Please Help My Berries!

15 years ago

Hi,

My garden has been fantastic this year, but there always seems to be a little issue somewhere or other. I have two issues that I really need help identifying, as while I have a green thumb, I am no expert!

Please see the three photos in here:

http://gallery.me.com/jaedold#100244

The first two of the strawberry and blackberry are having a touch of the same thing. Both have a few of their newer leaves that have a strange, scorched looking tip that buckles the leaf and looks a bit hairy. It doesn't seem to be spreading upwards on the leaf... just the tip. Both have a few new growths coming in that have the same thing on it. They are no where near one another (I don't know if it's a contagious issue or not). In fact, there is a strawberry patch near the blackberries that don't have this problem at all. The strawberry pictured is in a container.

The last photo of one of my new blueberry bushes (in a container, so I can easily move it if sun is the issue). There are two bushes of different varieties next to one another, but the other is fine. Both have great acid soil (same mix, so it can't be too much acid although I haven't tested the soil). At first I thought it had too much sun, so I moved it to receive less sun, but it's made no difference. I water every day - am I overwatering? It has pretty, new growth, but its older leaves have lost that beautiful blue tinge since it's been looking this way.

Thank you for any insight. My plants and I appreciate it :)

jae

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Comments (5)

calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
15 years ago
To me it looks like a fertilizer problem. Salts migrate to the leaf tips and cause the burning. What ever you are fertilizing with I would stop and see if the problem does not go away in a few weeks. Al
eva_jae
Original Author
15 years ago
They've only been fertilized with Miracle Gro once, and I think I haven't even done that in 3-4 weeks. Is there anything else it could be?

Any ideas on the blueberry bush? It's spreading :(
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jean001a
15 years ago
They're short of water.

When you water, you must moisten the entire rootzone.

If when you water the container-grown plants, the water immediately rushes out the bottom, you need to soak the pot for about 20 minutes -- no longer, or you'll kill roots.

For the new blueberry, it doesn't have a sturdy root system as yet, *or* the water is missing the rootball and exiting via the surrounding potting mix. Stick your finger in the rootball to determine if it's dry.
eva_jae
Original Author
15 years ago
Hi!

Truly, I do moisten the whole rootzone (the reason I mentioned overwatering is because I water very thoroughly). The large container that the blueberry bushes are in have pretty small drainage holes, so I'm also worried that not enough water is coming out. The soil stays moist all day, even half a finger deep into the root system. I appreciate your suggestions, but I'm not convinced that's it. I will water it a bit more per your suggestion. Do you think it could be from anything else?
oliveoyl3
15 years ago
Add mulch to help the soil stay moist. Drying out stresses the plants esp. ones not yet established & that could be what you're seeing.

My favorites mulch freebies are used coffee grounds from St*rbucks, handfuls of vermicompost from our bins, & covered with either dried grass clippings (no weed & feed) or straw (or hay). The sun bleaches the straw until it's light & looks uniform color.

Free straw after fall events can be stored until used in summer. This year, you can either buy a bale or go to the your local feed store & ask about their sweepings. When they sell hay (straw, alfalfa hay, grass hay) & load up the bales some falls off on the ground & in their storage barn. This is what I mean by sweepings. Our store workers use a blower, broom, & dustpan to move it all to a dumpster. It can be wet or dry & it doesn't matter for mulch because it will get wet anyway.

Don't worry about the weed seeds because your layer will be thick enough & any that sprout are easily pulled up or stirred back into it. Plus if you're getting it from their dumpster the seeds have usually fallen out.

Corrine