected plants to cook in the smaller black pots before the big pale pot.
I would lean towards overwatering. The thing is: that dead plant I pulled up...the soil wasn't soggy. It was...well....about how I wanted it, moisture-wise. So unless it HAD been really wet, and dried out as the plant died....also, I'm not watering any more than I was last year (every couple days). I will say that the current one dying is REALLY heavy....I lifted the rootball, and its not dripping or rotting or anything, but it is quite heavy, and clearly doesn't need to be watered for at least a few days.
Any ideas/thoughts? I'm tempted to cull the one currently dying. Its never made great berries anyways....always small and slightly tart....but I'd hate to lose my last 2 plants. Plus, if this is going to be a recurring theme, I'd like to know how to prevent it.
My 3 remaining plants are currently showing a little bit of iron deficiency (pale leaves, dark veins), but nothing terrible. I didn't have this problem at all last year, which is curious. I use holly-tone and elemental sulfur to lower the pH for them, though I don't have a pH tester. My plants are also in a potting mix that is peat based, so it should have a slightly acidic pH to begin with.
Basically, the following is happening:
1) a few twigs begin to die. leaves dry out and curl
2) the whole branch begins to die
3) repeat until entire plant is dead. process seems to take 3-4 weeks (week 4 for the dead one, currently week 2 for the one dying)
I've toyed with some ideas: Overwatering, lowering the pH too much, heat stress, or some pest. I do not think its the heat we've had this summer (95+ for like...2 weeks). Last summer wasn't that hot here, but we still had plenty of mid-90 temps and the plants just thrived. They would wilt a bit, but they'd bounce back after watering. Plus my largest potted plant (with a pale pot) is the one currently dying. I would have expected plants to cook in the smaller black pots before the big pale pot.
I would lean towards overwatering. The thing is: that dead plant I pulled up...the soil wasn't soggy. It was...well....about how I wanted it, moisture-wise. So unless it HAD been really wet, and dried out as the plant died....also, I'm not watering any more than I was last year (every couple days). I will say that the current one dying is REALLY heavy....I lifted the rootball, and its not dripping or rotting or anything, but it is quite heavy, and clearly doesn't need to be watered for at least a few days.
Any ideas/thoughts? I'm tempted to cull the one currently dying. Its never made great berries anyways....always small and slightly tart....but I'd hate to lose my last 2 plants. Plus, if this is going to be a recurring theme, I'd like to know how to prevent it.
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