Blueberry plant advice

[keptar]

Hello,

I have 5 blueberry plans of different varietals and they are all to some degree experiencing the same problems. We are in CA where in the summers we average between 95-100 degrees, often higher, usually 90+ June to Sept. These plants get about 50-60% full sun. My natural instinct is to think they are not getting enough water. I have put down blueberry plant fertilizer (EB Stone Organic) at the beginning of the spring. So second thought is that I burned them with fertilizer. But, don't know about that either. So I figured while they still had some green on them, I would ask...

Last summer, they ended the season pretty much with all red leaves. After fertilizing they began to come back green in the spring, but they are again failing and I don't know if it is heat or what. I have 2 Sunshines, 1 South Bush, 1 Misty and 1 Oneal.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. These were all planted last year in the spring.

 

[alp]

Video produced by The University of Maine.

Why not contact the video producer about anybody they know in your area who is an expert in blueberry? It might just help. Think the temperature in your area is too high. 30c seems to be the optimum. Think you might have leaf scorch.

 

[River]

For what it is worth. I get very little growth the first year for a new blueberry bush. I would contact an agriculture extension in your area & they will be the ones who will know what is best. For years, I had 2 bushes that I planted probably 7-8 years back. I was always advised that you should prune them in the winter when the plants are dormant. That was not good advice. I did a lot of research & MS State had great info. Prune them just after the harvest is over. I cut out a 3rd of the plant, and made sure to fertilize. I am getting shoots growing well out of the areas on the older branches that I cut out. So any agricultural school in your area might have a video and good info online.