Blackberries stalling out...

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DesertDreamer Tempe, AZ Mar 28, 2007

Hi all. Been reading for about a year on how to grow blackberries in my climate (read: hot and dry). Ive failed a few times, and the symptoms are always the same: Initially, things look good. Then, growth stalls out, and leaves look dull with no new growth emerging. Then, older leaves begin to show a drying at the tip, which eventually consumes the whole leaf and then the vine withers. My soil is HIGHLY enriched with organics, so its not that. I pH my water, so its not that. Would this sort of lack of vigor be consistent with salt burn? We have salty water, but Ive been leeching with RO periodically, so I dont imagine that the salt content is too high. Any thoughts appreciated.
DD

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starlight1153 Seale, AL(Zone 8b) Mar 28, 2007

What you pH at do you know. Mine grow in very acidic soil. My soil is about 4.5 here and mine grow liek crazy and all over the place.

Just out of curiosity have you noticed any fuzzy white growth around the stems of your plants?

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DesertDreamer Tempe, AZ Mar 29, 2007

No fuzzy growths, and I pH the water to between 6.5 and 7. Maybe Ill try a bit lower....
DD

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kabocha Alpine, TX(Zone 7b) Mar 29, 2007

Where does one buy CERTIFIED blackberry plants? I don't want to introduce any diseases. I have combed the net and not found any.

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scottfsmith Baltimore, MD Mar 30, 2007

kabocha, I believe nearly all of the good nurseries sell diease-free plants. They are produced by tissue culture I think, which means no diseases at the start. For example Nourse Farms is one good place.

DesertDreamer, I would get your soil tested. It sounds like a soil issue and not a disease issue. I know first-hand that blackberries do not like salt at all, mine got salted last winter by some stupid salt truck and they did not grow much all summer.

Scott

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DesertDreamer Tempe, AZ Mar 30, 2007

yes, Im leaning in that direction. Lowering the pH of my water is helping, but my water is really salty, and I think that the previous owners of my casa werent really diligent about leaching salts out...in fact, they did the least amount of everything possible. Grrr....non-gardeners are hard to understand...
RO water leaching is next. If I can get the plants thru the summer, I think Ill be okay. But, its going to be a long hot summer....
Thanks for the advice. Peat moss mulching to lower pH is next step, along with RO water leaching....
DD

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