[AK9]

Planted 4 blueberries in November. They were doing very well with leaves and buds growing but the last weeks I am starting to see the following signs:
-Leaves turning reddish
-Few of the plants have browns spots in their stems
-One plant had few small insects on top
-Another plant had few leaves that were half-eaten

Any ideas how to help the plants. Have added some ericaceous compost as mulch and i adding diluted tomato fertiliser every week and have also put sulphur chips.

Any ideas what to do?

[BabbyAnn]

I don't think you are having significant problems with the blueberries although I'd ease up on fertiliser as you don't want sappy growth - a bit of potash would be a good idea to encourage flowers & fruit:

- don't worry about the reddish leaves as it is probably the result of fresh tender leaf growth followed by a nip in the air (say a frost) but they survive and new growth will follow.
-  Not sure about the brown spots sorry, could just be scorch marks (droplets of water when the sun came out)
-  Insects are normal, we've had a mild winter so there is a significant number stirring now but so are the ladybirds too!  I haven't found blueberries to get too hammered by pests
-  Half eaten leaves may be due to birds, especially if there are flower buds - you could make a cage to keep birds out (but the mesh must be wide enough to allow bees in)

[AK9]

Many thanks Ann.

Have been watering them abit more now. The red leaves are still there and either:
-the flowers/fruits are very small (see one of the attachments)
-or they have flowered and it looks really nice but every time i go there i find some of the flower buds on the ground..

Have noticed few ants in 2 of the plants and in the biggest one I did spot something like a spider web.
Also the suppresant cloth that is about 3m away has some beetles underneath..

Am I going on a witchhunt or is there anything that I need to act upon?
They do not look very healthy....

[ptarmigan]

I think they look really healthy.  Mine look exactly the same with red leaves.  I really wouldn't worry as long as they are in ericaceous soil.  And rainwater is apparently best for watering them, I've always just used tap as mine are in containers.  They should get green as the weather warms up.

[AK9]

Thanks, so probably I am worrying too much then..

What is the process that creates the fruit? Do the leaves drop and what remains slowly slowly fills and becomes the blueberry?

Sadly I have no more rainwater left so I am using tap water. I do try to fill bottles and leave them in the sun just in case this might break down the chlorine..

 

[BabbyAnn]

Chlorine isn't the problem (these are plants not fish LOL), it will be the pH of the water ... blueberries really do not like high pH (hence the ericaceous compost), and I'm inclined to think that in the south east as in your location, the tap water has a high pH.  You will need to acidify it - I'd recommend some iron sulfate (or recommended sulfur chips) on the soil surface so it acidifies the tap water when applied.

As for process - from the photos you have plenty of white flowers - bees pollinate, petals drop off, fruit swells and ripens (about June/July depending on the varieties)  The leaves will just continue to grow, get a darker green colour (ignore the red) more will appear and you should have a green bushy shrub with berries.  Blueberries do like a lot of water so water often especially during dry periods is essential - the more water, the bigger the size of the fruits.  In autumn, the leaves take on the most gorgeous autumn reds and then drop off.

What you will need to do is get some netting and make a cage to keep the birds out after the flowers have finished (don't forget you'll need access for bees until then)  Blackbirds especially LOVE blueberries and will strip your bushes clean once the berries start to ripen. 

[Trillium]

If you can get it, add some old pigeon or chicken manure as mulch. The plants love it.

And a big definite on the netting. I have thieving robins who spend their days trying to get past the netting. Once they get a taste of blueberry, you can't stop them.

[AK9]

Checked the PH today and it is at 5.0.
Fruit are doing okish.
Planning to place the net by next weekend..

The ants are still there but have put some cornflour (and cinammon)..