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Blueberries FAQ: Diseases,Pests,& Solutions

BLUEBERRIES: DISEASES/PESTS & SOLUTIONS (FAQ)

I'm just a novice, but I recently bought a house in New England
that has 155 blueberry bushes on the property, so I'm trying to
learn as much as I can about them.  Before he left for the Pacific
Northwest (to plant a cherry orchard), the previous owner (a very
active 90-year-old with a real talent for gardening) gave me a few
lessons on how to care for the blueberries (as well as the apples,
peaches, plums, apricots, self-pollinating vegetables, herbs,
roses, and several varieties of flowers on the property).  He also
gave me some articles and information he had collected on the
subject.  I thought I'd pass along the information that I've
accumulated to-date. 

An excellent reference book on planting, caring for, harvesting,
and using blueberries (as well as strawberries, raspberries,
blackberries, cranberries, huckleberries, boysenberries,
gooseberries, currants, etc.) is:

     "The Berry Book" by Robert Hendrickson, published in 1981 by
      Doubleday & Company, Inc./Garden City, New York.  
      ISBN-0-385-13589-0.

The following list of diseases/pests & solutions is a consolidation
of information from: (1) primary sources are Robert Hendrickson's
"The Berry Book" and his article "Blueberry Fields Forever"
published in the July 1984 issue of "Country Journal"; (2) William
Kreutzfeld 's article "Blue Magic" published in the August 1987
issue of "National Gardening"; (3) some tips provided to me by Mr.
Eric Mattson (the 90-year-"young" gardener who has had lots of
successful experience with fruits and berries); and (4) a few
things from my limited experience with blueberry gardening. 

BLUEBERRY DISEASES/PESTS & SOLUTIONS

 1.  BIRDS - Birds love to eat blueberries and may even feast on
     your entire crop if you don't cover them with netting or use
     some other means to protect them.  Mr. Mattson provided me
     with some plastic netting which seems to be effective and
     still allows sunlight to reach the plants.  Be careful about
     leaving openings in the netting though, because birds may get
     through the opening and end up getting trapped inside the
     netting, become frantic, and possibly even die.

 2.  YELLOW LEAVES - Indicates problem with soil pH and/or
     drainage.  Blueberries need acidic soil conditions and good
     drainage.  Adjust the soil pH.  Pine needles spread at the
     base of the blueberries seem to help with pH, drainage, and
     minimizing weed "takeovers" :-)   Robert Hendrickson suggests
     applying iron chelate to the soil.  Some people use miracid.

 3.  SHRIVELLED BERRIES - Indicates potential fungus disease. 
     Berries shrivel, may turn purple or brown, and/or shoot tips
     die.  Overfertilizing and/or using fertilizers with high
     nitrogen content creates an environment susceptible to some
     fungal diseases.  All affected growth should be pruned to
     prevent the disease from spreading.  Fungicides can also be
     used as a control.

4.   ROTTING BERRIES - Potential causes may be fruitworms (small
     red worms that feast on berries) or fruit fly maggots which
     infect and rot the berries.  Dusting berries with rotenone
     when they start turning blue helps prevent infections from
     fruit fly maggots. Robert Hendrickson also suggests
     controlling fruitworms organically with Beauveria bassica (a
     parasite fungus).  William Kreutzfeld says that blueberry
     maggots and fruitworms are more common in Michigan, New
     Jersey, Maine, and North Carolina.  Blueberries should not be
     left on the ground beneath the bushes (fruit fly larvae can
     survive the winter and infect the next season's blueberries;
     also, infections/diseases/parasites can be spread via the
     dropped blueberries).

5.   FEW OR NO BERRIES - Potential causes include: 
     overfertilizing, too much nitrogen in the soil, and/or
     inappropriate pruning.   Another possibility is the viral
     infection "stunt disease" (typically spread by insects from
     nearby wild blueberries that are infected), which causes small
     leaves, few berries, and very little plant growth.  Infected
     plants must be removed and destroyed (to keep from spreading
     the infection to other bushes).

6.   BERRIES TOO SMALL - May be characteristic of the particular
     variety of blueberry, or the result of insufficient pruning.

