Blueberry mites!
I have been doing bluberries in South Carolina for one year and have 1 patch of southern highbush and 2 patches of rabbiteye that look great. I did lots of homework this past year. Three weeks ago I could not help myself and bought 6 more rabbiteyes, 2 climax, 2 tiffblue and 2 premier. They looked good at the garden center. They "tried" to bloom like my other plants but failed and look really bad at the buds, like they are rotten or eaten up. From what I can find online I think they have Blueberry Bud Mites. I went back to the garden center and sure enough all their plants have the same problem. I don't see a sure fire cure and am afraid they will spread to my healthy bushes only 25 feet away. Does anyone see a happy ending here or should I pull up $150.00 in plants, Bug B Gone the area and burn them before it's too late. The Premier have it alot worse than the other two varieties.
Hi Stickman.
First of all you must make sure that it is mites that are your problem.
If you can you need to take some of the damaged buds and discect them and if possable examine them under a very strong lens. A 20X fruit lens should do the job.
If the mite is present in the shape of little tiny white grubs then you do have a real problem.
There are very few chemicals to do the job....and you will need to check with your local nurseries as to the availability for garden use.
In any case you will have to add a very good surfactant ( spreader ) to the spray to ensure first class covor.
Removeing as much of the damaged areas and burning is needed to help control spread.
Hope that it proves this is not your problem....good luck.
First of all you must make sure that it is mites that are your problem.
If you can you need to take some of the damaged buds and discect them and if possable examine them under a very strong lens. A 20X fruit lens should do the job.
If the mite is present in the shape of little tiny white grubs then you do have a real problem.
There are very few chemicals to do the job....and you will need to check with your local nurseries as to the availability for garden use.
In any case you will have to add a very good surfactant ( spreader ) to the spray to ensure first class covor.
Removeing as much of the damaged areas and burning is needed to help control spread.
Hope that it proves this is not your problem....good luck.