Prune all branches back by about 30%-40% to encourage vigorous new growth. The guiding principle behind blueberry pruning is to constantly renew . In this article, amateur gardener Jason White helps troubleshoot why your blueberry plant has this problem, and how to fix it. Fruit-wood these are canes that are capable of bearing fruit. A previous study showed greater vigor in blueberry plants treated with phosphorous acid. Crossovers are canes that may meander and tangle through the bush. The plant must have time after pruning to produce new wood and have it mature enough to develop fruit buds for the next spring's crop. For mature, full-size blueberry bushes, apply 2 to 3 cups per bush per year to supply adequate nutrients. Gloves are always a good idea when pruning. For more than a century, we've provided research and education through a I get conflicting information on the proper time to prune. 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. In March and July of the second year apply 2 ounces of 10-10-10 or 12-4-8 or 3 to 4 ounces of azalea special fertilizer (4-8-8). resources. You dont need any fancy tools to prune a blueberry bush. Why? Thin out the remaining stems by removing those that are spindly, leaving the stronger, thicker stems to produce the berries. Many southern highbush are self fertile, however, the planting of multiple varieties is still recommended for improved fruit set. 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. This is a mistake! Dont let your plants bear more than a few clusters of fruit until they're at least three years old. Plant one blueberry bush per pot. Growing Blueberries in the Home Garden Transplant the same depth as the plants grew in the nursery. Expect to remove at least a third of the flower buds during pruning. A small amount of frozen berries can be removed from the container and washed afterward. Prune blueberries yearly for more fruit | OSU Extension Service All rights reserved. September, October Apply mulch for winter protection and enjoy fall color. 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. However, if your goal is to cultivate a plant with maximum fruit production, its best to remove these runners. They are smaller and more heat tolerant than high bush blueberries. Also, in the second season . The bush may be allowed to produce a few berries in year two, however the goal is still to promote vegetative growth that will build the structure of the bush for years to come. 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). However, it is the largest fruited rabbiteye variety that has been developed to date. By Liessa Bowen If your soil tests low or medium in phosphorus, use 10-10-10. Plants can last 10 to 15 years or longer if managed well. Thats always an important consideration, especially if you grow your bushes in pots where nutrients are used quicker. We were always busy. Pruning should be done at least once a year to keep the bushes healthy and to prevent them from being over-pruned. Browse and purchase gardening books by Walter Reeves, plus select titles by other authors. All About Growing Blueberries - Mother Earth News Rita Pelczar is a lifelong gardener and experienced horticulturist. Blueberry bushes must have acidic soil between 4.0 and 5.0 is ideal. When you're pruning your blueberry bush ensure to find the perfect balance of leaving a mix of old and new growth - only removing the parts of the plant that are overcrowded, dead or diseased. Georgia Dawn: PP16756. Please tell me when will be the best time. Not only that but they are meant to be cared for in a specific manner. Once a year, plan to use the following steps to guide you as you remove the least productive twigs. Step 2: Prune at the Right Time. Make sure and purchase the type of blueberry most suitable to the intended growing area. Dig a planting hole at least twice as large as the blueberry plant root system. During the first year of establishment, and after leaves emerge and new growth begins (late March to early April), apply 2 ounces of azalea special fertilizer (4-8-8) or 1 ounce of 12-4-8 or 10-10-10 per plant. It's a time-release amendment and comes in a 50-pound bag. UGA Extension is not responsible for any damages, costs, liability, or risk associated with any use, functionality, and/or content of the website translations. