[janiejakemum]

Im not sure whats happened to it, last week me and my dad where just looking around the veg gardencommenting on various things and we noticed one of the two blueberry bushes looked decidedly redder than the other, didnt look particularly ill in either minds.  When i went out later in the evening the red ones leaves had all curled up and i thought it looked a bit poorly.  Two days later its totally dead and dropped its leaves, it had small berries on it - so its gone from fruit bearing to absolutely dead so quickly.

Two different people have suggested something physically damaging it i.e. fox wee?

Im not so sure, any ideas?? 

By the way the other bush is still fine and has some berries, both bushes were planted at Christmas time this year.

[AnnieB]

First thought is the ground that it is in, it sounds as if the bushes are planted directly in theground, if not acid then a blueberry will die.

Essex is dry and they like moisture, so if too dry that could also be a cause.

Read something that said if you have a peat bog then the conditions are ideal for blueberries.

[barney rubble]

I wonder if its been too dry for it. A few years ago I was very bad to my blueberry bushes during a very hot spell didn't water them enough and a similar thing happened. I thought I'd killed them. Mine are potted, and I left them in the pots in a tank of water over the winter (just rain water). They all grew back the following year and are now going very strong.

They are still in a raised stainless steel tank which collects all the rainwater. I hate to say it, but I never clear any of the leaves or other garden waste that lands in there, cos I think it acts as fertilizer for them and also creates boggy conditions. They are often knee deep in water during heavy rain, but are going very strong now.

I wouldn't give up on it just yet - give it a really good drenching and perhaps consider potting it if you think the soil or fox pee is a problem

[janiejakemum]

I pulled it up actually to see if anything was lurking in the soil - there are no roots on it atall - all died off.  Couldnt see or smell anything so im guessing probably the soil isnt right for it, i have been feeding both bushes with my rhodedendhron feed but maybe thats not enough.  Should i dig up the other bush even though its got berries on it?

[barney rubble]

Oh no - leave and see what happens. There could just be something that's affected the one bush's roots, and you might as well wait for your berries to try to ripen. Sounds like there may have been something down there thats eaten or rotted the roots , animal or virus