Most blueberry bushes grown by backyard growers are highbush varieties. Lighter pruning that selectively removes old growth and crossed branches while leaving new canes alone is generally more productive overall. Healthy plants can usually withstand as much pruning as you like, although aggressive pruning can certainly reduce the plant’s ability to produce fruit during the upcoming growing season. The main purpose of annual blueberry pruning is to remove unproductive canes right down to the ground. This winter pruning process also helps improve air circulation around the base of the shoots, which promotes plant health and makes room for future cane growth. Annual pruning helps the plant produce berries by removing the oldest canes and their vegetative buds. Mature blueberry plants are pruned each year in late winter or early spring. Backyard blueberry growers can also pinch off the flowers for the first 2-3 years to encourage the plant towards vegetative growth rather than fruiting. Pruning young plants is limited to trimming off dead branches, removing diseased stems, and cutting back any damaged shoots. These small plants can be left to their own devices in the garden for about 3 years after planting. Most blueberry bushes are sold as 1-year-old or 2-year-old plants grown from cuttings. ![]() Young blueberry bushes don’t require much pruning at all. Cut them back to live growth as soon as possible. Dead branches can be trimmed off any time of year. Stems that are dead, damaged, or diseased can be pruned off any time of year and should be removed as soon as observed. You can also prune blueberry bushes in early spring. You can generally also observe any winter injury and take the opportunity to remove dead wood to make room for new cane growth. The shrubs are dormant and have dropped their leaves, making it easy to see the exposed form of the branches. The best time to prune blueberriesīlueberry bushes are best pruned in late winter. Taller blueberry bushes are usually pruned by completely removing a portion of the old stems down to the ground, while lowbush varieties are more commonly cut back to the ground entirely every few years. Pruning blueberry bushes varies with the type of blueberry plant due to the differing size of the species. Rabbiteye blueberries can tower well over 10 feet high! Most cultivated blueberry varieties are highbush blueberry plants. Highbush blueberries, on the other hand, can grow 5-6 feet tall.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |