Why didn't my blueberries do anything this year?

[Annikate]

I bought blueberry bushes 2 years ago. Last year they were LOADED with delicious, fat, blueberries! This year, nothing. I think one of our freezes got one bush b/c it hasn't even made anything, but the others had tons of white blueberries this spring, but then nothing.

At first I thought perhaps birds took them : but I don't think so.

Any ideas? Oh, and I did fertilize them w/the recommended fertilizer this year too.

[SwanMom]

maybe they need pruning? I don't know.

[Annikate]

Originally Posted by SwanMom

maybe they need pruning? I don't know.

I don't think so because they are quite small to begin with. They're not that mature yet. Although they did make tons last year. I'm stumped.

Anyone else?

[Geofizz]

I *think* most blueberries require cross-pollination. If one plant flowered and the other didn't, then the flowers didn't get the cross pollination it needed.

[limette]

Did you remove the flowers the first two years? You are supposed to remove them to give you a stronger plant.

It's also recommended that you have 3 or more different varieties for cross pollination.

[steve_dercks]

If they produced lots of blossoms this year then the problem isn't pruning, fertilizing, or removing blossoms during establishment. It's either pollination or frost kill. Cross-pollination is beneficial and will give you a better fruit set and bigger berries, but you will still get some berries. If you really have NO berries, then it's almost certainly frost damage to the blossoms. Blueberries are hardy plants and frost won't kill the bushes themselves, however the blossoms are sensitive to frost and you can lose an entire crop. If you anticipate a late frost, try covering the bushes with a sheet.

[Annikate]

Originally Posted by Geofizz

I *think* most blueberries require cross-pollination. If one plant flowered and the other didn't, then the flowers didn't get the cross pollination it needed.

Hmmm...okay. I have hand pollinated other things, can you hand pollinate blueberries? And from what? One variety to another?

Originally Posted by limette

Did you remove the flowers the first two years? You are supposed to remove them to give you a stronger plant.

It's also recommended that you have 3 or more different varieties for cross pollination.

I have 2 different varieties. And no, I didn't remove any flowers.

Originally Posted by steve_dercks

If they produced lots of blossoms this year then the problem isn't pruning, fertilizing, or removing blossoms during establishment. It's either pollination or frost kill. Cross-pollination is beneficial and will give you a better fruit set and bigger berries, but you will still get some berries. If you really have NO berries, then it's almost certainly frost damage to the blossoms. Blueberries are hardy plants and frost won't kill the bushes themselves, however the blossoms are sensitive to frost and you can lose an entire crop. If you anticipate a late frost, try covering the bushes with a sheet.

Must be pollination. I think frost may have killed my 3rd bush though.

And I can still have the white berries without pollination right? They jsut won't grow and turn color?

[Greenmama2AJ]

Must be pollination. I think frost may have killed my 3rd bush though.

And I can still have the white berries without pollination right? They jsut won't grow and turn color?

Yes, fruit will appear but not set without adequate pollination. I had to focus on introducing more bee attractive flowering plants to my garden this year after pollination issues the year before. The problem might be outside of your garden, perhaps someone removed a hive that was pollenating your blueberries.