New Blackberry bush dying, what now?
 

I bought a small blackberry bush and planted it about two weeks ago
following the directions on the tag that came with it. I mixed in some
potting soil with the all clay ground, watered it, and made sure everything
was tamped down. The plant's leaves are starting to curl and I've made sure
to water it every day or two and have tried some liquid fertlizer too. What
am I doing wrong?

Also, any ideas on why a blueberry bush does not seem to be growing? It's
the same size as the last two years and the number of berries is not higher
either.

New Blackberry bush dying, what now?
 

On 2006-05-30, IPFreeley wrote:
I bought a small blackberry bush and planted it about two weeks ago
following the directions on the tag that came with it. I mixed in some
potting soil with the all clay ground, watered it, and made sure everything
was tamped down. The plant's leaves are starting to curl and I've made sure
to water it every day or two and have tried some liquid fertlizer too. What

Every day or two is probably too much. Deep watering once per week
(1-1.5 inches) is sufficient. If we get that much rain then don't water
that week.

Unfortunately after two weeks the roots have probably rotted. The leave
curl because they are giving off water but the roots are gone and can't
provide water.

Stop watering for a week, and it may recover. We had a pot drain to
plug and killed a spruce in a week because it had standing water in
thepot the whole time. You may get lucky and it may recover.
am I doing wrong?

Also, any ideas on why a blueberry bush does not seem to be growing? It's
the same size as the last two years and the number of berries is not higher
either.




--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.

New Blackberry bush dying, what now?
 

New Blackberry bush dying, what now?
 

On 2006-05-30, IPFreeley wrote:
I bought a small blackberry bush and planted it about two weeks ago
following the directions on the tag that came with it. I mixed in some
potting soil with the all clay ground, watered it, and made sure everything
was tamped down. The plant's leaves are starting to curl and I've made sure
to water it every day or two and have tried some liquid fertlizer too. What

What do you mean by "tamped down" ? I always dig a hole roughly twice as big
as the container, with a thick layer of loose dirt on the bottom. I put the
plant in the hole so the original dirt line on the plant is about an inch
higher than the surrounding dirt, to allow the plant to settle. I then fill
in the remaining dirt and cover with mulch/pine straw. I don't ever tamp or
pack the dirt.

If you are planting in clay, remember that the surrounding dirt is going to
act like a bowl, taking a long time for the water to drain out. As noted, you
may be watering too often, leaving the plant to drown.

I had a neighbor years ago that used to plant, by digging a hole just slightly
larger than the container. He would then fill the hole with water, and place
the plant into the hole. This was followed by him smashing the plant down
with his foot to get it to fit the rest of the way into the hole. And he
wondered why they usually died.

New Blackberry bush dying, what now?
 

On 2006-05-31, wrote:
wrote:
On 2006-05-30, IPFreeley wrote:
I bought a small blackberry bush and planted it about two weeks ago
following the directions on the tag that came with it. I mixed in some
potting soil with the all clay ground, watered it, and made sure everything
was tamped down. The plant's leaves are starting to curl and I've made sure
to water it every day or two and have tried some liquid fertlizer too. What

Every day or two is probably too much. Deep watering once per week
(1-1.5 inches) is sufficient. If we get that much rain then don't water
that week.

Two of the three blackberry bush i planted (end of summer sales) showed no sign of life for months.
The top parts died and dried out... All of a sudden during this springs, young shoots are popping up everywhere.



Yes Blackberry canes die back in the fall when it frosts and they spring
from the roots the next year.

But if you just planted one it should be growing, not dying back now.

It may be other problems, but watering it every day is not the way
plants want to be treated. Look around you most plants get by with
rainfall. In fact too much rainfall can be detrimental to plants as
well.

Unfortunately after two weeks the roots have probably rotted. The leave
curl because they are giving off water but the roots are gone and can't
provide water.

Stop watering for a week, and it may recover. We had a pot drain to
plug and killed a spruce in a week because it had standing water in
thepot the whole time. You may get lucky and it may recover.
am I doing wrong?

Also, any ideas on why a blueberry bush does not seem to be growing? It's
the same size as the last two years and the number of berries is not higher
either.




--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.


--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.