7.   ATTACK OF THE "LEAF-EATERS" - Aphids, leafhoppers,
     caterpillars, gypsy moths, and japanese beetles are potential
     culprits.  Robert Hendrickson recommends "milky spore disease
     preparation" as an organic control of japanese beetles. 
     Spraying with Sevin can be used to control leafhoppers, which
     in addition to leaf-eating can also spread disease (such as
     the stunt disease virus). Don't use Sevin during blossoming
     season because it kills the bees needed for pollination.

6.   WILTING CANES - Wilting can be caused when Stem Borers bore
     through canes.  Prune affected canes.  Spraying with Sevin can
     be used to control Stem Borers, but should not be used when
     blueberry blossoms begin to bloom because Sevin kills the bees
     needed for pollination.

I highly recommend obtaining a copy of "The Berry Book" which
provides more extensive and more detailed information on both this
subject as well as other aspects of growing berries.  

Please feel free to add suggestions from your experiences and
knowledge on the subject.


Article 20470 of rec.gardens:
Path: samba.oit.unc.edu!concert!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!usc!news.service.uci.edu!biivax.dp.beckman.com!falstaff.css.beckman.com!not-for-mail
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Fruit tree grafting - tips from limited experience
Message-ID: <236i4m$l0g@falstaff.css.beckman.com>
From: heffron@falstaff.css.beckman.com (Matt Heffron)
Date: 28 Jul 1993 11:56:22 -0700
Reply-To: heffron@falstaff.css.beckman.com
Distribution: world
Organization: Scientific Services, Beckman Instruments, Inc.
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X-Newsreader: NN version 6.4.19
Lines: 103


I received a few requests for grafting tips, so, based on LIMTED
experience (2 years), here goes...

* Sterility of the tools is important to MAKE SURE that there is no
  chance of any possible contamination of the graft.  I use a spray
  bottle (e.g. like for window cleaner) with a 10-15% chlorine bleach
  solution (i.e. between 1:5 and 1:9 bleach-to-water ratio).  Spray
  the tools between EVERY GRAFT.

* Use a SHARP knife for making the cuts.  If you don't use a
  grafting knife then use a knife with a thin stiff blade and a
  good, solid handle that you can really hold onto.  A kitchen
  paring knife might be OK if the blade is thin and stiff, a hobby
  knife usually has too small (thin) a handle, a retractable utility
  knife (the kind with the 1x2" trapezoidal blades) works well, but
  make a few cuts in scrap wood first to get the oil off of the blade.
  I use the utility knife.

For a whip (splice) graft:

* Choose the location on the stock to graft, correctly.  It MUST be
  pointing as close to vertical as possible.

* Try to match the diameter of the scion to the stock as much as you
  can.  The best size for the scion is about the same as a pencil
  (.25"x7") before you make your cut.  (You really only want about 3
  buds on the scion when you're done, but start with extra length to
  work with making the cut.  I NEVER get a good cut the first try.)

* Cut the stock first.  Then cut the scion, so that the buds point in
  the direction you want (i.e. away from the center of the tree, and not
  pointed to cross other branches.)  Try to make both cuts the same
  length.

* Be sure to cut the bottom of the scion (with some plants it's hard
  to tell which end is UP).

* You MUST match the cambium layer in the stock and the scion.  (The
  cambium is the layer just below the bark.)  If you can't match both
  sides of a cut because of different diameters, then match as much
  as you can of one side.  DON'T just center the scion on the stock.

* Using vinyl grafting tape (not teflon plumbers tape, it looks right
  but it isn't strong enough), wrap the graft snugly to hold the scion
  to the stock.  Be sure to cover the entire cut area, if the cut is
  exposed, it'll either dry out or get infected, either way you lose.

* Cut the exposed scion down to 3 buds.  More doesn't help.  It
  divides the energy going into the scion.

* HINT NOT IN ANY GRAFTING BOOKS! *
  Take a 2x4" piece of PARAFILM laboratory film, stretch it lengthwise
  (into a 2x10" approx piece), and wrap the whole graft and scion, all
  the way over the end of the scion (i.e. a spiral wrap).  This helps
  keep the scion from drying out, and you can leave it on since the
  buds can grow right through the PARAFILM, and it eventually just
  breaks down.  You should be able to get PARAFILM from chemist or
  biology friends or lab stockrooms or lab supply companies.  Try
  friends first, you have to buy it in 125 or 250 FOOT rolls. (That's
  750 to 1500 grafts!)

