For blueberries, mid-winter is ideal, likely anytime from December through March . Pruning should be done during the dormant season. This allows the remaining canes better light and better air circulation, which leads to better fruiting. If you use wood chips or sawdust for mulching, plants may need additional nitrogen at a rate of 0.1 pound of ammonium sulfate per plant for the . After all, blueberries grow in the wild and do just fine without any pruning, right? The plant quickly regenerates the following season, but it will take two years after mowing to bear fruit. Young plants require little pruning for the first two to three years. Backfill with good topsoil and a small amount of thoroughly moistened peat moss. With a little effort, these "wonder berries" can be produced by home gardeners throughout Georgia. Cut back the branches to the topmost points where you can find green. Pruning plan for older blueberry bushes: remove small, weaker growth at the crown, remove older canes to encourage new growth, and head large, new canes to slightly below the canopy. Q: I have over one hundred rabbiteye blueberry plants, some almost 20 years old, and they need pruning. like workshops, classes, consultation, certifications, camps, and educator Blueberries grow on old wood, with the best fruits growing on twigs that are around two years old. Step 2: Prune at the Right Time. If you encourage them to produce fruit earlier, theyll be less productive in the following years. But Im okay with never revisiting the adventure that is using an outhouse in the middle of January. Published 27 April 23, The social media star has a 'sure-fire way' to spotless windows this springtime with minimal effort required. Lets tackle that first. Irrigate with sprinklers or otherwise water regularly if rainfall is insufficient. Bushes 6 ft tall or taller should receive the maximum rate of 6 ounces of fertilizer per bush. One of the first things to do is clean up the crown. A: Blueberries flower and fruit the heaviest on new limbs which grow horizontally. Dip the shears in disinfectant. Tips on protecting your ornamentals from the cold. Blueberry bushes must have acidic soil between 4.0 and 5.0 is ideal. This is repeated yearly to encourage proper growth and uniform fruit set on your blueberry plants. Use "premium grade" fertilizer if possible; this type contains secondary and micronutrients that may be needed. Newer varieties are listed in bold, and are highly recommended to provide homeowners some of the latest improvements offered in blueberry varieties. Prune when dormant in late winter or early spring. Thats always an important consideration, especially if you grow your bushes in pots where nutrients are used quicker. If you want to harvest blueberries for many years to come, its best to be patient and put in the work for healthy, high-yielding plants further down the road. In each dormant cycle, you will want to selectively remove the weakest and least desirable branches. 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. Why? Get weekly updates sent to your inbox with the latest UGA Extension news. CORVALLIS, Ore. - Moderate pruning of highbush blueberries done every year can make the difference between a mediocre and a bumper crop - and in consistent production of quality fruit. In this article, gardening expert Liessa Bowen examines if these popular shrubs are considered annual, biennial, or perennial plants. Pruning starts at the ground, not at the top of the bush. Bath resources. After establishment, rabbiteye blueberries require little pruning until they reach about 4 to 6 ft in height. Where Will Blueberries Grow Best in Your Garden? These crossover canes may touch several other branches and are considered less desirable to keep. To get an annual crop, you should divide your planting in half and mow one half every other year. How to Prune a Blueberry Bush. With basic tools, a little planning, and a bit of time and effort, your bushes will be in top form and ready for next seasons blueberry crop! Blueberry-growing presents a challenge because the plants require soils that are acid, well-drained, loose and high in organic matter. Prune to open up the interior of the bush to sunlight and to remove low growth, forcing the bush upright. Since nitrogen is generally the only nutrient needed, ammonium sulfate (21% N) or urea (45% N) are used as the principal fertilizers. . As a blueberry cane ages, it branches repeatedly, resulting in smaller and smaller diameter lateral twigs in successive years. You can tell the difference between fruit and leaf buds by their appearance and where theyre growing on the plant. prevent the plant from growing in a manner that will cause lower fruit yield or disease. If developing individual specimen plants give plants a 25 to 40 ft. Till the soil 8 to 12 in. If repotting and trimming the roots, prune the bush back by about 50-60%. Pruning Blueberry bushes should be pruned annually in the dormant season to remove any dead, diseased, damaged and . Ragged cuts can damage the bush, invite disease, and simply not look as nice. Spread the fertilizer evenly under and around the bushes. This variety offers a colorful, edible landscape for novel appeal. The rates, timing, and type of fertilizer should be common knowledge for the grower. 