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Most blueberry plants don't need to be cut back at all at planting time. Blueberries require a lower pH than many other small fruit crops. Pruning blueberries is a fairly simple process. For trimming blueberry bushes, you should remove any lower growth to prevent fruits from settling on the ground. They will start to appear woody after the first year or two. You can, of course, use loppers if you already have them; they may be handy for pruning thicker branches and reaching into larger bushes. How to Prune a Blueberry Bush. Do not bury too deep. Any damage to evergreens should be obvious in the form of brown foliage. One of the first things to do is clean up the crown. Blueberry fruiting buds are on the outermost 2-3 inches of the stems. Freely prune these back to a thicker healthy cane stem. For highbush (southern or northern) a spacing of 4 ft between plants in a row and 10 ft between rows is suggested. Better Homes & Gardens - 100 years of powering your passions at home. After harvest, go out and This could be any time after leaf drop to late winter. After the third year, a mature cultivated blueberry plant has 15-18 canes which originate from the crown. Mistake #2: Not checking the soil before planting your blueberries. One of the advantages of home garden blueberry plants is they seldom require spraying for insects or diseases in most areas of the state. February Is a Great Time to Prune Blueberries! Learn how to prune blueberry bushes in this blog for better crops and delicious blueberries. Find out what Extension has for you! 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. 4 min read. 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. Its name refers to its tall stature. A set of sharp handheld pruning shears are really all you need. When planting, make sure to plant your blueberry bushes at the same level they were planted in the container and water well after planting. Do Blueberry Shrubs Need Full Sun, Partial Shade or Full Shade? If your blueberry bushes have been around a while, you have probably watched them grow, flower, produce fruit, and spread. How and When to Prune Blueberry Shrubs Leaf bud a bud that will produce leaves. If you want to ensure your Lowbush Blueberry continues to yield a decent harvest and has a healthy bloom, pruning the shrub after harvesting every other year is recommended. Looking to find out how big blueberry bushes get before you add them to your garden this season? Fertilization is an important practice of maintaining plant health. Leaving the thicker canes will also give you more berries in the long run. If you need copy that grabs your readers by the eyeballs and keeps them glued to your page, then Im your gal. 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! Set healthy 2 or 3-year old plants in early spring. Where Will Blueberries Grow Best in Your Garden? When Do You Prune Blueberry Bushes? (Detailed Guide) Are Blueberry Shrubs Considered Annual, Biennial, or Perennial Plants? Cut taller stems to the height you desire, making the cut just above a bud or side stem. Blueberries are simple to plant: Water the plant thoroughly. A standard spacing for rabbiteye blueberries is 5 to 6 ft between plants in a row and 11 to 12 ft between rows. Hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 . . Blueberries like our typical acidic soil and need a soil pH of 4.5 to 5.2. Pruning Blueberry bushes should be pruned annually in the dormant season to remove any dead, diseased, damaged and . Berry pruning basics | OSU Extension Service BA1 1UA. Essentially, you have then automatically . Heres how it works. When growing blueberries in containers, you will prune them in much the same way, except when they need to be repotted. These old canes become unproductive; removing them opens up the center to air and light and stimulates new shoots that will bear the next years crop. Young plants require little pruning for the first two to three years. |, An Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Veteran, Disability Institution, County and Club Meetings, Environmental Education, Livestock Programs, Project Achievement, Summer Camp, Aquaculture, Beef, Bees, Dairy, Equine, Small Ruminants, Poultry & Eggs, Swine, Invasive Species, Pollution Prevention, Forestry, Water & Drought, Weather & Climate, Wildlife, Adult & Family Development, Infant, Child and Teen Development, Money, Housing & Home Environment, Corn, Cotton, Forages, Hemp, Peanuts, Small Grains, Soybeans, Tobacco, Turfgrass, Food Preservation, Commercial & Home Food Safety, Food Science & Manufacturing, Nutrition and Health, Blueberries, Grapes, Ornamental Horticulture, Onions, Peaches, Pecans, Small Fruits, Vegetables, Home Gardens, Lawn Care, Ornamentals, Landscaping, Animal Diseases and Parasites, Ants, Termites, Lice, and Other Pests, Nuisance Animals, Plant Pest and Disease Management, Weeds. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It is important to know which branches to remove and which to keep. You will also need to place the rows 11 to 12 feet apart. In the second year, remove only dead or damaged branches. 