The Leaves on My Blueberry Plants Are Dying

Blueberry plants can suffer from disease and fungi.

Dying leaves on blueberry bushes suggest that the plant suffers from a fungi problem or some type of disease. Brown or yellowing leaves indicates the plant lacks a particular nutrient.

Fungi

Blights and stem cankers kills the leaves of the plants. The foliage turns brown or yellow before falling off. If your plant also has dead branches, the plant is dying.

Iron Deficiency

A lack of proper nutrients in the soil may cause the leaves to look like they're dying. The leaves turn yellow, reddish-brown or brown when they experience trouble absorbing iron. Usually, iron problems stem from growing in soil that's too high in acidity. Adding iron chelate to the soil or leaves corrects the problem.

Root Rot

Root rot sometimes makes an appearance after plants sit in pools of water for several days in a row. Blueberry bushes require well-drained soil to avoid root rot. With root rot, the leaves fall off the plant, and the bush eventually dies.

Diseases

A disease called blueberry stunt causes the leaves of the blueberry bush to turn yellow along the veins. Eventually the leaves turn red and fall off the plant. Blueberry stunt affects the fruits, making them small, hard and flavorless.

References

• University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service: Blueberry Diseases
• University of Kentucky College of Agriculture: Growing Highbush Blueberries in Kentucky

Resources

• North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension: Blueberries