* Leave the tape on the graft as long as you can.  Until it looks like
  it is girdling (strangling) the branch.

* When the new growth is about 12-14 inches, pinch off the tips of the
  growth to force it to branch out.  I'm told this will result in a
  healthier, more productive limb later on.

* If it is growing really well, tie the limb to a stake to support it
  so the new growth doesn't get too heavy for the graft joint to hold
  up, especially if it's windy where you are.  (I lost 2 grafts this
  way.)


THE BEST WAY TO LEARN TO GRAFT IS TO BE SHOWN BY SOMEONE.
It's not as hard as it sounds, watching someone do it really helps.

A couple of other grafting points.

Grafting does not cause the fruit produced to be some sort of hybrid
between the stock tree and the scion type.  The fruit will be exactly
the scion type.

You can graft most stone fruits onto each other: peach, nectarine,
apricot, plum, almond.  Although some will take better than others.
(E.g., European plums and Oriental plums don't seem to graft together
well.)

You can also graft apple varieties onto each other, pear varieties onto
each other (including asian pears (yummm!)), and some apples and pears
onto each other.

You can bud graft any citrus onto any other citrus.  (There are
probably exceptions, but I haven't heard of 'em.)

That's enough for now.  (I've really got to do some REAL work... :-)

-- 
Matt Heffron                      heffron@falstaff.css.beckman.com
Beckman Instruments, Inc.         voice: (714) 961-3128
2500 N. Harbor Blvd. MS X-11, Fullerton, CA 92634-3100
I don't speak for Beckman Instruments unless they say so.


Article 20470 of rec.gardens:
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Fruit tree grafting - tips from limited experience
From: heffron@falstaff.css.beckman.com (Matt Heffron)
Date: 28 Jul 1993 11:56:22 -0700
Reply-To: heffron@falstaff.css.beckman.com
Lines: 103


I received a few requests for grafting tips, so, based on LIMTED
experience (2 years), here goes...

* Sterility of the tools is important to MAKE SURE that there is no
  chance of any possible contamination of the graft.  I use a spray
  bottle (e.g. like for window cleaner) with a 10-15% chlorine bleach
  solution (i.e. between 1:5 and 1:9 bleach-to-water ratio).  Spray
  the tools between EVERY GRAFT.

* Use a SHARP knife for making the cuts.  If you don't use a
  grafting knife then use a knife with a thin stiff blade and a
  good, solid handle that you can really hold onto.  A kitchen
  paring knife might be OK if the blade is thin and stiff, a hobby
  knife usually has too small (thin) a handle, a retractable utility
  knife (the kind with the 1x2" trapezoidal blades) works well, but
  make a few cuts in scrap wood first to get the oil off of the blade.
  I use the utility knife.

For a whip (splice) graft:

* Choose the location on the stock to graft, correctly.  It MUST be
  pointing as close to vertical as possible.

* Try to match the diameter of the scion to the stock as much as you
  can.  The best size for the scion is about the same as a pencil
  (.25"x7") before you make your cut.  (You really only want about 3
  buds on the scion when you're done, but start with extra length to
  work with making the cut.  I NEVER get a good cut the first try.)

* Cut the stock first.  Then cut the scion, so that the buds point in
  the direction you want (i.e. away from the center of the tree, and not
  pointed to cross other branches.)  Try to make both cuts the same
  length.

* Be sure to cut the bottom of the scion (with some plants it's hard
  to tell which end is UP).

* You MUST match the cambium layer in the stock and the scion.  (The
  cambium is the layer just below the bark.)  If you can't match both
  sides of a cut because of different diameters, then match as much
  as you can of one side.  DON'T just center the scion on the stock.

* Using vinyl grafting tape (not teflon plumbers tape, it looks right
  but it isn't strong enough), wrap the graft snugly to hold the scion
  to the stock.  Be sure to cover the entire cut area, if the cut is
  exposed, it'll either dry out or get infected, either way you lose.

* Cut the exposed scion down to 3 buds.  More doesn't help.  It
  divides the energy going into the scion.