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. The goal is to avoid fruit production entirely. The most suitable time for pruning branches is the middle of winter when the bush is dormant. Revised by D. S. NeSmith, Research HorticulturistOriginal manuscript by G.W. After planting, remove all flower buds and all weak or broken wood from the plants. Prune to open up the interior of the bush to sunlight and to remove low growth, forcing the bush upright. However, if they have weak or broken stems, these should be removed. How to Grow Blueberries in Georgia for Optimum Growth Horticulture, Extension Horticulturist - Fruit Crops, Once its had a week to recover, go back and trim out any thin growth near the crown. How to Grow & Care for Blueberries in Containers - The Spruce Bath When to prune a blueberry bush: how to look after it encourage new growth of fruiting canes older canes produce less fruit, so we want to prune both to remove older growth and to encourage new growth as the bush ages. 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 . Mature canes can be up to two inches in diameter, so long-handled loppers capable of cutting large stems are essential. To apply, select a warmer day in the early spring, as the temperature helps bacteria decompose the sulfur. Hybrids will be somewhere in between. They will fill in nicely in the coming season. The blueberry plant is no exception, but there are important considerations when fertilizing blueberries. 946, The University of Georgia 2022 | All rights reserved. To get an annual crop, you should divide your planting in half and mow one half every other year. If your blueberry bush's leaves turn a reddish yellow color, especially near the edges of the leaves, this is most likely a magnesium deficiency. Leaf buds grow further down the cane and are slimmer and more pointed, growing closer to the cane. Prune blueberry bushes to ensure healthy crops. My gift of gab and sense of humor via the written word keeps me busy as a copywriter and freelance blogger. Refer to a sulfur application chart for exact amounts for your specific pH. The best time to prune a blueberry bush is before it buds, which is usually towards the end of winter into the beginning of spring. With a little planning and preparation, blueberry plants are easy to grow. And do they even need to be pruned? Climax, Premier, and Vernon may flower too early for growing in the mountain regions, resulting in frequent spring frost/freeze damage. Lets tackle that first. A weed-free area of at least 3 ft by 3 ft is beneficial. If the site is excessively wet, plant on a raised bed 6 to 12 in. This spacing may seem excessive, but blueberry bushes . 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. 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. 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. Apply ounce of a 10-10-10 fertilizer in a band around the plant 6 to 12 inches from the crown. Early and mid-season northern highbush varieties ripen ahead of the earliest rabbiteyes in the mountain region. Pruning should be done during the dormant season. Visit our corporate site. Some cultivars produce too many new shoots from the ground and require a lot of thinning, while others are less prone to sprouting. (Its easier to make than you think.). For anyone who loves blueberries, these fruiting shrubs are a rewarding addition to a sunny landscape. After all, they get along just fine out in the woods; why not let nature take its course in your garden as well? Blueberry Fertilizer: How and When to Feed Blueberries - Savvy Gardening 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. To avoid reaching this stage, thin canes by making cuts to selectively remove clumps of twiggy, brushy-looking, matchstick-sized laterals. Pruning Blueberries | University of Maryland Extension - UMD If your soil tests very high in phosphorus, use 12-4-8. These basic hand-pruning steps can be used with any blueberry bush. In this article, gardening expert Liessa Bowen walks through how to prune blueberry shrubs in just a few easy steps! 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. Since nitrogen is generally the only nutrient needed, ammonium sulfate (21% N) or urea (45% N) are used as the principal fertilizers. Among other things, they are high in antioxidants, have anti-aging activity, promote healthy urinary tracts, improve vision and help fight heart disease. July Harvest. Pruning should be done while the plants are dormant. The rates, timing, and type of fertilizer should be common knowledge for the grower. In this article, gardening expert Liessa Bowen examines if these popular shrubs are considered annual, biennial, or perennial plants. New, more productive canes will sprout from the old canes and will sprout below ground level. Duke blueberry plants need acidic soil in which to thrive. Heres How to Fix it! Planting. Best Selling Blueberry Bushes Assortment of 3 Blueberry Bushes for Best Cross Pollination $ 69.99 Tifblue . Lets jump in, shall we? STEP THREE:Open the center. Always prune or rub off all flower buds and cut back 1/2 to 2/3 of the height at the time of planting. Its best to visualize the finished shape youre going for before you start making cuts. