How do I save this blueberry bush?

last year

A few years ago I dug up the prolific blueberry bush from my girlfriend's mom's house since she sold the property. So we headed home with the big blueberry bush in the back of a pickup truck, like the scene out of Harold and Maude.

However, when we got back the time spent on the freeway for the two hour drive stripped nearly all the leaves off. That spring the bush hung on and the next year it had a few leaves but the summer was brutally hot and the few leaves shriveled up. I thought surely the bush was dead but lo and behold this spring there are a few buds on a couple of stalks.

How do I make sure this blueberry bush survives and thrives?

Featured Answer

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

last year

If the stems and branches have not yet leafed out or "come back to life", then it is safe to assume they are dead wood and should be removed. If they look dead, test by bending the stem. If they break or snap off, remove them. If flexible and bendy, you can leave them in place.

It's a bit late in the season to do so now but cutting back hard in late winter or early spring (to 4-6 inches) is a recommended method of renewal for an overgrown or neglected plants. Or you can pick the 3 strongest and newest stems and remove any others.

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Comments (10)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
It needs some serious pruning. Looks like a lot of dead wood in there but photo is not clear enough to get specific.

I assume things like soil pH, water and fertilization have been properly addressed?
John Wong thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
John Wong
Original Author
last year
I'm afraid to prune it at this time since I don't know which stalks might come back to life. Based on how it looked last year I would have ended up pruning the whole thing - LOL!
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raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
last year
Your soil might be different from that in which it was originally, and not acidic enough. You probably should test i the pH, and also make sure that it is the correct composition for blueberries in your climate
John Wong thanked raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
John Wong
Original Author
last year
I pruned most everything that is definitely dead wood and treated the soil with Muracid (soil tested alkaline). Thanks for all the advice! Fingers crossed for a gentle summer and that the blueberry bush can survive.
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
last year
last modified: last year
Since your soil is alkaline, I don't think that miracid alone can help. Gardengal will have more advice, I expect, but my experience with alkaline soil requires my blueberries to be planted in heavily, I mean heavily amended with peat soil. I don't even try to grow them in ground anymore! I just plant them in pots filled with 80% peat, 20% other organic material like chopped leaves & compost,, and a little sand.

They seem to like wider rather than deeper pots - I use the big black nursery pots meant for large bushes and sapling trees
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
Sorry but your blueberry plant won't stand a chance if planted in alkaline soil. They require a rather specifically acidic soil (pH of 5-6....not much higher) and the effort to get your soil pH to that level and maintain it there is prohibitive.

If you wish to continue with this plant, your only alternative is to grow it in a container with a customized acidic potting mix. Something like the 5-1-1 mix, omitting any lime for pH buffering.
John Wong thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
John Wong
Original Author
last year
I just measured the pH a few feet away from the stalks so as to avoid the area watered with Muracid and in two spots it measures 6.0-6.5. So the soil might be OK for pH with a bit of help from Muracid. I plan to set up misters when the weather gets hot so hopefully the bush will have some leaves all year for the plant to recover. Then maybe in the winter I'll start mixing peat into the soil around the roots. Thanks for all the advice!
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
last year
PS I also have the pots sunk into the ground about halfway, for winter protection of the roots (that might also be beneficial in a hot, dry climate) - helps aesthetically also!
John Wong
Original Author
last year
That's a great idea! I'll see if the bush stabilizes this year to get healthy enough for another transplant.