Blueberries shrivel and drop

[sweet thunder]

[img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3345/3611897365_2d461e2a6c.jpg[/img]

This is happening to a number of clusters on my blueberry bushes. Could it be lack of water? I must admit I'm a bit lazy about watering these guys. I tend to believe the thick layer of mulch will save me, but maybe not? Any other possible culprits?

[sweet thunder]

In case anyone's curious, I might have discovered the problem.
It looks like it might be mummy berry, which is a fungus.

From what I've read, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot I can do right now other than clean up the dropped berries so it won't overwinter. Then in spring I can either look for the tiny mushrooms as they pop up, or add a very thick layer of mulch to keep them from sprouting altogether.
(Oh yeah, I can also plant resistant varieties. Fat lot of good that does when my plants are three years old and FINALLY producing some fruit!)

If anyone has any experience with mummy berry or any other thoughts, I'd love to hear it.

[applestar]

I've had those on my blueberries before, now that I think of it. Just a few, here and there, so I didn't think much of it. Hmm, this year, I'm spraying ALL my fruit trees with the 10% milk solution (Oh, alright 1:10 milk and water solution - I kinda like the sound of "10% milk solution" -- anybody else like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes?). Didn't think to specifically spray blueberries, though no doubt some are getting on them as well since they're located between the apple tree and the plum tree. I think I'll start, and I happen to have a 1wk-past-expiration carton of milk in the fridge right now.

... and yes, HG, I'll add the fish hydrolysate when I get-a-hold of some

[Gary350]

There is a 20 acre blueberry patch south of town I see a lot of that on their plants when I pick berries. I pick 50 lbs of berries every year. It might be normal for blueberries to do that it doesn't seem to cover the entire plant but most all the plants have it in a several places.