I get conflicting information on the proper time to prune. All About Gardening 2023 All Rights Reserved. Spread the fertilizer evenly over a circle 24 in. As difficult as it may be to do, you should remove all flower buds on new plants (these are visible in late winter and can simply be rubbed off). If your garden center does not carry a desired variety, encourage them to update their blueberry variety selection. In this article, gardening expert Liessa Bowen examines how much sunlight blueberry shrubs need. Its best to visualize the finished shape youre going for before you start making cuts. Every year, you will probably notice a few smaller branches with no leaves or buds. Pruning is a stress on the bush, so keep them watered and fertilized to make sure they recover and continue to grow at the right rate. To apply, select a warmer day in the early spring, as the temperature helps bacteria decompose the sulfur. One season's growth renovated plants on left and unrenovated plants to the right, 40 year-old 'Jersey' blueberries. While they can range in size depending on the plant, there are some size consistencies you can rely on. After planting, remove all flower buds and all weak or broken wood from the plants. However, many growers, particularly in colder regions, prefer to wait until late winter. This allows more light into the bush so that fruit isn't just produced on the outside of the canopy. Pruning allows you to control the growth pattern of your plants by selecting the healthiest and most robust canes that will ultimately produce the most fruit. establish the overall health and shape of a new plant the first two years after planting a new blueberry bush are spent pruning it to force new growth both above and below the ground. Tom Hilton states, 'make sure to remove any broken, weakened, damaged and very old canes to help with the renewal process. At planting. Therefore, these can be less desirable choices for the home gardener, although there are newer varieties to try if one is interested. This allows the remaining canes better light and better air circulation, which leads to better fruiting. In areas where stem borers are a problem, make the pruning cuts at 24 in. Pruning Blueberries in Home Fruit Plantings. from ground level or a total of about 20 percent of the canopy (Figure 2). prevent the plant from growing in a manner that will cause lower fruit yield or disease. The goal is to avoid fruit production entirely. Published on May 01, 1999Unpublished/Removed on Feb 24, 2009Published on Apr 20, 2009Published with Minor Revisions on Mar 20, 2012Published with Full Review on Mar 28, 2017. For most of us, this is sometime in February or March. of peat moss, milled pine bark or well-rotted pine sawdust into the soil in a band 3 to 4 ft wide down the row prior to planting. (Its easier to make than you think.). The ideal time is late winter, just before we come into spring. Depending on the variety, blueberry bushes should typically be spaced 3-4 feet apart to allow for proper growth and air circulation. Pruning should be done at least once a year to keep the bushes healthy and to prevent them from being over-pruned. One to thing to look out for is if your blueberry bush seems overcrowded, as this will affect the speed of growth. Also, blueberry plants add beauty to the landscape when grown in beds, rows or as a hedge along the property border. This will force new canes to develop from the base of the plant. Best Liquid Fertilizer: Neptune's Harvest FS118 Fish . The most suitable time for pruning branches is the middle of winter when the bush is dormant. Don't ever shear blueberry plants or you'll be cutting off the flowers. A blueberry bush is a wonderful addition to a garden, adding color and cultivation to your outdoor space and the more you prune your blueberry bush the better it will become. Remove these low-lying branches, and also any canes that angle through the bush (crossovers). If youre dealing with older, much woodier and thicker growth, youll want a pair of loppers (the long-handled pruners with the curved blades at the end) or a small handsaw. She shares her enthusiasm for growing plants and environmentally responsible practices through teaching, coaching, and extensive writing. With a bit of regular maintenance, your blueberry bushes will reward you with an abundance of sweet, ripe, juicy berries for years to come! Pruning any fruit-bearing plant seems to make most novice gardeners break out in a cold sweat. Prune Blueberries in late winter or early spring. The diagrams below show growth of a single blueberry bush for the first three years, with before and after pruning comparisons each February. Making sure that there are no crossed or overcrowded branches of different lengths will allow the plant the space it needs to grow. To start pruning blueberry bushes, you'll need a good pair of hand pruners and perhaps a small hand saw for larger limbs that need to be pruned down. My gift of gab and sense of humor via the written word keeps me busy as a copywriter and freelance blogger. This will help set up the plant for future growth. For more than a century, we've provided research and education through a Horticulture, Extension Horticulturist - Fruit Crops, Hey there, Rural Sprout reader, my name is Tracey, and Im so glad you popped over to my bio. When pruning younger canes, remember that they grow quickly, so trim them 4 6 lower than the top of the bush. Begin selecting new basal shoots that will replace older canes. Once you have selected the weakest, least desirable branches of the blueberry shrub, you can then move on to the next step. If youre lucky enough to inherit existing highbush or rabbiteye blueberry plants when you buy a house, its a good idea to look them over carefully to see that they are up to date with their pruning regime. One of the advantages of home garden blueberry plants is they seldom require spraying for insects or diseases in most areas of the state. Getting an adequate amount of sunlight is essential for the growth of any plant. Professor Emeritus; Emphasis: Blueberry breeding, Why? But more importantly, some thoughtful pruning and thinning of your plants can help keep them healthy and make them even more