Why do blueberry leaves turn red and what to do about it?

  • Dec 13, 2020
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Sometimes in early spring or in the middle of summer, leaves turn red on blueberries. This state of the plant indicates that the bush is affected by a pest, since the carpels acquire a bright color in late autumn. You should carefully examine the berry bush and find out the reason for the appearance of the unusual color, because the plant often dies if it is not helped.

Sometimes in early spring or in the middle of summer, leaves turn red on blueberries. Illustration for this article is used under a standard license © ofazende.com
Sometimes in early spring or in the middle of summer, leaves turn red on blueberries. Illustration for this article is used under a standard license © ofazende.com

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Low soil nutritional value and natural causes

Garden blueberries need soil that has the following qualities:

  • ease;
  • good air permeability;
  • humidity.

Swampy soils are not suitable for growing bushes. The soil should have a pH not higher than 4.5. The following compositions have the permissible acidity level:

  • peat;
  • sandy loam.
To improve their quality, add needles, pine bark, chopped cones. Acidic soil is necessary for blueberry berries for proper growth, since the root system of fruit bushes has its own characteristics. The plant has no root hairs that suck moisture from the soil. Low acidity causes redness of the macrophylls. You can change the pH of the soil using inorganic substances.
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The provoking factors for the development of dangerous diseases are:

  • high ambient temperature;
  • humidity;
  • violation of agrotechnical rules.
The provoking factors for the development of dangerous blueberry diseases are: high ambient temperature, humidity, violation of agrotechnical rules. Illustration for this article is used under a standard license © ofazende.com

Blueberry diseases: prevention and treatment

Dangerous diseases occur if the plant is exposed to adverse weather conditions:

  • Phomopsis is caused by the causative agent - the fungus Phomopsis vaccinii Shear, which affects the stem, flowers, fruits. Red spots appear on the carpels, merging with each other. After 180 days, the branches dry out. The disease is contagious, quickly spreading to neighboring bushes. The plant is sprayed with Fundazol.
  • Stem cancer. The pathogen enters the cells through the roots. The disease is accompanied by the following symptoms: red spots on macrophylls, which increase in size, the formation of ulcers, drying out of fruits, metabolic disorders. It is possible to completely rid the plant of cancer cells only at the initial stage of the disease. To destroy the pathogen, the bushes are treated with 1% Fundazole solution.
  • Red ring spot affects shrubs growing in warm climates. On old carpels, red spots in the form of rings form. The plant cannot be saved, it dies.
  • Brown spot affects young shoots, small red spots appear on the carpels. For treatment, fungicides are used: Skor, Fundazol, Tridex.
  • Septoria spotting develops in the form of red and brown spots. The center of the rounded formation changes color to gray-brown, but the red border remains. To protect blueberries, it is necessary to destroy the rotten carpels and treat the plants with Bordeaux liquid.
  • Often, the bushes are affected by the fungus Botrytis cinerea Pers - Botrytis (gray rot) develops. Diseased leaves turn brown or red; the same symptoms are observed on flowers.
  • Physalosporosis is a disease of young shoots. The disease occurs in early September; red swollen spots appear on the leaves. A year later, broad wounds are visible on the cuttings, covering the entire branch; she soon dies off.
  • To prevent the development of late blight, it is necessary to destroy diseased shoots.
To combat red spots on blueberry leaves, seedlings are sprayed with Azophos. In case of development of stem cancer, diseased branches are pruned and destroyed. During the formation of buds and at the end of flowering shrubs, the gardener treats diseased plants affected by fusarium, stem cancer. For work, they purchase chemicals: Perseus, VDG.

After harvesting, in case of cancer development, spraying with the preparation Speed ​​is carried out. Among the viral pathology of blueberries, mycoplasmosis is found, the leaves dry, in early September they turn red. Blueberry bushes are dug up and burned.

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