Has my blueberry bush died?

[d000hg]

I planted 3 blueberry bushes last spring and all did pretty well. Over the (pretty mild) winter all three have reacted in different ways despite being practically next to each other:

One remained in leaf throughout, and is now growing new leaves happily.

One dropped it's leaves, but is now budding and looks quite happy.

The last one, the leaves died but haven't fallen off. There are no signs of new buds and it just looks dead.

Is there a way to tell if it's dead other than wait and see if it grows? Considering it was in full, healthy leaf, why would it just die? I thought blueberry plants were pretty frost-resistant!

[skeggijon]

If the leaves die, but stay on the bush, I'm afraid it's generally bad news

[Potstubsdustbins]

A pic would really help.

Did you prune back and when?

[d000hg]

No pruning - haven't touched any of them. They were planted as not much more that roots.

I was wondering if it's possible the thing thought winter was over and then got caught out by a frost?

Will try to get a photo over the weekend.

[Mark Lottie]

Dont suppose this was a 3 pack of (about) 9 inch pots for about £20 was it?

I bought these, they crop over three months but the plants are flippin tiny and dont look good after Winter

only asked as you say 3. French label maybe?

[d000hg]

They were bought separately. 2 came from from my local garden centre - one of which is the dead-looking one, the other is coming into bud. The 3rd is a different variety although I couldn't tell you which variety any of them are!

[Mark Lottie]

ah ok, just wondered. Cheers


to answer your question maybe the PH has gone too alkaline. You could mulch with ericaceous or a small amount of pine/conifer needles. What's ideal is to let them rot down a bit for a few months in a bag with holes in so that the harmful oils leech out a bit. Essentially you are left with ericaceous/acidic leaf mold

[WendyC]

Give the sickly looking one a tug. Are its roots holding it securely in the pot. If it comes away in your hand, investigate the compost. What are the roots like? Any vine weevil larvae?

[d000hg]

It's planted out but I'll look. When I planted them - just under a year ago - I did so by digging the hole and then filling it back in with ericaceous compost. I don't know how long the acidity would be expected to last?

[Penellype]

Some blueberry varieties are evergreen and some are not, which will explain why one of the bushes didn't drop its leaves. I agree that the 3rd plant is probably dying or dead, and you may be better to get rid of it and get a healthy replacement.

[FB.]

......
The last one, the leaves died but haven't fallen off. There are no signs of new buds and it just looks dead.

It's probably dead.

Is there a way to tell if it's dead other than wait and see if it grows?

Bend a few twigs. If they are dead they'll be brittle and snap easily.

Considering it was in full, healthy leaf, why would it just die?

Not enough rainwater, or has been given tap water, or is planted in a soil which isn't acidic. Or, as mentioned above: if it's in a pot it could have had its roots eaten by vine weevil larvae which look like large curled-up maggots.