Blueberry Troubles and Harvest Success
Hello fellow yardeners. It’s a rainy day here in northern Indiana. Earlier, I made a visit to our local Menards for some garden supplies to get some work done before the heavy rain came.
Sadly, our blueberries are suffering from chlorosis, which is easily recognized by yellowing leaves with green veins. For reference, the photo at the top of this post is from my healthier plants and the image below is from my plant suffering from chlorosis.
Chlorosis is caused by an iron deficiency. Blueberries prefer rather acidic soil with a pH between 3.8 and 5.5. If the soil conditions aren't right, the plant can't access the iron available within the soil. I did add a soil acidifier earlier in the spring. Judging by the condition of my plants, I'm assuming 1) I didn't add enough acidifier, or 2) I added it too late and it hasn't broken down within the soil yet. Since the chlorosis is only affecting two out of four bushes, I believe I didn't add enough acidifier to those two plants. In truth, I should have tested my soil before planting, I chose not to and told myself that if the plants have issues we would solve that later. So… here we are. 😂
As a temporary solution, I purchased some chelated iron to amend the soil around our blueberry bushes. Chelated iron is a water-soluble iron supplement that doesn't need to be broken down before the plants can access the nutrient. This can normally be found in the lawn care area, and is often used to keep lawns green. I am thinking this should be a quick fix for the issue our blueberries are experiencing. I also added some more slow-acting acidic fertilizer to the soil for a long-term solution. I’ve never tried this before, so I will update everyone on how it goes.
After tending to our blueberries, I focused my attention on our strawberries. Last week, I picked our first harvest of strawberries. Today, I was lucky enough to pick another two quarts off our plants, with plenty more on the way. Our freezer will be full of fresh berries in no time!
In addition to the strawberries, I picked our first harvest of peas! This year, I planted Tom Thumb Peas from Baker Creek, and I absolutely love them. The compact nature of these plants, which doesn't require a trellis, is perfect for out small backyard garden space. I harvested around a quart of these tender peas to enjoy later this week.
Gardening always comes with its challenges, but I love working though those challenges to find a solution. It’s rewarding to see the fruits of our labor. I’m hopeful the chelated iron and additional acid fertilizer will bring our blueberries back to full health. Stay tuned for updates on our garden’s progress and more tips for keeping your plants happy and healthy!