[ally]

My daughter requested blueberries this year so we have two (different types) which are in nice size pots and the correct soil was used.

However during april we ran out of rain water!!! so I had to give them tap water, I mixed in some of their compost and let is stand outside in a bucket for a week before giving them an drink but  I dont think it worked, the leaves are turning rusty brown and the flowers/berries are falling off.

Is there anything I can do to help save them???  They have had a great dose of rain water now but will this help at all?? the leaves are falling off too now?!!?

[lfcevans]

I dont know what could be causing the problem you have, or what variety you have, but I have been watering all 4 of my blueberry plants with tapwater for the past 6 weeks, and they are fine.

I now have a waterbutt with water in so can water with rainwater now though, which I will be doing from now on.

I

[ally]

I have a blue Jay and a pioneer.  they do look very sorry for themselves; I had lots of berries too and they are all drying up and falling off

[JayG]

How "hard" is your tapwater Ally? (Mixing it with ericaceous compost doesn't actually remove the lime although if your water is particularly soft it's possibly not such a bad idea.)

Even worse for blueberries than a bit of unsuitable water from time to time is being allowed to dry out between waterings; is that a possibility?

Yours don't sound very happy, but don't be fooled by the flower petals dropping off; if they've pollinated successfully the early stages of your fruit should still be left attached to the plant.

[Alastair-I]

We've had blueberries for a few years, the first one I had (top hat, I think) did great in a pot but sulked in the ground, the next two went straight into the ground and sulked all last year but have picked up this year.  They seem a bit tempermental to me, probably not responding well to uneven moisture levels.

But.. as it's in a pot, just have a check of the compost under the surface and around the roots if you can lift it out, check for unwelcome hitch-hikers.  Otherwise, feed, water and patience.  See if it perks up with TLC.

[ally]

I've been watering them once a week, I didnt want to use too much tap water and like most growers prayed for rain while getting a nice tan weeding! So they could of dried out a little bit.

I will check the soil for pests and ensure they dont get thirsty Thanks for the help

[viettaclark]

I am a bit concerned about one of my plants. I put in 5 in March with ericaceous fertilizer, potassium sulphate, soil is acid and thick mulch of pine needles and 3 have flowered and have berries coming I think. They are all looking healthy (I saved rainwater for them) except the Earliblue which, although it has flowered, has leaves that are tougher and more yellow veined than the others. This could just be the type but I wondered if anyone else is growing it to compare?
It's more in the shade than the others.

[Salmo]

Could it be frost?

[Trillium]

Ericaceous compost shouldn't get diluted with a bit of tap water. There are other problems here. blueberries do appreciate a yearly feeding with chicken manure pellets if you have them or just plain rotted manure.  Watering does need to be regular, particularly in pots as blueberries are a bog plant (not soggy/waterlogged).

If the plant is still suffering you can pull it out and check around the roots for any pests that might be eating the roots. If not, plant it back with some peat (yes, the dirty word) and keep watered.

[Azazello]

It might be too much sun.

We had two plants - one thrived, the other died. I'm pretty sure it was because one got more sun than the other.

We have the surviving plant on the shady side of a privet hedge - it gets a few hours sun in the pm -  where it's thriving.

[mobilekat]

You said they are nice sized pots, how big are those?

I have mine in massive pots- the large sized gorilla tub.

I was told that the blueberries don't like to get their feet to warm, and that if you put them in a big container they tend to do better- as less variation in moisture etc.

Mine then get rain water when possible, and then tap water if needed, we have very soft water here.
And having been planted last year they are growing and fruiting like mad this year.

If you are worried I would check your ph, and take a photo and post here to see is people can help, as more than one thing can cause brown leaves- are they dry and brown, or wet and brown?

good luck!

[JohnB47]

Also what type of pot? If it's terra cotta (without a liner inside), they'll dry out quickly.

I planted out all three of my blueberry plants on the allotment last autumn and they're doing fine but one (the youngest) had a few shrivelled up bunches of flowers. The rest of the plant is fine, so I imagine that this is because it's a young plant and needs to get accustomed to it's new home.

Perhaps your problem is a combination of things - not watered enough, young plant potted on and sulking a bit and maybe needing a feed? I feed mine errecatous plant feed in spring (and will again in early June, as the berries really start to swell).

Next year will probably be better but you need to keep on top of watering - their compost needs to be kept damp all the time (not just most of the time).

[Lardman]

My top hat is looking decidedly bad too, die back of flowers and the tips. If you do a search you'll see a couple of pictures. The other 4 seem to have grown out of the problem, although don't seem to have set many fruit.

Im hoping its down to the dry weather - to help with the water problem in winter I intend to lift them and line the bed they are in with plastic.

[LittleRedHen]

I've grown blueberries for many years and they must be kept moist and like acid soil just like camellias and hydrangeas.  Pour some loose tea leaves around them - don't be shy - and soak them in good, until the ground won't take any more water (If you have sandy soil, this may be a much more labour intensive process.)  Mulch the ground around them.  It is always better to soak deeply less often than to give just a little bit of water daily.  Soaking encourages the roots to grow deeper and then they are less prone to be thirsty during a drought.