Blueberry Bush – Leaves Are Yellow With Green Veins

Q: My Premier blueberry bush looks sick. It is full of fruit but the leaves are yellow, with green veins. Any ideas?

A: Yellow leaves with green veins indicate iron chlorosis, which can be caused by soil pH that’s too high, compacted soil that inhibits root growth, or the plant’s inability to supply iron to the leaves and the fruit at the same time. Georgia soils have plenty of iron so one option is to lower the soil pH to make iron more available. Scatter a quarter-cup of yellow sulfur dust around your plant to lower the soil pH. Use a spading fork to jab the ground multiple times around the plant to loosen the soil and give the roots room to spread. Mulch around the plant to keep the soil cool. Use an acidifying fertilizer now and again next spring to give the plant more nutrition.