Blueberry growers, is this a cane disease, harmless scratches, or normal aging of young canes to old wood?
If it is disease, should I cut the plant all the way down to ground level, throw it away, or wait and see?
I plan to buy other blueberry plants this week and want a disease free environment, as much as is possible.
I bought this Sharpblue southern variety on clearance last fall. The scratches were there then too, as well as spotty leaves. But I though just picking the leaves off and spraying the plant with peroxide solution would probably be enough. Now I’m not so sure. Zone 8b.
In my observation blueberry canes tend to transition from green to brown in a very patchy way, so what’s shown in this picture doesn’t raise any alarm bells when I look at it.
@Daffodils_in_April Welcome by the way. It looks like you’re new here. I love your user name. Last year I had over 700 blooms from my naturalized drifts of Narcissus pseudonarcissus down by the creek (plus other cultivated Narcissus around the garden). This year I’m hoping it’ll be up to a thousand blooms!
I’ve been eyeing this old hybrid clone from the 1800’s called ‘Firebrand.’ It looks so graceful and wild and I’d love to naturalize it in an area of the property that doesn’t have any daffodils yet, but it feels too late to order them this year (even though they’re technically still in stock).
Most of the ones I’m growing get irregular, blotchy brown/reddish patches that eventually turn full woody. You can keep an eye on it, but I agree it’s probably normal. I was alarmed the first time I saw it too.
