Blueberrys problem

My blueberrys are shriviling up before they turn blue . They are huge green ones. But then its like they dry up.
Do they need fertilizer? And clue to whats going on? I have lots n lots of green berries then the next day gradually shrivil then are hard as rocks.

Lavina

Sounds like you have mummy berry, a fungus infection. There are lots of articles about this on the web. It is difficult to eliminate completely, but relatively easy to control if you treat it properly.

http://extension.unh.edu/agric/agpmp/Pubs/MummyB.pdf
http://aesop.rutgers.edu/~plantbiopath/links/bbcpestweb/IMAGES/mummy-berry-and-blue.pdf

Wow that sounds just like what i have.
Thanks for info

Lavina

Wow again, I'm maybe 50 miles NW of Lavina and no mummys so far (5 years). I have rabbiteye blueberries. Lavina, Are you growing Southern highbush blueberries?. I think rabbiteyes are right for the coastal area too.

Thanks krowten.

Paul

I'm from Raleigh. LOL retired and moved to Pamlico Co full time in 2008 You are exactly 136 miles from ME if you are down ton Wakeforest. My son lives on Mitchell Store Road in Roseville.
We bought this place in 2001 and the blueberrys were alreaady here. Have had lots of them every year until this year. It has been real wet since Irene came thru in August of last year.
Lets hope I can fix the problem and I hope the blueberry farm in New Bern/Bridgeton on 55 hwy isn't having this problem.
I have 8 bushes and need to dig up and move 14

AHHHHHHHHHHH
Lavina

Glad to be able to help - especially since I love blueberries!

You might want to have the NC Extension Service home blueberry bulletin - sorry no info in it on your fungus problems but you still might get some good info from it. If I can find the commercial bulletin, it will tell the commercial growers what to do for disease and pests and I'll send the address to you. Sometimes there is a lot of difference between gardening in PA and here, but krowten has more good info in his head to share than I have in all the books I have.

This is the home garden blueberry bulletin address: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8207.html

Paul

Thanks Paul all the above sounds good to try.

Thanks, Paul, for the complement. I really am an amateur at this, but have been at it for all my life. The mistakes I've made over the years you would not believe! I definitely agree with you about the differences between here and the Carolina's. I just wish I had started growing blueberries far earlier (as well as Nanking cherries and Beach Plums!)

Just want to add for everybody that Indiana Berry Company has available a variety called "Bonus". A relatively recent addition that is (independently) advertised as the largest available blueberry - supposedly fruit gets to the size of 1/2" dollar coins (that's over an inch in diameter). I have two plants from last year that have not fruited yet. I cannot wait to see them. Supposedly they will do well in other zones than mine and are rated highly. Ind. Berry is the only place I could find them for sale when I went looking for them. I also think Duke is likely the best blueberry for the beginner-always a reliable producer here and very nice, larger fruit. Never a problem.