Generally, success with highbush can be improved by following these additional suggestions: Status and Revision History As a blueberry plant ages, canes will grow from their thickest central point into smaller and smaller branches. Never heap fertilizer at the base of plants, instead spread the fertilizer evenly over a circle 18 in. Alapaha and Ochlockonee have medium sized berries with good eating quality and less pronounced seeds than varieties such as Austin and Brightwell. 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. If you prune the plant during its active growing season, youre reducing the amount of energy the plant can make and store. On 3- and 4-year-old plants, remove low spreading branches and excessively twiggy growth with too many flower buds. Last updated: January 8, 2023 | Always make clean cuts without tearing the bark, and try not to leave any stumps. in diameter with the plant in the center. The result is easier harvesting of bigger and better berries. These small branches, especially when they touch . 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. Blueberry pruning is done during the dormant season, usually between December-early March in the piedmont. Besides keeping the taller types within reach for easier harvesting, youll get more and better berries if you keep them pruned. This means any criss-crossing branches . Prune when dormant in late winter or early spring. It can be hard to remove the growth from a thriving bush, but it is important to remember that it is necessary for the health and vitality of the shrub. Once you have a basic framework, begin to cut back stems to the desired height, cutting them back to an upward facing bud or branch. By focusing the plants energy to the crown, growth and nutrients will be directed to the healthiest and strongest center canes closest to the crown. The Complete Guide on How to Prune Blueberries Rita Pelczar is a lifelong gardener and experienced horticulturist. Blueberry bushes can be large or small, but eventually, they all start to look a bit messy. You certainly dont need anything electric, you wont need a saw, and you wont need a ladder. If needed, remove one to three large canes from the center of the bush to reduce crowding, improve air circulation and phase out older canes. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. If your goal is to create a blueberry hedgerow, you can leave these, or prune a few if they seem too close together. Browse and purchase gardening books by Walter Reeves, plus select titles by other authors. Prune back 50% to 60% of the wood immediately after planting. July through September Apply soil amendments. Prune back 2/3 of the top growth on bare root plants, and of the top growth on potted plants. And if you can ferment it, its probably in my pantry or on my kitchen counter. Jubilee and Magnolia are smaller fruited varieties with good plant vigor. However, it is the largest fruited rabbiteye variety that has been developed to date. It is important to know which branches to remove and which to keep. Plan out your blueberry patch by spacing your bushes 5 to 6 feet apart in a row. If the initial soil pH is above 6.0, growing blueberries will be difficult unless massive amounts of peat moss or milled pine bark are mixed with the soil. When and with what do I fertilize blueberries? - blueberries - Extension However, many growers, particularly in colder regions, prefer to wait until late winter. Spread fertilizer out under and around the canopies of the plants. You will also need to place the rows 11 to 12 feet apart. Instead, the plant needs to funnel its energy to the roots. Youll also learn when to do it and how to do it. 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. 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. When pruning blueberries, you'll want to allow light to penetrate the center of the plant. Begin selecting new basal shoots that will replace older canes. . Blue Suede is a southern highbush having sky blue fruit, large flavorful berries, and striking autumn leaf color development, giving multi-season home landscape appeal. Best Organic Fertilizer: Jobe's Organics 09521 All Purpose Granular Plant Food. Getting an adequate amount of sunlight is essential for the growth of any plant. Sulfur can also be applied after planting to the soil surface but not mixed with the soil. Summer Sunset is a rabbiteye hybrid with notable red winter stem color, pink flowers, and multi-colored berries that transition from green to yellow to orange to red as they ripen to a midnight blue. The diagrams below show growth of a single blueberry bush for the first three years, with before and after pruning comparisons each February. After establishment, rabbiteye blueberries require little pruning until they reach about 4 to 6 ft in height. Pruning controls the crop to increase fruit quality. Please tell me when will be the best time. Remove low twiggy growth entirely and tip remaining shoots to remove all the flower buds (Figure 1). Growing Blueberries in the Home Garden | Ohioline If the new plant has many canes prune out all but 1-3 of the best looking ones. 