sick persimmon tree and sick blueberries

Question: When my persimmon tree began to leaf out this spring, it became clear that about 2/3 of the tree had died, dead branches only. The most live branches are near the base. Usually it is a green dome spring and summer, now the remaining branches have sparse leaves. I cut off the dead branches and now have just a few high branches and branches low enough to be resting on the ground. Is there anything I can do to improve its health for future years? Also, my far blueberries, about a half mile from the house, did not bloom or start berries except for maybe 10 total blooms on the thirteen bushes. The leaves are discolored. This year I used Perfect Blend fertilizer for rhodies and azaleas and blueberries instead of my usual Nature Made plus adding organic sulfur. Is this a nutritional problem? The bushes seem big and sturdy. The row of blueberries near the house bloomed and has little berries forming, though there is some milder discoloration of their leaves also. Thank you

responder: Jacki D., Master Gardener Diagnostician Volunteer (Washington, Multnomah and Clackamas Counties) Oregon State University Extension Service Volunteer Metro Master Gardeners (http://metromastergardeners.org/) Replied June 14, 2023, 9:03 PM EDT
response: Examine your tree carefully for evidence of rot, canker diseases, insects. If a reason for the decline can be found, you can make a judgement about trying to regrow it, or starting over. Is your persimmon tree grafted? If the tree has died above the graft and you allow root suckers to replace it, then your fruit will be the type of root stock rather than what it was before. Provide more photos of your blueberry plants showing overall location and how the bushes appear, so the amount of damaged leaves can be seen compared to healthy color. Share all you can about watering and other care. Have you tested the soil lately? How do you mulch?

responder: The Question Asker Replied August 15, 2023, 2:26 AM EDT
response: Thank you for your response.I took more photos right away, but have a difficult and time-consuming process trying to get them on here, so apologize for the delayed response.  Far blueberries:  13 bushes, 3 berries is total crop. Orange leaves have improved since last email, with more of the commercial blueberry and azalea fertilizer.  Still most leaves are yellow or light green with dark green veins. Mulch:  Still some remains of prior burlap coffee bean bags. Lots of peat moss. Water: 2-3 times a week, or every other day if really hot and dry.  8-18oz water each.  I have to haul it on the tractor in 5 gal buckets and use an 18 oz yogurt container to carry it to the plants. The berries are planted on a slope to hopefully prevent soggy roots. Home yard blueberries:  15 bushes with a crop of berries, but relatively scant, and birds able to get the lion’s share.  I did not prune, so that may be part of the problem.  But there is something else, the berries are turning a pinky tan instead of blue, and withering, sour and bitter.  The 3 pink lemonade blueberries usually bear well, but only one has some berries.  Bluerop is the workhorse, smaller berries but always tasty and bearing heavily.  This year one of the two blue crop has a fair amount of berries, small, but now quite a few are turning that pink-tan.  The other blue crop has almost no edible berries at all.  I have photos of that one.The bushes are mulched with peat moss and some burlap bags, on drip irrigation 75 min a day (turned up during the first heat spell) and were fertilized with the azalea and blueberry organic fertilizer.   I have not tested the soil, nor am I sure how to do that.   There is no hope for this year, but I hope to correct whatever is causing the berries to turn pink and tan before next season. I even wondered whether they could cross fertilize with the pink lemonade berries with poor results, but I don’t think it works like that.  I have so much time and labor invested in the beloved blueberries, I will hate to lose them.  I lost one bush and parts of others in last year’s heat dome, as well as both my big huckleberry bushes.The persimmon tree seemed to come back well, with new branches and glossy green leaves.  But while the lower branches have continued to stay healthy looking, leaves on the upper branches are yellowed and sickly.  I found two fruit forming, but I don’t think they are continuing to develop. The bark looks abnormal as well.I don’t think the photos will work on regular email.  I will try a few.sick bluecrophealthy lower persimmon leaves and sick upper leavesThank you for your help,CandaceOn Jun 14, 2023, at 6:03 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: Jay W. Pscheidt, PhD, Professor  Replied August 21, 2023, 9:38 AM EDT
response: A little late responding here. Blueberries love an acid soil pH so keep up with what you are doing. It will take a few years for it to work well. One of the images seem to show that the blueberries might have sunburned. They are shallow rooted plants and need frequent watering. Maybe they are not watered as much being so far away?  The persimmon might have other issues that we do not see in the images. It could be nutritional but there may be a canker or root issue that is hard to see or determine from your description and images. We do know the regular holes you see in the trunk are not a problem. Just a woodpecker (sapsucker) working it over: https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/pathogen-articles/nonpathogenic-phenomena/recognizing-sapsucker-damage-your-trees