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. On sites with heavier soils and where the pH is more difficult to maintain, plants can be fertilized with Osmocote Plus 15-9-12 at a rate of 2 ounces per plant per month from March 1 through Aug. 1. The bush is well established and capable of producing a significant crop. When planting, make sure to plant your blueberry bushes at the same level they were planted in the container and water well after planting. I take an eclectic approach to homesteading, utilizing modern convenience where I want, and choosing the rustic ways of my childhood simply because they bring me joy. Dig a hole a little deeper than the pot depth and three times as wide. Advice from cleaning experts on how to effectively clean your keyboard and keep it that way, By Ashley Chalmers BA1 1UA. Transplant the same depth as the plants grew in the nursery. As mentioned earlier, bird and deer feeding may be a problem with southern highbush, so using appropriate protection methods is strongly suggested. How to clean your computer keyboard, according to the pros, The 'three secrets to streak-free windows' according to the expert Barbara 'Babs' Costello, Everything you need to turn your dream home into a reality, Subscribe for just 1 per issue with our Spring Savings, Full of inspiring real homes, expert project advice and on-trend shopping, Issues delivered direct to your door or device. When the bushes are mature after several years, remove older central canes and prune inward pointing laterals back to the main cane. You also don't want a first year plant to produce fruit, so pick off any flower buds. Find out what Extension has for you! Make sure and purchase the type of blueberry most suitable to the intended growing area. works very well. From the third season on, base the amount of fertilizer applied on the size of the bushes. Blueberries require a lower pH than many other small fruit crops. In the end, this simple task will ensure your plants remain healthy for many years to come. After initial freezing, pack the berries dry in containers and place in the freezer. Rabbiteye varieties have been bred for years, and many of the varieties listed are somewhat antiquated. Early season southern highbush will ripen 2 to 3 weeks before early rabbiteyes, and mid-season varieties will ripen 8 to 12 days before early rabbiteyes. If you prune plants like this the first year, the second year won't need much . Remove dead canes first, and then remove enough old canes to open up the plants canopy again. They are smaller and more heat tolerant than high bush blueberries. Blueberries can be pruned at any time of the year, but it is best to start pruning in the spring when the weather is warm and the blueberry bushes are in full bloom. Cultivated blueberries are an almost perfect fruit. Remove crossing stems and any crossing or particularly spindly-looking branches. She enjoys nothing more than discovering new trends, brands and products, whether that be in fashion, interior design or lifestyle. Dig a planting hole at least twice as large as the blueberry plant root system. Before you grab the nearest tool and start chopping randomly, its important to have a plan. Your goal should be to have a multi-trunked bush with strong canes of all different ages emerging from the ground, so that as each older cane is removed, a younger cane is already there to replace it. It is! Here are the best fertilizers for blueberries you can buy in 2023: My Top Pick: Miracle-Gro Plant Food 1000701. Instead, the plant needs to funnel its energy to the roots. Do not over-fertilize; fertilizer damages young blueberries easily until they are established. Soak thoroughly to settle the soil. I get conflicting information on the proper time to prune. Blueberry bushes are very resilient plants and benefit greatly from regular pruning. Best Liquid Fertilizer: Neptune's Harvest FS118 Fish . These days, a compact growing space isn't necessarily so limiting. All cultivated species require annual pruning to manage bush height and shape. 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. By the sixth year they will yield as much as 2 gallons each and continue to increase as the plants get larger. Here are a few other key pruning tips from Strik: Leave no more than five or six strong fruiting laterals on a 2-year-old cane. These multi-stemmed, deciduous shrubs grow to different heights depending on the type. If your soil is not acidic enough, add sulfur to increase the acidity of your soil. And if you can ferment it, its probably in my pantry or on my kitchen counter. Figure 7. Depending on the variety, blueberry bushes should typically be spaced 3-4 feet apart to allow for proper growth and air circulation. You will also encourage more lateral growth, which means more berries. Most garden plants tolerate a variety of pH levels in the soil, but this is not the case with blueberries. This process can take several years to correct, so replacing the bush with a new one may be easier. Pruning young blueberries. Blueberries are a garden favorite, but there are definitely areas of your garden that will allow your shrubs to reach their full potential. Blueberries will grow in shady spots, but fruit production will be poor. 