Blueberry bushes stopped producing...need advice.

9 years ago

So the bushes were producing a lot and giving off some of the biggest berries ever this year but then all the rain started. It's been raining here in Georgia multiple times a week sometimes it was raining daily. There hasn't been a week where it hasn't been raining. Right when all this rain began is when the production got slow and now it's not producing at all. Went from filly up atandard strawberry containers to having just a handful.The berries that were there just stay green or turn red. Soil is pretty much all GA red clay. They are on a hill so shouldn't the water run off? Not sure about the pH. I added pine straw to the bottom of all the bushes and it had a great affect with the bushes producing berries as big as a thumb (big-ish ones in picture). I use no chemicals at all, no fertilizer, pesticides, etc. Neighbor doesn't spray anything on his property at all either. I guess you could say they are organic. They haven't been producing for nearly a month now.
Any help would be appreciated. I think I'm gonna get a pH meter tomorrow or Tuesday.

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Comments (5)

fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
9 years ago
Blueberries can end the season with berries that don't ripen. Usually it's a matter of too many berries for the foliage. In other words the bushes set too much fruit and they couldn't ripen all of it. Once the berries stall out and quit changing color they are done ripening. Either pick as is or forget them.

Your bushes look like they lack vigor and foliage. Some fertilizer would help. They might also benefit from renewal pruning. Cut out the oldest, biggest canes and allow new canes to grow in their place.
brandonscraigslist1185
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks for the reply. From all the things I read online the pruning should only be done in winter and I pruned them back in February. This picture was above was taken at the beginning of the season so they haven't filled in. I don't want to use any chemicals at all on these. If I do any kind of fertilization I will dig some holes between the bushes and have mini composts aka honey holes. These bushes were here when the folks bought the place about 11 years ago. So they haven't had proper acidity and pruning until this season so do you think that might play a factor? I know the berries have never been this big until I did some work with them. Before they had just been left to thrive on their own with no additional help.
Here is some pictures I took today.
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fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
9 years ago
Organic fertilizer and mulch would help your plants. There are many suitable organic fertilizers: compost, cottonseed meal, alfalfa meal, etc.
brandonscraigslist1185
Original Author
9 years ago
What sort of mulch? I thought one straw was the best
Alec V
9 years ago
I read that Lucerne straws are the best mulch as they add nitrogen and organic matter to the soil as they break down. Though you'll have to top up every 6 to 8 months.

I mulchec my potted blueberries with coarse pinebarks but that attracted a whole lot of fungus gnats. So I switched over to lucerne mulch 2 weeks ago and I'm not seeing any more fungus gnats, maybe they're hiding deep inside the straws.

Apparently, fungus gnats help to pollinate plants. Those buggers aren't so bad after all.