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[DSanner106 AT aol.com]

Hi Bev,
     I think you have probably reached the end of the  production period for
plants that old, if you are really interested in identifying the  variety,
you might contact the Univ. of Ga blueberry research facility in Tifton  Ga.
they could probably give advice on sprouting from the existing plants as 
well. I planted some Tif-blue developed at their facility and have had  
great
success. It is a cross of Ga natives and should do well in your area.
 
Drew
 
 
In a message dated 7/25/2009 1:02:31 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
erthnsky AT bellsouth.net writes:

When I  moved here, I acquired a monster patch of blueberry bushes.  It 
looks  like there were originally 6 bushes, but each has put out so many 
new  canes that they had all grown together into a thicket.  The thicket  
was about 12-15 feet tall, 15-20 feet wide and 25 feet long.  The  
arrangement was like a 6 on a die.  I have no idea of what variety  they 
are, but there are at least 2 varieties. This thicket was what sold  me 
on the property as the bushes were loaded the day I first stepped foot  
on the place.  I've been very protective of the thicket-no spraying,  
only a bit of goat barn mulch around the base, but nothing in the last 5  
years. In talking to my neighbor whose family owned this land, she says  
the blueberries were planted in the mid 1960's, making them 40+ years  
old now.

A few years ago, I noticed that some canes were dying, and  I began to 
cut out the dead ones.  It seems like the more I cut, the  more that 
died.  I never saw signs of disease or fungus, the canes  just died en 
masse a few each year.  Now, after 11 years here, I only  have 3 of the 
original 6 bushes-really 2.5 as I can see more canes dead  and dying.  It 
is still as tall, maybe 12 feet, but we just pull the  canes down and 
what we can't reach is bird food.  Before we moved  here, they backed a 
truck into the thicket and picked from the bed of the  truck.

I've been reading up on the lifespan of blueberries, and I see  
everything from 20-60 years, making my thicket hit dead center of the  
lifespan.  Is there some weird disease affecting my bushes or do you  
think they are just spent and dying of old age?

I've tried multiple  times to get cuttings and root them, and have been 
unsuccessful.   This past winter I did keep one alive, but it drowned in 
the Spring  rains.  I have, however, begun to buy replacement plants 
which I have  planted away from the thicket just in case it really is 
some  disease.

B
-- 
"Never expect magic from no where"  Baringo  (Kenyan) working motto
http://erthnsky.blogspot.com/
EarthNSky Farm, NW  Georgia, USA
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