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 more than a century, we've provided research and education through a Prune newly set bushes as previously indicated in Figure 1. . Stand the plant in the hole and adjust until the surface of the compost is level with the soil surface. Visualize a circle 12 to 18 inches in diameter around the crown of the bush, and remove ALL shoots of any age that have emerged from the ground outside the circle. Pruning plan for young blueberry bushes: prune immediately after the bush has been planted, then remove fruiting buds for the first couple of years. It may take a couple of years before your plant is fully fruiting, but with proper care and pruning, it will be worth the wait! Use these tips for pruning blueberry bushes to keep your plants healthy and productive. Come back every week for our latest tips on what to do in your yard. 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. Southern highbush blueberries are grown commercially in South Georgia, but this species can require more care than rabbiteye types and are very prone to attack by deer and birds because they ripen so early in the season. I get conflicting information on the proper time to prune. As discussed, your blueberry bush needs to be annually pruned after winter, however, regular cuttings will also help to maintain a healthy plant. Among other things, they are high in antioxidants, have anti-aging activity, promote healthy urinary tracts, improve vision and help fight heart disease. So, these days I consider myself to be almost a homesteader. Besides keeping the taller types within reach for easier harvesting, youll get more and better berries if you keep them pruned. If each of these branches is allowed to grow, flower, and fruit, your plant will end up making a number of smaller and weaker berries on very small, crowded, and unproductive branches. Blueberry bushes can be large or small, but eventually, they all start to look a bit messy. Its best to visualize the finished shape youre going for before you start making cuts. For blueberries, mid-winter is ideal, likely anytime from December through March in most climates. Pruning should be done during the dormant season. I garden, even when the only space available is the rooftop of my apartment. Georgia Dawn: PP16756. Blueberries seldom require spraying for pests. Rita Pelczar is a lifelong gardener and experienced horticulturist. deep with pine bark nuggets, pine straw or pine sawdust. The type and amount of blueberry plant pruning, however, may depend on the type and size of the bush. Sure, you can do it the way mother nature does, but youll achieve the same results as in the wild feast or famine depending on a multitude of uncontrolled variables. 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. Browse and purchase gardening books by Walter Reeves, plus select titles by other authors. Spacing and Planting. Use your fingernail or a knife to scratch the bark of a branch. Before pruning, ensure that any long, cold spells of winter weather have fully passed, you can then properly assess your plant and prune back any affected, dead sections, ready for a healthy growth in the spring. Blueberry bushes often require supplemental fertilization, . UGA Extension is not responsible for any damages, costs, liability, or risk associated with any use, functionality, and/or content of the website translations. 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. Refer to a sulfur application chart for exact amounts for your specific pH. Care through the seasons. With a bit of regular maintenance, your blueberry bushes will reward you with an abundance of sweet, ripe, juicy berries for years to come! It is important to know the anatomy of a blueberry bush before attempting to prune blueberries (Figure 4). Leaf bud a bud that will produce leaves. Blueberry bushes are very hardy plants, the more you do it, the better you'll get at it and the plant will thank you for it with bigger and better blueberries for years and years to come.'. Plants that are not pot-bound can be planted directly without breaking up root system. Crown this is the base of the bush, where the growth comes out of the ground. Prune back the smallest twiggy branches to redirect the plants energy to larger and stronger canes. She shares her enthusiasm for growing plants and environmentally responsible practices through teaching, coaching, and extensive writing. If your blueberry bushes have been around a while, you have probably watched them grow, flower, produce fruit, and spread. CARE AND MAINTENANCE. A standard spacing for rabbiteye blueberries is 5 to 6 ft between plants in a row and 11 to 12 ft between rows. Youll want to fertilize your blueberry bushes properly each spring. Cultivated blueberries are upright, deciduous, woody perennials, forming multi-stemmed bushes with maximum unpruned heights varying from 6-8 feet (highbush, southern highbush) to 10-15 feet (rabbiteye). Tom Hilton, gardening expert at National Greenhouse (opens in new tab), says, 'in order to grow a successful blueberry bush to keep you picking off delicious fruits for healthy treats, its all in the pruning to keep it alive and thriving.'. Most blueberry plants don't need to be cut back at all at planting time. She has worked in the field for over 40 years, and has been writing for 30 years. in diameter with the plant in the center. