Why are my blueberry bushes dying?

This is our second summer in our foreign house. First summer, our 6 blueberry bushes had MASS amounts of blueberries. First summer we didnt do a entry to them, except cover them with netting and keeping squirrels away from them. THIS year...ugh!! we mixed within some alum sulphate (we were told to do this by our local gardener). Bushes go from a rich green to all their leaves anyone a yellowish colour and hardly any berries at adjectives. The ones that are there, are wilted and stopped growing. I am SO frustarated - I dont know how to caution for them. Should I get my soil tested? and if so, who does that sort of piece? Local gardening place had me buy a PH tester...but the plunger doesnt move - no matter what soil I stick it into. Please relieve.... Any advice???


Answers:    When you mentioned that your entire plants are dying might suggest that your roots might be suffering from a disease call "Phytopthora Root Rot". This fungus survives in the soil and usually attacks blueberry plants that suffer from lacking soil drainage and spreads from plant-to-plant by water. Bushes suffering from root rot usually own smaller leaves that begin turning red or ashen in mid to behind summer.

IF you think you might hold drainage problems, you might have to consider digging up the soil to increase the drainage OR consider planting in raise beds/benches to alleviate your problem in the adjectives.

IF you think it might be a soil issue, such as stout clay, you may need to incorporate some life matter (compost & beef/chicken manure). Also, consider using some humic sour which will open up pore spaces contained by the soil and allow water to creep into through the soil much easier and decrease the likelihood of standing water (which promotes the incidence of phytopthora from re-occuring).

Since blueberries prefer slight sour soils (5.5 to 7.0 pH) to grow properly, you'll have to detemine where on earth your soil pH is and adjust accordingly. I contemplate I purchased the same pH meter as you and you may obligation to open the freestyle compartment and dislodge the plastic piece separating the batteries from making contact.

Please save in mind that overapplications of Aluminum Sulfate are relatively toxic to blueberry plants! A better and safer method to reduce soil pH is to use Iron Sulfate instead.

To net sure whether your plants have be attacked by phytopthora, you should dig up an infected plant, place it within a large plastic purse and the take your taster to your local County Farm Advisor's Office. A qualified advisor can either describe you immediately or dispatch your sample to a lab for further analysis to determine what's wrong beside your plant. You might have to furnish as much information in the order of your plant, soil conditions, fertilization history, etc.

Hope this information helps solve your problem. Please be aware of free to contact me directly for further help. GOOD LUCK!

-Certified Professional Crop Consultant next to over 30 years of experience and a Degree in Plant Science
i can't regard as of any advice
Don't be dismal, but you probably need to start over and do it your passageway. It was working so don't do anything else to the hot ones.

We gardeners often own to start over. I lost a whole put off by over watering. So sad.

Hang surrounded by there, gardening friend.
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