Weed Control for Blueberries

Types

• A number of weeds are likely to infest blueberries. These include annual broadleaves like annual slow thistle and common chickweed, perennial broadleaves like dandelion and white clover, and perennial grasses such as quackgrass and reed canary grass.

Damage

• Many weeds harbor insects that transmit viral and bacterial diseases to plants. Too many weeds near the roots creates humidity that leads to fungal growth, which leads to diseases like mummy berry. Weeds also start to compete with blueberry plants for water and nutrients. This leads to decreased plant vigor and declining health.

Management

• You can use pre-emergent herbicides like dichlobenil, oryzalin or simazine to control blueberry weeds. Post-emergent herbicides for blueberry weed control include paraquat, glyphosate and gluphosinate.