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Some flower buds may be allowed to produce fruit in year two if the bush grew vigorously in year one. While blueberries dont have thorns, old growth can be scratchy, and it can be uncomfortable reaching into the bush barehanded. Blueberries seldom require spraying for pests. Yield reduction via flower bud removal always occurs when winter pruning is done properly. Keep 2-3 year-old plants healthy by removing broken, diseased, crossing, or spindly growth. 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.'. These are discouraged for use in the colder mountain regions of the state. Prune blueberry plants about one-third of the distance to the ground, and remove branches that impede airflow. We have faculty and staff in every county across the state that are available to assist you. Generally, success with highbush can be improved by following these additional suggestions: Status and Revision History Mound soil over the exposed upper root ball. Two of the newest varieties are Blue Suede and Summer Sunset. Every year, you will probably notice a few smaller branches with no leaves or buds. Vernon also has large berries. Obtain your plants in time for winter transplanting. If youre new to pruning and maintaining small fruit crops, such as blueberries, youll likely encounter a few words you might be unfamiliar with. This encourages strong root growth so it will become well-established and healthy. There are actually plenty of small fruit trees you can plant, depending on your hardiness zone. In each dormant cycle, you will want to selectively remove the weakest and least desirable branches. Krewer, Extension Horticulturist. 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. In the end, this simple task will ensure your plants remain healthy for many years to come. Bushes 6 ft tall or taller should receive the maximum rate of 6 ounces of fertilizer per bush. works very well. Pruning controls the crop to increase fruit quality. Pruning . All About Gardening 2023 All Rights Reserved. During the fourth year, the dormant plants should be pruned in mid-March. For maximum growth and a healthy plant, explore our step by step guide on when to prune a blueberry bush. Remove dead canes first, and then remove enough old canes to open up the plants canopy again. How To Make Nettle Leaf Powder & Why You Really Should, 7 Reasons Why Determinate Tomatoes Are Better Than Indeterminate Tomatoes. With a little effort, these "wonder berries" can be produced by home gardeners throughout Georgia. Cane these are what we call stems that are at least a year old. I grew up spending weekends on my dads off-the-grid homestead. You'll find out if they perform better in full sun, partial shade, or fully shaded garden areas. She shares her enthusiasm for growing plants and environmentally responsible practices through teaching, coaching, and extensive writing. Ive been a knitter since age seven, and I spin and dye my own wool as well. Remove these low-lying branches, and also any canes that angle through the bush (crossovers). Prune newly set bushes as previously indicated in Figure 1. 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. Instead, the plant needs to funnel its energy to the roots. Garden Guides | Blueberry Plants Wet winter weather points to active mosquito season ahead, Begin the new year by starting plants from seed. Blueberry-growing presents a challenge because the plants require soils that are acid, well-drained, loose and high in organic matter. The goal is to have a blueberry bush with an equal mix of old and new canes to ensure a good harvest. Blueberry shoot growth from the crowns in early spring. Blueberry Bushes | Huge Variety | Grow in Your Zone - PlantingTree New plants need different pruning and care than older, established plants. In this article, gardening expert Liessa Bowen looks at some of the fastest-growing fruit trees you can plant. TyTy Nursery on How to Grow Atlanta's Iconic Blueberries Look for and remove suckers that may have sprouted some distance from the main plant. Adding fertilizer this early in the season gives the bushes plenty of time to absorb all of the nutrients. Suggested Blueberry Fertilization Timings and Rates Prune blueberries in late winter and early spring, when plants are dormant. Q: I have over one hundred rabbiteye blueberry plants, some almost 20 years old, and they need pruning. How to Prune Blueberries: 14 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow The leaves collect energy from the sun for photosynthesis, which allows the plant to make and store the energy it needs to produce new canes and buds lots of blueberries.