Blueberry plants - yellow leaves, no growth, no berries - Ask Extension
I am a home gardener in Rochester Hills, MI. I have planted several blueberry plants over 5 years. I mulched with Pine Needles. They have never grown...
Knowledgebase
Blueberry plants - yellow leaves, no growth, no berries #844134
Asked August 04, 2023, 11:27 AM EDT
I am a home gardener in Rochester Hills, MI. I have planted several blueberry plants over 5 years. I mulched with Pine Needles. They have never grown much. I planted one large plant that did not grow either. They produced berries in 2022. Plants leaves became light yellow by end of 2022. This spring in April 2023 I gave it Blueberry Organic Granular Fertilizer. Plant leaves stayed yellow. A month later I gave it more of the same. Then in late May and June I gave it soluble Miracid (from Miracle Grow) as well as Granular Acidic mix fro Rhodadendrons, Azaleas. Some leaves turned greenish but the big plant remained yellow. Please help
Oakland County Michigan
Expert Response
This is a common issue with blueberries that have been planted in alkaline soil. Pine needles will not significantly impact the pH of the soil. pH is a logarithmic scale, this is important to understand when attempting to adjust soil pH. If for example you have a pH of 8.0, it is going to be virtually impossible to maintain a low enough pH to keep blueberries happy. I would recommend getting a soil test before applying any additional fertilizers or soil acidifying products. I've included two articles that should help you when determining your future strategy as well as a link to purchase a soil test.
homesoiltest.msu.edu
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/soil_test_before_you_plant_blueberries
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/understanding_soil_ph_part_i
homesoiltest.msu.edu
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/soil_test_before_you_plant_blueberries
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/understanding_soil_ph_part_i
