Blueberries, pest and disease control

Control of pests and diseases of blueberries is necessary at any age of the plant. Blueberries are not capricious berries and are distinguished by their unpretentiousness. Northern berries can often be found in swampy areas, where they thrive. One of the main conditions for its growth is acidic soil. This is due to the fact that the blueberry root system is fibrous and does not have suction hairs. Surface roots can only absorb moisture from the soil if it is shallow.

The absorption process is possible thanks to mycorrhiza - a special symbiosis of fungi and roots, thanks to which the nutritional functions of the plant are carried out. The existence of blueberries without mycorrhiza is impossible, and for the normal functioning of mushrooms, acidic soil is necessary. If this point is not taken into account when planting blueberries, the seedling becomes lethargic. Its leaves turn yellow and fall off. Neutral or alkaline soil causes the death of mycorrhiza, as a result of which blueberries no longer receive nutrients.

Even if the problem was identified and corrected, the plant would still be under a lot of stress. It will be weak and most susceptible to disease.

In many ways, the susceptibility of blueberries to diseases depends on the choice of variety. Before purchasing seedlings, you need to make sure that the selected variety is suitable for your region and has good disease resistance. Seedlings must be purchased only from trusted suppliers in order to get exactly the plant you need.

Despite the fact that blueberries are rarely exposed to diseases and pests, they are still caused inconvenience by various caterpillars that eat leaves and other insects. The fruits can be eaten by birds, which significantly reduces the harvest.

Important: Weak plants will suffer more from disease, so it is very important to provide the blueberries with the necessary care.

With proper agricultural technology, blueberries develop well, which reduces the risk of disease. Timely removal of weeds will also increase disease resistance, since the plant will not waste much of its energy competing with weeds for resources. Timely watering will relieve the plant from stress and prevent the spread of many diseases. Particular attention is paid to mulching the soil, which isolates the infection and prevents its proliferation. Fertilizing provides blueberries with good development and protection from certain diseases.

Completing these simple procedures will help to significantly protect blueberries from diseases and pests. But sometimes these measures are not enough and you have to fight diseases.

Garden blueberries, diseases and pests

Diseases and pests of blueberries are rare, but this does not mean that you do not need to be prepared for them.
Blueberries are often affected by fungal diseases:

• Grey rot. First of all, it affects the fruits of the plant, then the disease affects the entire bush.
• Fruit rot. Branches, leaves, flowers and fruits are affected.
• Physalosporosis. A dangerous disease that leads to the death of the bush.
• White spotting. The disease affects leaves that wither and fall off.
• Double spotting. Affects leaves.
• Drying of branches. The disease first affects the branches, and then the entire plant.
• Stem cancer. A dangerous disease that can lead to the death of the plant.

The main cause of fungal diseases is improper watering. Due to excess moisture, stagnation occurs in the root system of the plant, or the drainage system of the soil is disrupted. Blueberries also suffer from viral diseases:

• Dwarfism. Affects the entire plant.
• Spotting. A disease that affects leaves. Carried by insects
• Mosaic. The leaves of the plant are affected.
• Threadiness of branches. The disease affects the entire plant.

Treatment for such diseases takes a long time and often does not produce results. The only way out is to remove the plants and their subsequent destruction.
Common blueberry pests:

• Caterpillars. They feed on the leaves of the plant.
• Aphids. Sucks nutrients from the plant and transmits diseases.
• Flower beetle. A pest that attacks flowers and buds of a plant.
• Leaf roller. Feeds on leaves, buds and leaves webs.
• Ridney mite. Attacks the buds, reducing yield.
• Khrushchev A beetle that feeds on leaves, flowers and roots.

If you do not pay attention to pests, the result will be a decrease in yield and further death of the plant.

Garden blueberries, diseases and symptoms

Signs of blueberry disease can be concentrated in different parts of the bush. Some diseases may not manifest themselves for a long time, while others are often ignored. It is very important to detect and prevent the disease in time. This will save the plant and preserve the harvest.

• When stem cancer occurs, small brown spots appear on the branches, which grow and turn into cankers. The color of the leaves also turns red.
• Fruit rot affects the tips of the shoots. They darken, after which the disease spreads to flowers and berries. As a result, the entire branch dies.
• Grey rot is clearly visible in the fruits. They become covered with gray fluff, then the branches turn gray.
• Physalosporosis is characterized by damage to young branches. Red spots appear on them, grow and the branches die.
• White spot affects leaves with white or gray-brown spots, after which they fall off.
• Double spot also affects leaves, which become covered with gray spots. Then the spots change color to brown, and parts of the plant die.
• When the branches dry out, the upper parts of the shoot are affected and become covered with brown spots. Then the spots turn dirty gray and the whole plant dries out.
• Spotting appears as dark spots on the leaves. The plant stops growing.
• Mosaic is characterized by a yellow mosaic coloring on the leaves. The cause of the disease is ticks.
• Blueberries often suffer from dwarfism. The plant stops growing and the color of the leaves changes. The berries become small and tasteless.
• The filamentousness of the branches appears in stripes covering all shoots. The plant grows poorly, and the leaves turn red and curl.

Blueberry treatment scheme for pests and diseases

The scheme for treating blueberries against pests and diseases is quite simple.

In the presence of blueberry diseases, special means are used that act to destroy the cause of the disease. The most common drugs: Topsin, Euparen, Fundazol. Bordeaux mixture and karbofos are also used. All affected parts of the bush are removed and burned.

It is recommended to carry out sanitary pruning and spray the plant with pesticides against pests.

Advice: All drugs are used in accordance with the instructions and the age of the plant.

Correct agricultural practices and quality care for blueberries will help preserve the plant and prevent many diseases.

In order to reduce the risk of disease, you should choose the most disease-resistant varieties. The Bluecrop variety has proven itself well, having not only a good harvest, but also high resistance to frost and disease.

The Reka variety also resists many diseases and pests.

No less popular is the Aurora variety, which can withstand frosts down to -35°C and has good resistance to many diseases.

Blueberry variety Bluecrop

The blueberry variety Bluecrop is characterized by increased resistance to disease. This is an American variety that began to be cultivated in 1952. A frost-resistant shrub that grows on almost all continents, with the exception of arid ones. It loves temperate climates most of all; it grows well in central Russia, the Urals and Siberia. Blueberry leaves are oval-shaped and deep green. In autumn, the leaves turn red and fall off. We recommend paying attention to the interesting toro blueberry variety and its description. There are many positive reviews about it on the Internet.

The fruits are large - up to 2 cm, round in shape with a bluish tint. The berries ripen at the end of July. The yield is good - from 9 kg per bush. The berries are dense and tolerate transportation well. The taste characteristics of the berries are high. The berries can be used in their pure form or as dessert snacks and drinks.

The variety has good resistance to diseases and pests.

Blueberries are rarely affected by diseases, and proper care methods will help prevent their occurrence. As an additional protective measure, the bushes are covered with netting. Proper watering, pruning and mulching will ensure comfortable development of the plant and protect it from possible diseases.