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Help with blueberry!
taggartdaniel1yxf6uiO1
Posts: 5
Hi, just noticed my blueberry plant has a funny pattern on the leaves not sure if it is scorch or just too dry! Have been giving plenty of water recently while it’s been hot. Please help! 
0
Posts
Is the ground it is planted in very acidic? Blueberries need a very acidic soil of below pH 5.5
If the soil isn't below pH5.5 then your plant will not be able to access potassium and probably other nutrients, so there would be no point in giving it more as it simply can't use it.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Let the damaged leaves fall naturally at the end of the season.
You can buy soil test kits which are ok (the pH probes are useless).
If you're in England you can get an idea of your soil type by entering your postcode in the search field on this site-
http://www.landis.org.uk/soilscapes/
The soil in most parts of England is not suitable for them.
If your tap water is hard, then your drip system will be dripping hard water - again not good.
You can temporarily raise the pH using sulphur (chips or Flowers of Sulphur) but soil is a powerful buffer so the soil will soon change back to it's normal pH.
My soil is only very slightly acidic, so I have to grow them in pots with ericaceous compost. I water them only with rainwater and use a feed designed for acid-loving plants - I use Miracle Grow for Azaleas - once a month during the growing season.
They're well worth growing. I have 3 plants and have already had well over 1Kg with about 2-3Kg still to come.
I grow mine in a netted veg. cage to keep the birds off.
Whilst they are mostly self-fertile, growing 2 different varieties will produce more fruit on each plant.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I've seen many ruined mophead hydrangeas on my walks today too.
I guess one of your bushes got more sun than the other one.
If you have no rainwater then there's not much you can do other than use the hose.
So long as get we some rain soon, hard water shouldn't cause any problems as a temp. measure.
I cheat and use a reverse osmosis filter to top up one of my butts just for the blueberries as a last resort - it creates something about the same as rainwater.
Re. you probe, I can only say I've had a few over the years which all indicate my soil is alkaline, whereas it is slightly acidic, but nowhere near acidic enough for blueberries.
The kits with the little test tubes are usually ok
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.