I was going through my draw and found an article about pruning blueberries I'd stashed away from an Oct 2003 issue of Fruitgrower News. In the summary there was a paragraph that might be relevant. "Remove the low growth that would touch the ground when loaded with fruit. Cut out short, soft, new wood that developed from the base of the plant late in the season." Generally I would follow the advice of Fruitnut as he has the major experience of container growing. I don't like moving plants in the garage, however. You can also either insulate the pots and mulch the top or set the plants into soil for over wintering. The problem is that garages can get too warm and mess with dormancy and timing for taking plants out can be tricky as the environment can make them tender. If your garage consistently sustains a temp around freezing this may not be a problem. I don't know about blueberries but I've seen lots of trouble with figs kept in garages. I don't believe that pruning stimulates late growth once terminal buds are set and I also don't believe that if you manage to stimulate such growth it endangers plants- from my observation of fruit trees this is one of those horticultural myths. Late growth itself is tender but the rest of plants seem to harden off normally. This is based on anecdotal observation only but I've yet to see any actual research on the subject so I'll run with that because it's my own. Anyway thought someone might find it interesting. I certainly recommend pruning most plants that you're still trying to get bigger when they're dormant.

Here's my take on the agricultural sulphur/ferrous sulphate and iron chelate. Agricultural or elemental sulphur will provide more acidifying power per pound of material applied, however the soil microbes have to convert it from the sulphur form to oxides of sulphur, which can then act to acidify the soil. It takes time for the acidification to work and it will occur over a period of time, you have to get the sulphur into the ground for the microbes to attack, and the effect will be a bit longer acting. The larger the sulphur particles you spread, the slower the process. Elemental sulphur is relatively cheap so is often used agriculturally. We generally use sulphur strictly as a fertilizer to replace what the crops are removing from the soil, being leached away, or tied up into mineralized compounds, plus it is relatively low volume. As a fertilizer, we often apply it at 30 lbs/acre. Another option is to use gypsum, calcium sulphate, which is commonly used to treat highly alkaline/saline soils as it is quite cheap, acidifying, and provides additional calcium. (In moister climates where soils are more acidic, they do the opposite, applying lime -- calcium carbonate-- to raise the pH). When applying gypsum, we would apply it on the order of 1000-2000 lbs/acre or more. With ferrous sulphate, you have moved up a step in cost but you are providing sulphate ions (or is it anions?) that will provide the acidifying effect, and because it is already converted to a soluble and ionic form, it will work quite quickly. At the same time, you are providing free iron that the plants can take up and the acidifying effect of the sulphate slows the process of tying the iron up in the soil. Many soils, particularly in alkaline areas, have plenty of iron, but it is tied up in the soil and unavailable to plants, and that is the situation here. We have a lot of red soils, the red coming from oxidized iron (rust). There is no deficiency of iron but it is mineralized and unavailable. Combine that with a pH of around 8 or higher and there are a lot of plants that will die of iron deficiency. Conifers, golden willows (lost a row of them in the cemetery to that, and nearly lost the spruce trees), petunias, raspberries, and even kentucky blue grass where the lawn is only sprinkler irrigated, for example. With iron chelate, you have a form of iron that is more available to plants, however it is relatively much more expensive. The chelate can be absorbed into the leaves if used as a foliar spray, though too strong a solution will burn. Because it can be pretty well directly absorbed by the plants, it can have an almost immediate effect on new growth. I've seen it recommended to water the ground with the iron chelate, but I think it tends to get tied up in the alkaline soil fairly quickly (I think the chelate breaks down fairly quickly, then the high pH ties up the iron again, and you need large quantities which become quite expensive. I had always had recommendations from the extension service to use iron chelate for iron deficiency, but later I was advised to use the ferrous sulphate by a professor for the combined free iron/acidifying properties. When I used the iron chelate, I never had much in the way of results unless I sprayed weekly at least, and that just doesn't happen with me. With the ferrous sulphate, I could spread it once and see lasting effects for anywhere from the remainder of the summer to several years. Part of my lawn is watered with a sprinkler using well water which is very high in lime. Gradually it turns yellow and thin with iron chlorosis. Fertilizing with nitrogen had no effect. Add some ferrous sulphate and in a week it was turning green, growing like it was badly overfertilized, and the stand thickens up. One year my supplier stopped carrying the ferrous sulphate but had ferrous gluconate and said it was much easier to use and worked the same--so I wondered but tried it. Think I still have most of the bag. It showed no effect on the plants, smelled like molasses and had no irritating dust so I found a new supplier for the ferrous sulphate (I'm not going to apply it if I don't get results). I don't fully remember my chemistry from school, acids/bases, oxidizers/reducers, strong vs. weak acids & bases & the chemical reactions that take place when these chemicals are placed in solution and I'm sure there are those out there that can more than adequately cover the subject (not that I'd want to learn it all over again, though!) I mainly try to cover some of the principles and describe what has worked from experience. Plus, I've never tried to grow blueberries as trying to provide an acid environment in my soil seems like too high a maintenance. Overall, what is being dealt with here is that in drier climates, the soils tend to have a large reservoir of lime and an alkaline pH. Acid loving plants may not need acid to live, however they consume quantities of minerals which are mineralized and unavailable at high pH, but become readily available at lower pH and blueberries have adapted to soils where these minerals are readily available. Trying to lower the pH of the soil to create an acid one suitable for blueberries is very hard, because to make the soil acid you have to essentially eliminate the alkaline lime in the soil, and it will take tons of amendments to do that. To compensate, you remove the soil, replace it with organic matter which is naturally acidic, then work to counteract the ongoing process of your climate and geology from turning the new acidic, organic soil back into an alkaline, mineralized soil and add a few of the more important nutrients the plants need so that they are readily available, even if the pH is a little higher than the plant desires. One last caveat--in acidic soils, NEVER add ferrous sulphate for an iron deficiency. You don't need more acid (unless you actually want a more acidic soil). Use iron chelate or the ferrous gluconate. Sorry this is much too long, but hopefully it explains the basis of my thoughts so you can judge for yourselves what is best in your situation.