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. Plants can last 10 to 15 years or longer if managed well. Apply wettable sulfur (90% S) if pH is above 5.3 for rabbiteye blueberries or 5.0 for highbush blueberries. A: Blueberries flower and fruit the heaviest on new limbs which grow horizontally. Some cultivars produce too many new shoots from the ground and require a lot of thinning, while others are less prone to sprouting. Well cover a lot here, so its probably a good idea to read this piece at least twice before tackling the job. 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. Pruning and Fertilizing Blackberries and Blueberries During the Summer Cut back the branches to the topmost points where you can find green. Are you thinking of adding some blueberry shrubs to your garden, but want to make sure they'll come back each year before you start planting? Remove dead canes first, and then remove enough old canes to open up the plants canopy again. deep in a band at least 3 to 4 ft wide. Pruning Blueberries in Home Fruit Plantings - Penn State Extension Among other things, they are high in antioxidants, have anti-aging activity, promote healthy urinary tracts, improve vision and help fight heart disease. Blueberries seldom require spraying for pests. The best time to prune is from . Are you attempting to prune your blueberry bushes this season, but aren't sure where to start? 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). Simply cut them at the base where they emerge from the ground. Establishment and Maintenance of Blueberries | Mississippi State So, these days I consider myself to be almost a homesteader. Water the plants throughout the growing season when rainfall is not adequate. 2021 Walter Reeves / The Simple Gardener, Inc. All Rights Reserved. For the best development possible of rabbiteye blueberries bushes, plant them in the absolute sunniest place possible and in a region where they won't be crippled by late spring frosts. Your goal should be to make a nice clean cut with each pruning. Some branches will end up growing low and close to the ground. Bushes 6 ft tall or taller should receive the maximum rate of 6 ounces of fertilizer per bush. 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.'. Mix wetted peat moss or milled pine bark with the soil in each planting hole (2 to 4 gallons depending on size of the hole). How to Grow Blueberries - Lawnstarter Look for shriveled branches or discolored branches. One to thing to look out for is if your blueberry bush seems overcrowded, as this will affect the speed of growth. Many southern highbush are self fertile, however, the planting of multiple varieties is still recommended for improved fruit set. Prune all branches back by about 30%-40% to encourage vigorous new growth. Do not bury too deep. Blueberry plants are also susceptible to either iron or magnesium deficiencies. When vigorous new vertical sprouts come, this fall or next spring, pinch out the tips when they reach six feet tall. This variety offers a colorful, edible landscape for novel appeal. Then, among the remaining canes, start with the older ones and prune approximately two per year back either to strong laterals or to within 1 ft of the ground. Plants require 300 to 400 chilling hours. Spacing recommendations for growing blueberries range from 12 inches between plants for lowbush blueberries to 12 feet between saskatoons. You want to plan on fertilizing them as they begin to set buds and well before the leaves are fully developed. Over a period of four or 5 years, a new rejuvenated bush framework will be developed. Irrigate with sprinklers or otherwise water regularly if rainfall is insufficient. If you can't, that part of the branch is dead. There's a great variety of options when it comes to fertilizing, but a simple approach is to use one-half cup 8-8-8 per plant for mature blackberry plants and 1 cup 8-8-8 per plant for mature blueberry bushes. Blueberry Care Guide: How to plant, grow, and care for blueberries Best Liquid Fertilizer: Neptune's Harvest FS118 Fish . For highbush (southern or northern) a spacing of 4 ft between plants in a row and 10 ft between rows is suggested. It is! My gift of gab and sense of humor via the written word keeps me busy as a copywriter and freelance blogger. Removing the least productive canes in winter will increase production elsewhere on the bush in summer. If youre new to pruning and maintaining small fruit crops, such as blueberries, youll likely encounter a few words you might be unfamiliar with. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 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. Best Selling Blueberry Bushes Assortment of 3 Blueberry Bushes for Best Cross Pollination $ 69.99 Tifblue . Whatever You Do, Don't Put Coffee Grounds in Your Garden