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. It also invigorates the plant, forcing essential new growth from the base of the plant. Ive been a knitter since age seven, and I spin and dye my own wool as well. Pack the hole tightly with soil. Theyre infinitely snackable. They can be grown in the mountains of North Georgia if soil conditions are met (pine bark mulching recommended) and if birds and deer are controlled. When pruning blueberries, you'll want to allow light to penetrate the center of the plant. Treat either of these problems with . Confused on how much sunlight your blueberry shrubs need to grow properly? However, many growers, particularly in colder regions, prefer to wait until late winter. So how is pruning accomplished quickly and economically, and what is the easiest way to explain pruning goals to a crew of workers entering the field for the first time? If youre new to pruning and maintaining small fruit crops, such as blueberries, youll likely encounter a few words you might be unfamiliar with. Remove one to three of the largest canes each winter at 0 to 24 in. Before planting till the soil deeply, 8 to 12 inches, and make sure your site doesn't tend to stay wet. The best kind of blueberries are grown on two to four year old canes, ones that are older than this can be substantially weaker, resulting in unimpressive, smaller blueberries.'. A previous study showed greater vigor in blueberry plants treated with phosphorous acid. Zara joined Homes & Gardens in February 2022 as a Content Editor. I learned how to do things most little kids havent done in over a century. Remove these low-lying branches, and also any canes that angle through the bush (crossovers). A bowl left unattended on the counter, destined for jam or homemade blueberry syrup, will likely disappear before you can get the water bath canner ready. This spacing may seem excessive, but blueberry bushes . See Growing Blueberries in Your Home Garden for more information. . As the plant grows, the central crown area will gradually expand and your primary fruit-producing canes will become both taller, stronger, and more abundant. New strong canes will usually develop below the cut. At this stage of maturity, pruning blueberry plants annually when theyre dormant is the key to enjoying steady harvests from one year to the next. Fruit buds grow at the very tips of the canes and are more rounded than leaf buds. At this point, a cane renewal pruning program should be started. I grew up spending weekends on my dads off-the-grid homestead. Use 1.0 pound (2.5 cups) per 100 square feet on sandy soils to lower pH by 1 unit (for instance, from 6.0 to 5.0). In the end, this simple task will ensure your plants remain healthy for many years to come. The first time you prune will be after you plant a new blueberry bush in the ground. Mulching with pine bark or pine straw is very beneficial for helping with weed control and improving plant vigor. Plant expert, Melvin Cuban from PlantIn (opens in new tab) states, 'pruning blueberries must synchronize with their growth cycle to achieve the best results. Always prune or rub off all flower buds and cut back 1/2 to 2/3 of the height at the time of planting. Leaving the thicker canes will also give you more berries in the long run. Blueberries are becoming increasingly popular due to their delicious and healthy fruit. Making sure that there are no crossed or overcrowded branches of different lengths will allow the plant the space it needs to grow. 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. Fruit trees can take time to grow, but there are some that produce fruit faster than others. Visit our corporate site. In order to maintain a healthy plant and a plentiful harvest of blueberries, pruning your blueberry bush is essential, and knowing when to do this will ensure for optimum growth. Crossovers are canes that may meander and tangle through the bush. Prune blueberry plants about one-third of the distance to the ground, and remove branches that impede airflow. Pruning cuts are not treated, though some authorities recommend timing standard fungicide sprays to occur immediately after pruning, especially when late spring and summer cuts are made on actively-growing bushes. This could be any time after leaf drop to late winter. Once established, the bushes require annual care and pruning to ensure their overall health and continued fruit production. These basic hand-pruning steps can be used with any blueberry bush. A sturdy pair of hand pruners such as these Corona pruners are perfect for pruning small shoots and thinner canes. Mulch the plants with 2 to 3 inches of shredded bark or compost. Blueberries are simple to plant: Water the plant thoroughly. This involves removing all dead, diseased wood, crossing stems, and low hanging branches. Remove low twiggy growth entirely and tip remaining shoots to remove all the flower buds (Figure 1). If your soil tests very high in phosphorus, use 12-4-8. Shoots new, scraggly growth that shows up quite often in the crown. You should not expect or encourage your plant to produce fruit in the first year. Mulching with pine bark or pine straw can increase the vigor of southern highbush.