scoring the sides of a root bound plant is NOT sufficient ... when the leaves fall off.. pull it out ... hose off all soil.. and you might be shocked at what little you did with the scoring ... replant at proper height.. in a hole sized as suggested.. NO SOIL AMENDMENTS ... as per this weekends wind.. did the tree move at all??? .... if not.. then whats the point of all the roping??? .. dylan said it best when he said: the answer my friend .... is blowing in the wind ... when i plant in my sand.. once back filled about 66% .. i step in there.. and really tamp down the soil ... while insuring it doesnt end up too deep ... my soil is obviously not your clay soil.. but if you are so lightly setting it in the hole ... then that is your potential problem... in heavy clay soil.. many recommend actually planting about half of the root mass above grade.. and making a berm or mound with good soil ... ken

whats the hurry ... you can always trim a tree later ... dig a hole NEXT to the ball of soil you planted.. AND FIND OUT... if water is getting down into the whole root mass ... NO GUESSING .... if not .. water deeply.. .. is its soggy down there.. quit watering ... otherwise ... give us a pic.. so we can see what is going on ... if the brown part is dead.. it can wait to be pruned.. if its not dead.. it might releaf.. even next spring... i cant tell you anything about bugs.. on words alone.. but i can say.. if you dont find anything.. then using a chemical.. is pollution ... and trust me.. i dont have anything against such.. when there is something to use it on ... but again.. no guessing ... pix??? do you have a warranty???? might want to think about using it.. but personally .. i wouldnt plant until the next proper planting time ... but the question will be.. will they have a replacement in fall???? might want to talk to them now and find out what your options might be... ken