* HINT NOT IN ANY GRAFTING BOOKS! *
  Take a 2x4" piece of PARAFILM laboratory film, stretch it lengthwise
  (into a 2x10" approx piece), and wrap the whole graft and scion, all
  the way over the end of the scion (i.e. a spiral wrap).  This helps
  keep the scion from drying out, and you can leave it on since the
  buds can grow right through the PARAFILM, and it eventually just
  breaks down.  You should be able to get PARAFILM from chemist or
  biology friends or lab stockrooms or lab supply companies.  Try
  friends first, you have to buy it in 125 or 250 FOOT rolls. (That's
  750 to 1500 grafts!)

* Leave the tape on the graft as long as you can.  Until it looks like
  it is girdling (strangling) the branch.

* When the new growth is about 12-14 inches, pinch off the tips of the
  growth to force it to branch out.  I'm told this will result in a
  healthier, more productive limb later on.

* If it is growing really well, tie the limb to a stake to support it
  so the new growth doesn't get too heavy for the graft joint to hold
  up, especially if it's windy where you are.  (I lost 2 grafts this
  way.)


THE BEST WAY TO LEARN TO GRAFT IS TO BE SHOWN BY SOMEONE.
It's not as hard as it sounds, watching someone do it really helps.

A couple of other grafting points.

Grafting does not cause the fruit produced to be some sort of hybrid
between the stock tree and the scion type.  The fruit will be exactly
the scion type.

You can graft most stone fruits onto each other: peach, nectarine,
apricot, plum, almond.  Although some will take better than others.
(E.g., European plums and Oriental plums don't seem to graft together
well.)

You can also graft apple varieties onto each other, pear varieties onto
each other (including asian pears (yummm!)), and some apples and pears
onto each other.

You can bud graft any citrus onto any other citrus.  (There are
probably exceptions, but I haven't heard of 'em.)

That's enough for now.  (I've really got to do some REAL work... :-)

-- 
Matt Heffron                      heffron@falstaff.css.beckman.com
Beckman Instruments, Inc.         voice: (714) 961-3128
2500 N. Harbor Blvd. MS X-11, Fullerton, CA 92634-3100
I don't speak for Beckman Instruments unless they say so.


Article 20582 of rec.gardens:
Path: samba.oit.unc.edu!concert!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!spool.mu.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!nntp-server.caltech.edu!kelly
From: kelly@cco.caltech.edu (Kelly F.)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Rare Fruit growing article
Date: 31 Jul 1993 02:36:17 GMT
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Lines: 65
Message-ID: <23clr1INN67v@gap.caltech.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: sandman.caltech.edu
Summary: Sourcelist of nurseries and clubs

I just noticed my latest issue of Veggie Life magazine ("Growing
cooking and eating green") has an article entitled "Subtropical
Fruits for Your Greenhouse."  They cover (briefly!) cherimoya, allspice,
star fruit, philodendron, acerola, passion fruit, jelly palm and 
jaboticaba. The best part is they give the following info at the end
of the article :

---------
Clubs:
---------

California Rare Fruit Growers
Fullerton Arboretum, CSFU
Fullerton, CA 92634
This club has a world-wide membership base and is very knowledgable
about rare plants. Send a SASE for inquiries.
(Its $16 annual, US, which includes 6 issues of 'The Fruit Gardener'
which is a color magazine, also a seed bank and seed exchange.)

For those of you in southern california, CRFG will have their 25th
anniversary celebration in Thousand Oaks, CA, which includes tours,
plant and book sales, and food. 

Rare Fruit Council International Inc.
PO Box 561914
Miami, FL 33256

Paw Paw Trackers
Ray Jones
783 Cornell Dr
Santa Clara, CA 95051
Dues are $5 the first year and $2 thereafter. Make checks payable to
Ray Jones.

-----------
Nurseries:
----------- 

Exotica Rare Fruit Nursery
PO Box 160 
Vista, CA 92083
(619) 724-9093
Plant list available.

Atkins Nursery Inc
3129 Reche Rd
Fallbrook, CA 92028
(619) 728-1610

Orange County Source
Roger and Shirley Meyer
16531 Mt Shelly Circle
FOuntain Valley, CA 92708

Pacific Tree Farms
4301 Lynwood Dr
Chula Vista, CA 92010
(619) 422-2400

Its nice to see growing exotic fruits getting more out in the mainstream!
(Is Veggie Life mainstream??!)

Kelly
kelly@cco.caltech.edu