As someone that loves and grows blueberry plant, one of the worst feelings is seeing your beautiful blueberry plant dying off, especially when you're helpful as to how to revive it. That is why we're going to show you today how to save a dying blueberry plant.
Growing blueberry plants requires an ample amount of patience and consistency yet making it worthwhile; after all, they are loving plants whose yield would reward you once properly taken care of.
Blueberries are quite popular among growers since it is a healthy edible plant; also, they are low in calories and high in nutrients.
However, it might seem a little demanding since it requires some effort for it to grow speedily with no barrier and equally give you the desired results.
Now, if you feel you're gradually losing your blueberry plant to death, we will show you how to bring it back to life shortly.
Table of Contents
Blueberries And Their Growth
Blueberries thrive in acidic soil, we consider the requisite pH level of the blueberry bush to be 4.5 and 5.5. When the pH is higher than this, iron becomes unavailable, causing the leaves to turn yellow.
And if it is too neutral or alkaline, then it may not be able to adequately absorb essential nutrients required for its growth.
How Can you Tell if Your Blueberry Plant is Dying?
Most people would not realize their blueberries are in terrible shape until they are on the verge of dying entirely.
Below are few ways you can know.
Blueberries could be dormant when they have no leaves, but if spring and summer are coming on strong and your plants are still not springing forth leaves; it is a sign that your blueberry is dying and needs saving.
When your Blueberries dry on the plants then it needs your attention.
Why Your Blueberry Plant Is Dying?
There are so many factors that contribute to damaging your blueberries, which you might have unconsciously engaged in. Let’s look at these factors.
1. Soil PH levels
Several external factors can gradually change the pH level of the soil over time, which affects your blueberries.
It is advisable to check the conditions of the soil and mix in some soil acidifiers if the soil is too neutral for blueberry.
2. Adding too much fertilizer
Due to fear of stunted growth, many gardeners add too much fertilizer to the soil. Virtually plants like blueberry can get damaged from being over-fertilized, especially if the soil is already acidic and full of organic matter.
3. Moisturizing the soil too often
Watering is the number one cause of dying plants. Blueberries can die from overwatering as the compacted soil will suffocate the root system of your blueberries.
4. Pests attacking blueberries
Pests like aphids and Japanese beetles feast on blueberries, and these would stunt the growth of your blueberries.
How to Save a Dying Blueberry Plant
Can your blueberries still be alive again? Yes!
Note: Blueberries are forgiving plants and are known for their tolerance and ability to adapt to poor soils; However, do not ignore or deny them the right to grow well.
For your blueberries to grow healthy, an annual dressing of compost is usually enough to get your plant blooming and right on track.
It is advised to apply fertilizer ½ ounce of 10-10-10 fertilizer after one month of planting your blueberry and then a year later apply one ounce of 10-10-10 fertilizer -- and every year following, add more fertilizer by one ounce.
At most, Blueberry bushes only need about 1 to 2 inches of watering per week. If your Blueberry is grown in a planter or container, then make sure the soil drains well.
Peradventure you had been very careful handling your plants, but pests wouldn’t let your blueberries live, do not ignore these pests.
Why?
These pests, after feasting on your blueberries, abandon a sticky substance called honeydew; the honeydew produces this fungal disease called sooty mold. This fungus blocks sunlight from reaching the leaves.
To stave them off? You can settle for natural remedies like diatomaceous earth. Having bugs could buy you time to finding better solutions as they are beneficial insects.
For other predators bigger than bugs, use the fence to protect your blueberries from dying.
How To Ensure a Healthy Blueberry Growth
Find a companion plant for your blueberries, some plants do better when planted near one another; allowing your blueberries to grow alongside their fellow acid-loving plants helps the plants a lot.
Blueberries do better-having rhododendron which provides shade, and basil and thyme which grows slightly in acidic soil.
Note: Blueberries have a shallow root system, so the said companion should be off their root zone.
Blueberries need a minimum of six hours of direct sun each day. Having too much exposure and too little exposure brings about ill-health.
Other than looking for solutions, you can still help your blueberries grow miraculously by pruning them. In pruning, high bush and rabbiteye plants remove weak-looking branches close to the ground and open up the inside portion of the bush.
Prune rabbiteye varieties less severe than high-bush and for low bush? Cut all the stems down to the ground level.
Note: Blueberries might not produce fruit until after a year
If you cannot water consistently then consider mulch, it would keep your soil moist naturally, especially if it is organic.
Varieties of Blueberry And The Climates
Blueberries vary, we could classify them according to the climate; cold climate and mild climate. These blueberries include; high-bush, low bush, hybrid half high, and rabbiteye.
The most commonly planted blueberry is high bush, they are disease resistant and self-fertile: it permits cross-pollination by another cultivar to ensure the production of larger berries.
Also, they grow in a humid northern climate that has winter chills; nevertheless, it can still be planted in a warm environment, but it requires watering.
The rabbiteye and low bush are not self-fertile, they need different rabbiteye cultivar to pollinate.
Lowbush blue berry can be pollinated by either another Low bush or a high bush cultivar. However, while rabbiteye would grow in mild climates and a coastal area, Low bush grows in colder regions of eastern North America.
Related Posts:
- What Bugs Does Citronella Plant Keep Away?
- How To Get Rid Of Bugs In Garden Soil
- How to Revive a Dying Dracaena Plant
- How to Restore a Dying Bamboo Plant
Conclusion
Saving a dying blueberry plant might seem to be a task, but considering the fuss you would go through planting another and how expensive it would be, saving your blueberry would crown your effort after all.
Have a propitious time, saving your blueberry.
