Problems with blueberries
Identify what's wrong by where it appears and what you can see.
Where is the problem?
Start by selecting the part of the plant where you see the problem.
Start with the symptom
Or pick from the symptoms most often seen on blueberries.
Common problems with blueberries
The problems recorded on blueberries, the most common first.
16 problems
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Birds
Torn, stripped brassica leaves, pecked fruit, and seeds or seedlings pulled from the soil. -
Fruit flies
Small holes in ripening fruit, then soft, collapsing flesh with tiny maggots inside. -
Iron deficiency (lime-induced chlorosis)
The youngest leaves turn yellow with sharp green veins. Usually a sign the soil is too alkaline. -
Underwatering
Crisp, dry leaves and flopping growth in dust-dry soil. The quickest problem to fix. -
Wrong soil pH
Yellowing and poor growth in soil too acid or too alkaline for the plant. -
Aphids
Small, soft insects clustered on new growth and under leaves, leaving sticky honeydew. -
Poor pollination
Flowers but no fruit, or small, misshapen fruit that shrivels at the tip. -
Powdery mildew
A white, powdery coating on leaves that spreads in dry weather, weakening the plant. -
Cold and frost damage
Blackened, glassy shoots after a cold night. Tender plants collapse; hardy ones grow out of it. -
Fertiliser burn
Brown, crisp leaf tips and edges after feeding. Salts in the compost draw water from the roots. -
Heat stress
Afternoon wilting, dropped flowers and stalled fruit in a hot spell, even in moist soil. -
Nitrogen deficiency
Pale, small leaves and slow growth, with the oldest leaves yellowing first.
