[andreadon]

obviously not looking for resurrection techniques!  

I had 2 blueberries in a plastic greenhouse frame thing.
both in the same compost as last year, both were fine and watered with rain water only.

the one that's died was nearest the sunshine, but not touching the plastic wall.

I think it might have been killed by water - because i fill lemonade bottles from a water bucket - normally i fill them from the one under the dripping gutter, but this time DF was helping, so he filled one and i filled the other - the one he filled was from a bucket that had been standing for a while with only new rainwater (ie it was stagnant)
that's the only thing i can think of that has been done to one that wasn't done to the other.

is that what killed it? or was it the sun/heat?

[JayG]

You don't seem to have done much wrong, but I have read that they don't like their roots getting too hot, which is possibly what did happen to yours.

[andreadon]

thank you!
How do i stop the roots getting hot? do i need to shade the bottom part of the greenhouse?
or water the pots? (they're glazed, rather than plain terracotta)

[JayG]

Why are they in a greenhouse?

They need insects to pollinate them (really need two different varieties alsol but don't want to rub it in!) and don't need "greenhousey" sort of heat.

They would be much better outside; if the pots are a dark colour you could paint or cover them with something of a lighter colour to reduce the heating of the pots if you were still worried about it.

[Babstreefern]

Blueberry bushes should be outside not in a greenhouse - this is probably why it died, it was too hot

[andreadon]

Dr Hessayon says that they need humidity, and i can't provide that outside.

they were in the greenhouse last year (2 together) and they had fruit on them.

i did an experiment with them last year, with one outside and the 2 in the greenhouse (except last year it was chicken wire wrapped in plastic sheet  ), the one outside didn't do very well at all, but the ones in the "greenhouse" did very well and grew.

don't tell me i've got it all wrong all along! 

[izzy]

i'd say its far too warm in the greenhouse.they hate getting dry

[stompy]

Like izzy said, they hate getting dry as they are a wetland or bog plants.

The thing is as you said you watered them both the same, so wouldn't think it was due to drying out or they would both have suffered.
Mine is still in the green house and doing very well indeed so i don't think it will be the heat either.

I would say it's more likely to be virus related?

[andreadon]

Like izzy said, they hate getting dry as they are a wetland or bog plants.


I would say it's more likely to be virus related?

yes, that's why i thought it was the water from the stagnent pot. 

It does feel moist in the greenhouse, but maybe it gets too hot in the afternoon?
I will experiment with lifting the flap up a bit during the day

Just to give you a better idea of hat this greenhouse is like - it's a growbag frame, about 1m by 50cm and 1.2m high, with green plastic cover (2 zips at the front make a flao that goes up the whole height of the front)
I tested the soil yesterday and both pots are moist, but not soggy.

I've just been looking at some old threads on the subject too, and it looks like i should feed them a bit too.  i fed them with chicken pellets in the winter, but that was before they were transferred - they are still in the same pots and compost as before, but they are on a different site, so i haven't worked out how it works yet!

[andreadon]

as an addition- i will replace the dead one with the one that's been outside all winter.

i will replace the compost with new stuff before i put it in.

will this one suffer badly if i add it to the greenhouse? (it isn't very big at all because it's been blinking cold all year!)

[JayG]

I wouldn't dream of disagreeing with Dr. Hessayon but I have to say I'm surprised at the advice about humidity; the right type of soil and ample (rain)watering are their main requirements.

Stompy; are your blueberries still in your greenhouse having overwintered there or do they stay in there permanently?

I did a lot of research before buying my two plants and never saw any suggestion that they could or should be grown indoors, least of all in a greenhouse, except in the case of potted plants being brought inside over winter.

In case anyone is getting the impression that blueberries are difficult to grow, I have attached a picture of my 3-year old plants taken in the last hour. They are planted in ordinary slightly acidic garden soil, get a handful of growmore and a mulch of peat once a year and watered with rainwater when I remember.

I'm licking my lips already (as would the blackbirds if they had any!) 

[Trillium]

Sounds more like the acid level in the soil has dropped from acidic to more neutral or even alkaline. A quick home soil test will tell you what you now have. Acidic soil doesn't stay acidic, you need to yearly add something to keep it so. Things like pine needles, a bit of eracious compost or even eracious plant food will do the trick. Once the soil gets a bit too alkaline, the roots have a hard time drawing in water and nutrients. And the baking sun doesn't help young plants that can't yet protect their roots with shade.

I too don't believe that high humidity is necessary if all the other needs are in place. If you look at blueberries in the wild, they simply have moist soil, no foggers working on overtime or misters. In fact, I always find blueberry bushes in shady areas rather than sunny ones.

[stompy]

Hey jayg.

I only over winter my plants in the greenhouse, they are in pots, i can control the soil PH that way.

I notice yours have flowers on still, mine already have berrys coming on them?

[andreadon]

Thanks Jay! That's a beautiful plant.
I would also like to add to that comment that anyone wishing to try to grow anything that I have failed to grow, needn't worry, as I seem to be the world's best bad gardener!  

I have managed this year also to kill off my courgette seedlings.
god knows how! it's the first time i've managed that!!  

thanks, Trillium, i think you're totally right, so I will make sure tonight that I top it up/replace some ericaceous compost and see what happens.  [fingers crossed]

[JayG]

Yours are probably an earlier variety than mine Stompy; there's quite a wide variation in flowering and ripening times available.

At least I will still be scoffing mine when yours have finished (as long as I remember to net them properly this year!)