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Blueberries aren't ripening

PolarisPolaris Posts: 8
in Fruit & veg
There has been loads of fruit on my blueberry plant for about 6 weeks now but they're still all a pale blue colour. Some of them have started to shrivel and fall off. The bush is in a pot of ericaceous peat-free compost in a south-facing border. Could the wrong type of fertiliser be causing this? I've been using tomato feed just out of habit but now I'm wondering if this could be the problem. If so, is there any way to get them to ripen?

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  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,899
    You'd need an ericaceous fertilizer really - I use Miracle Grow for Azaleas, once a month in the growing season.
    Use rainwater if possible too so that all the nutrients are accessible to the plant.
    Two bushes are recommended as well so you get good pollination.
    I doubt the feed alone is the cause of your problem, but i don't know why they're not ripening.

    I have 3 in big pots also in a southerly position and they're all cropping well.

    If you have a pic we may be able to come up with other ideas

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,249
    Blame the weather I suppose you’ve tried extra water 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,036
    Are you sure that the ‘pale blue’ isn’t simply the powdery ‘bloom’ on the ripe fruit?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • scrogginscroggin Posts: 397
    Have you tried any of the fruit? I would say mine go from green to purplish to light blue then they are ripe. I find that my blueberries have a lot more flavour than shop bought.
  • PolarisPolaris Posts: 8
    They finally started to ripen last week (maybe they just needed a heatwave?!) although the blackbird got quite a few before I could put up some netting. 

    The pale blue isn't a powdery bloom and I didn't try any of the fruit when it was pale as I knew it was supposed to be darker. The variety is Sunshine Blue evergreen and the pictures on the site I bought it from showed darker fruit. 

    Does it normally take so long for blueberries to ripen?
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,899
    edited August 2022
    This site says it's mid season and harvesting between July-Sept
    https://james-mcintyre.co.uk/shop/blueberries/blueberry-sunshine-blue-3l/

    Do they taste good?

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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