Is something wrong with my blackberry plant??

[mrbiggles]

I live in the SF Bay Area (USDA Zone 9a) and I just planted a bare-root blackberry. I planted it with a little soil, little compost, and a smaller amount of Azalea food to make it slightly acidic. I also put some Sure Start plant food to make sure it had enough food to get it started. I've watered about every other day and this is what it looks like after one week:



Some of the new growth has turned hard and brittle. When I got the plant it looked very green and healthy. I planted a smaller one in a container (just because I didn't know where I wanted to plant it yet) and it looks very similar. It gets about 8 hours of sun per day. Is this normal? Are my blackberries going to make it?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[rainbowgardener]

Not normal and I don't know if your plants are going to make it.

You said "just" planted. How long back is that? It could be a severe form of transplant shock. If the plant had been in shadier conditions and you put it directly in to sun, it might be suffering from that, or if the roots got damaged in the transplanting process.

If it has only been in the ground a few days, I'd suggest protect it from hot afternoon sun and keep taking good care of it and see if it pulls through. Do NOT give it any more fertilizer until after it starts growing again.

If you have had it a few weeks already, then probably something more serious is going on.

But in any case don't keep watering every other day. Water deeply when it needs it and then don't water again until the top layer of soil is starting to dry out a little (though a newly transplanted shrub would need more frequent watering than one that is better rooted in).

[DoubleDogFarm]

Being bare root I'm surprised it was left that tall. Most bare root cane fruit is shipped dormant and cut down to about 6"

Eric

[mrbiggles]

It's only been a week.

There were quite a few at the nursery that big. There were even some with berries.

[DoubleDogFarm]

It's only been a week.

There were quite a few at the nursery that big. There were even some with berries.

Bare root? I would have walked away. Container grown would be ok to summer plant.

Eric

[JONA878]

I agree with DDF...bare root plants need to be planted when they are dormant. The root shock can be so severe otherwise. I would suggest cutting the plant down to just a few buds high and waiting and seeing.