What's wrong with my blueberry plant

[margeret]

Hi, guys please help me.
Blueberries taste delicious whether eaten fresh or cooked. I love the flavor of blueberry and also it's good for age-related memory loss and kidney stones. Thought about growing them in my garden but I don't have enough space. So, bought a raised bed from In the backyards, Canada and planted the seeds. It was my first attempt to grow berries. Anyways, I got only 5,6 berries ! I haven't used any fertilizers or pesticides. What could be the reason ?
Is it not good for berries to grow them in raised beds? Does the quality of raised beds matters ?
My neighbor says berries need soil with higher acidity and asked me to check the acidity of the soil. Is it true ? Now some of the leaves appear like this. (please check the attached photo.)

I'm not at all an expert on this. Please share your suggestions.
Thank you.

[vixylix]

Hi Margaret and welcome to the forum!

I'm no expert on blueberries but they do like what we call ericaceous compost (not sure if its called the same over there) - this is highly acidic so I suspect that this could be why they're not really producing.

I can't comment on the leaf I'm afraid - but I'm sure someone will be along shortly who can.

[Invicta]

Hi Margaret

So long as you have the correct varieties you should have no problem from the point of view of climate as Blueberries are from the North America. You do need to get varieties that were bred from the New england Blueberry species and not ones bred from Blueberries in the southern USA.

The soil must have a low pH [i.e. very acid] or the plants will not succeed at all. Here in the UK people get round that problem by growing them in big pots of ericaceous compost if their garden soil is wrong. In the Ontario climate I would be worried about having plants in pots during your winters where you could get sustained low temperatures killing the roots in a pot. Can you give some form of cover during really cold periods?

By the way Black currants have a higher vitamin C content than blueberries.

[Nicos]

Septoria leaf spot (Septoria albopunctata) appears as small (2-5 mm) reddish-purple spots with tan or gray centers. Fungal fruiting bodies (small black specks) can be seen in the centers of the lesions on this leaf. 'Star' (shown) is especially suceptible.

But you may already know this?

[veggiechicken]

Hello Margaret. I can only point you towards the information on The NC Blueberry Journal: Leaf Disease Symptoms which includes your photo.

[lookbettertomorow]

I'm struggling here Margaret, you copy a photo from an article that is fully discriptive and ask what it may be. Is it just me?

[Kirk]

Blueberries need an acid soil, they really so not like anything else and will not grow/survive. This even goes for the water that you supply - not tap water, that is not acidic and they will take it badly.

When people say blueberries like an acid soil it is not a preference, they need an acid soil and they need rain water. Even if you are in a drought you have the option of they die from lack of water or they die if you water with tap water. Note the similarity of the end result. That is the extent to which they require an acidic condition.

As for vitamin C, blueberries are high but there are higher and easier - have the idea kiwi fruit is at least as good.

[Bigmallly]

.:: Blueberries Gardening ::.