My new blackberry plant seems to be growing OK lots of new shoots etc, but in some of the older leaves its growing dark and blackening around the edges - any thoughts on what is wrong? I am watering it nearly every night.
Hmm. Older leaves? Most blackberries are herbaceous, ie shed their leaves in winter. If you have old leaves already, it sounds like you have some exotic thornless evergreen cultivar, in which case it could be the result of frost damage. Never saw a problem with local thorny types myself. If the frost hasnt damaged the flower buds, it should be ok. Other problems in this pattern could be toxicity (I presume you havent used herbicides - what you doing with your toxic tumbledryer waste these days?) or over/underwatering. If you worked in some compost when you planted it, it shouldnt need nightly watering at current evapotranspiration rates. But it doesnt sound like a fungus or rust but time will tell...
when i bought it in the garden centre it had leaves and i thought they were early - maybe it is frost damage, no herbicides in use and ground is bone dry around here (but there is compost beneath it) my strawberries are flowering too is that early? saw my first swallow yesterday interesting to see when they reach you - kepp an eye out.
I checked in my library last night. I have a Reader’s Digest A-Z of pests and diseases – everything from American Gooseberry Mildew to Woolly Aphid via Halo Blight (I suffer that myself from time to time) and Powdery Scab (no comment). I couldn’t find anything Rubus-specific that would cause blackening of the outside of the leaves. I’d plump for it being just winter untidiness syndrome. Strawberry flowers sound early but it justs means potential for early fruits. As for swallows, my records suggest it was 9 April, although I confess that was in the lowlands. But, as was ingrained in me at school, una rondina non fa primavera - oooh it was an icy ill-wind up there last night! I’ll let you know when they get to Dallas.
Hmm. Older leaves? Most blackberries are herbaceous, ie shed their leaves in winter. If you have old leaves already, it sounds like you have some exotic thornless evergreen cultivar, in which case it could be the result of frost damage. Never saw a problem with local thorny types myself. If the frost hasnt damaged the flower buds, it should be ok. Other problems in this pattern could be toxicity (I presume you havent used herbicides - what you doing with your toxic tumbledryer waste these days?) or over/underwatering. If you worked in some compost when you planted it, it shouldnt need nightly watering at current evapotranspiration rates. But it doesnt sound like a fungus or rust but time will tell...
ReplyDeletewhen i bought it in the garden centre it had leaves and i thought they were early - maybe it is frost damage, no herbicides in use and ground is bone dry around here (but there is compost beneath it) my strawberries are flowering too is that early? saw my first swallow yesterday interesting to see when they reach you - kepp an eye out.
ReplyDeleteI checked in my library last night. I have a Reader’s Digest A-Z of pests and diseases – everything from American Gooseberry Mildew to Woolly Aphid via Halo Blight (I suffer that myself from time to time) and Powdery Scab (no comment). I couldn’t find anything Rubus-specific that would cause blackening of the outside of the leaves. I’d plump for it being just winter untidiness syndrome. Strawberry flowers sound early but it justs means potential for early fruits. As for swallows, my records suggest it was 9 April, although I confess that was in the lowlands. But, as was ingrained in me at school, una rondina non fa primavera - oooh it was an icy ill-wind up there last night! I’ll let you know when they get to Dallas.
ReplyDelete