Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Mummyberry
Last year, we planted blueberries we got at Flower World. Everything looked great until the berries were nearly ready. Suddenly they shriveled up - nearly all of them.
I took a picture to the farmer's market and asked at the master gardner's desk. Mummyberry, she told me, opening her book to the mummyberry page with illustrations. Yep. Exactly.
She told me to get rid of all fallen ruined blueberries; they contained the source of the next year's infection. I've find these little mushroom-looking open cups. They open and the wind carries the spores to the blossoms the next year, repeating the cycle.
I tried to get rid of all the infected berries and resolved to watch closely for the spore cups in the spring. I just remembered that this morning.
Went and looked, and it was waiting for me, exactly like the pictures had shown.
I only found one. That makes me suspect there are more I've missed. The buds are on the plants but not open yet. I'm reading that the spots can infect other parts of the plant, too. I'm guessing it's probably too late, but I don't really know. :-(
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Let's hope that the one you found was the only one on the plant. I recall you talking about this problem last year when I was out there.
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