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Blueberry Pests and Diseases
Birds and squirrels are major pests from the time the fruit starts to colour. Some form of netting, ideally a fruit cage, is necessary if you want to enjoy the fruit yourself!
Caterpillars feeding on blueberry flowers
Caterpillars of the Tortrix moth, and occasionally of the Winter moth, can sometimes affect blueberry plants in late Spring or early Summer. They may be found feeding on the new growth and then in the developing flower clusters during April/May. Where possible they may be picked off, or if the invasion is severe use a suitable proprietary insecticide approved for use on fruit crops.
Vine weevil may also be a problem, particularly in containers where the newly hatched larvae - plump, white, legless grubs up to 1cm long - feed on the fine roots. No chemical control is available, but there is an effective biological treatment in the form of the microscopic pathogenic nematode (Steinernema kraussei). This is applied as a drench to the soil around the plants, ideally in August-September.
Various fungal diseases, such as botrytis, can cause browning of the leaves, leaf spotting and dieback of young shoots. Good plant hygiene is the best answer - ensure that the plants have good air circulation, clear up any diseased fallen leaves, and cut out any shoot tips that have died back.