productive. Best Time Release Fertilizer Spike: Jobe's Azalea, Camellia & Rhododendron 04101 Fertilizer Spikes. Well cover a lot here, so its probably a good idea to read this piece at least twice before tackling the job. However, if they have weak or broken stems, these should be removed. As an adult living in the modern world, I continue to draw on the skills I learned as a kid. You may also notice that their berry productivity starts to wane over time. Fertilization is an important practice of maintaining plant health. Get weekly updates sent to your inbox with the latest UGA Extension news. Blueberries tend to be fairly disease resistant, but if there are branches that appear to be dead, diseased or infested with insects, these can be pruned back to the nearest healthy stem. Whether it was pressing apples for homemade cider or trudging through the early spring snows of upstate NY to tap trees for maple syrup, there were always chores with each new season. Fruit-wood these are canes that are capable of bearing fruit. Blueberries produce their best fruit on growth from the previous season (one year old wood). On sites in the mountains of North Georgia, northern highbush blueberries can be grown. A: Blueberries flower and fruit the heaviest on new limbs which grow horizontally. Freely prune these back to a thicker healthy cane stem. Cut any canes that have diseases on them first. If the blueberry bush has become root-bound, you must trim the roots back before repotting it. Growing Wisdom garden videos will help you with all your gardening needs. Mature canes can be up to two inches in diameter, so long-handled loppers capable of cutting large stems are essential. Are you thinking of growing blueberries in your garden, but aren't sure where to plant them? Are Blueberry Shrubs Considered Annual, Biennial, or Perennial Plants? If repotting and trimming the roots, prune the bush back by about 50-60%. He built our rough-hewn log cabin when I was seven years old, and I spent much of my childhood roaming the woods and getting my hands dirty. Let me know if you have questions. Are you hoping to increase fruiting productivity. Contact. Also remove any stems that are very close to the ground because fruit that would form on them is more prone to diseases splashed up from the soil. Setting out new plants Always prune or rub off all flower buds and cut back 1/2 to 2/3 of the height at the time of planting. Are there many runners sprouting up from the ground? The Howards grow peaches, apples, blueberries, and vegetables and sell them at their on-farm stand, called Mema's Fruit Shack. UGA Extension 2012-2023. Users agree that automated translations may not effectively convert the intended design, meaning, and/or context of the website, may not translate images or PDF content, and may not take into account regional language differences. You can expect to regularly trim off many flower buds each time you prune, and you may wonder if thats okay. March Prune bushes before new growth begins, after coldest weather has passed. Im a firm believer in self-sufficiency, no matter where you live, and the power and pride that comes from doing something for yourself. Prune both of these types of branches to allow your bush to be most productive with higher branches that receive better airflow and more sunlight. If you prune plants like this the first year, the second year won't need much . (Photo source: Scott NeSmith, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org . Weekly email gardening tips, product reviews and discounts. Besides reducing plant height for ease of picking, the other major step to pruning mature rabbiteye blueberry plants is to remove one to three of the oldest canes each year. Figure 9.1 One-year blueberry stem sections showing fruit buds (A) and leaf buds (B). They require two to three years of specific care to establish when new. Blueberries are a garden favorite, but there are definitely areas of your garden that will allow your shrubs to reach their full potential. Take care not to over water this species, especially in poorly drained soils. For 2- and 3-year-old blueberry plants, apply - cup per plant per year. However, many growers, particularly in colder regions, prefer to wait until late winter. Prune out all the dead, diseased wood. Georgia Dawn: PP16756. These multi-stemmed, deciduous shrubs grow to different heights depending on the type. And by prompting them to put out new canes each year, your blueberry bushes will reward you with a bounty of tasty berries each summer. Follow all of my crazy homesteading adventures on Almost a Homesteader and Instagram @aahomesteader. . As a blueberry cane ages, it branches repeatedly, resulting in smaller and smaller diameter lateral twigs in successive years. UGA Extension is not responsible for any damages, costs, liability, or risk associated with any use, functionality, and/or content of the website translations. Set healthy 2 or 3-year old plants in early spring. Some branches will end up growing low and close to the ground. Blueberry crowns soon after they were ground down to a height of several inches. Pruning will help them look their best and reach maximum productivity. Best Selling Blueberry Bushes Assortment of 3 Blueberry Bushes for Best Cross Pollination $ 69.99 Tifblue . Soak thoroughly to settle the soil. New, more productive canes will sprout from the old canes and will sprout below ground level. Do not apply any fertilizer at transplanting. Fruit trees can take time to grow, but there are some that produce fruit faster than others. Young plants require little pruning for the first two to three years. The soil's pH should be between 4.0 to 5.0. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If youre new to pruning and maintaining small fruit crops, such as blueberries, youll likely encounter a few words you might be unfamiliar with. Plants require 300 to 400 chilling hours. You will still need to prune regularly because a blueberry plant in optimal conditions will continue to grow each year and will benefit from active management. Remove all flowers from two-year-old plants to encourage root growth and ensure good establishment.
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