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apeachg

Blueberry bushes sunburnt?

apeachg
12 years ago

Hello,

I recently bought and transplanted my 1-2 year old blueberry bushes into pots and they were doing great, but now they seem to be burning up and dying. The leaves are becoming light colored on the edges with some brown patches, and are crispy to the touch. I have been watering them one or twice a week and the soil is still somewhat damp a few inches down into the soil, so I don't think I am underwatering and worry about overwatering. It has not been extremely hot in Tucson, but both of my blueberry bushes are experiencing what looks like sunburn. I moved them to a shadier area but they don't seem to be doing much better. My raspberry plant has completely died and looked like it was shriveling up beforehand, which also looked like sun damage. However the herbs which I have been growing seem to be doing fine. Not sure how to include a picture of the bluberries, so if needed I will try to post one. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Comments (11)

  • fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
    12 years ago

    apeach:

    My weather is about like yours and once or twice a week wouldn't generally be enough water for mine. It all depends on the amount of leaves compared to roots. On newly planted I'd be watering every day or every other day. Once a day can be too much especially if your soil mix doesn't drain well enough.

    If there are new shoots they will wilt and droop if too dry. They only have roots right now in whatever root ball was there when you planted. You must rewet that often until they can grow more roots.

  • apeachg
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks for your response! They don't seem to be wilting too badly, just seem like they're scorched or burning. The new leaves are still somewhat moist but have brown areas that look more like burns than any fungus or mineral deficiency I could find, and I am concerned that I will overwater if I water them every other day.

  • fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
    12 years ago

    If they can't take watering at least every other day then you'll never grow them outdoors in Tucson without a lot of shade and a lot of pruning to keep the top small relative to root volume. I've grown them in full sun all summer by watering every day. Not one bit of leaf burn.

    I'd put them in a shady location until they look better. They do well under about 50% shade cloth.

    Blueberries need moist roots at all times especially in our dry climates. How well are they doing at once or twice a week? Water more or try something else.

  • apeachg
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you, I bought a shade cloth yesterday and will give that a try along with more watering and see what progress I make. Just in case, do you have any suggestions as to how to tell if I am overwatering?

  • northernmn
    12 years ago

    Any chance that you over fertilized when you transplanted?

  • apeachg
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I don't think so, I asked the head garden expert at Home Depot what to use for blueberries specifically because they need acidic soil, and she gave me peat moss and another soil which has good drainage. I did not add fertilizer other than blood meal, but have used a pH meter that says the soil is around 5.5 pH.

  • groem
    12 years ago

    When I first got my bb, they got sun burnt. I figure it was from the change of location. Not sure where they came from, probably Oregon, but the change in amount of sun, elevation, something gave them sunburn. I put them in afternoon shade, and as new leaves grew they were adapted to my sun levels. I would guess your plants have also had a big change in the intensity of the sun. Watch the new leaves, if they not being burned, that would be what is going on.

  • apeachg
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Great, thank you so much! That makes sense that they might be "going into shock" if you will from the new amount of sun they're getting. I moved them into the shade a few days ago, and once I see that they are starting to adapt, should I try to move them back into the sun or will the same thing just happen all over again?

  • groem
    12 years ago

    I moved mine kind of under a large rose bush, it shaded them during the hottest part of the day, and let them get afternoon and morning sun. I think that I moved them back out when it started to cool down. Might have been end of August. If you can maybe move them so they slowly get more and more sun, or if you use the shade cloth maybe roll it up a little every day so it is shading less. Of course living in Tuscon, you may want to just leave the shade cloth up over the summer to help them keep cool.

  • apeachg
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I will try the shade cloth approach, it sounds like a safer bet than trying to "train" them to get used to the sun, especially in Tucson! Thank you again for your help.

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