Why Mulch for Proper Care of Your Blueberry Bushes? Especially helpful to see the difference between leave/blossom buds! Focus on creating the right shape of bush. Those are some wonderful old bushes. Where I first planted the plants there are now about 6-8 one inch branches coming from the ground. I need them so Keep an coming. Fertilize top hat blueberries with a water-soluble complete fertilizer. You should not have any canes that are older than six years old. Do I use the same process for pruning large potted blueberry plants? You only get maybe 10 berries the first year and I don’t think that’s worth it when it takes away from the root system. Avoid making embarrassing mistakes on Zoom! So I guess I should thank the little lambs, not freak out every time I see them out their nibbling away to their hearts content?! References I’ve been pruning cautiously for a couple years now, because I’d be heartbroken if I killed them, but with your descriptions I have more confidence now! Check the roots. Prune any time over the dormant season (November to March), ... ‘NorthCountry’ – small fruits with authentic wild American blueberry taste. What should I do? Thanks Melissa, very helpful info, much appreciated as my wife and I are growing blueberries here in New Zealand to sale at the local markets, bless you sis. I have 2 that when planted had full sun. “How do I prune blueberry bushes” is one of the most commonly asked questions when growing blueberries. I am looking for some advice about pruning my blueberry bushes. Has a tendency to sucker. Irene and Melissa, The best time is the late fall normally around the first frost. It is now late February. Being new to growing blueberries, I have searched to find out what I should do to my blueberry bushes. […] Learn how to prune blueberries for a larger harvest here. Five easy steps for a productive harvest. Hi, . If they’re becoming root bound in their current pots, I’d move them to a bigger pot rather than than pruning the roots. Finally, look for branches that grow long and leggy with no branches until the end. They're growing but not growing really well I am not getting any fruit from them. If you notice any damaged, prune those roots with disinfected pruning shears. Going to look at our bushes today with an eye toward pruning. You want to start by taking a good look at your blueberry bush. Now I want to paint the verse somewhere near the garden!! Very in depth and lots of useful, "Lots of good tips. If you prune in the summer the growth and berry amount will be a lot less. I planted the blueberry bushes last fall. After I've added my manure I put on a 5 to 6-inch layer of sawdust. I’ll be sure to come back here to review before I prune next year. Even the local growers don’t know what kind it is. Cultivation. Blueberries make a gorgeous addition to your flower beds as their flower buds turn to dainty white blossoms in spring and in the fall, their leaves turn a pretty red before falling. Pruning blueberries is slightly different than pruning fruit trees, though some of the principals remain the same. Weather, late frosts, dry spells, etc. I put a good layer of coffee grounds around the base of my blueberry bushes each year, making sure to mix it up so it doesn't grow mold. I remove the broken diseased branches. Because this layer is going on top of last year's layer of mulch, I don't worry if it's a little bit hot because it won't be hitting the roots right away. The problem I have is the weight of the fruit is bending the branches over. We live in Northeast Pa. Normally I would say to not too much, just any dead canes, and maybe two big canes. Is it dead? The fungus actually comes from a tiny mushroom that grows during the first part of spring (and develops where the mummified berry falls). They eat lots of bugs that would otherwise be on the bush and berries. If your blueberry bush is brand new (the first or second year after planting), you'll stop after the step mentioned above and only remove any dead or diseased branches. By recognizing mature canes and cutting properly, you'll train blueberry bushes to create productive plants. Living in central virginia? Knowing the Basics of Blueberry Growth and Pruning Young Bushes, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/4d\/Prune-Blueberries-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Prune-Blueberries-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/4d\/Prune-Blueberries-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid1397561-v4-728px-Prune-Blueberries-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"