February is the thoroughgoing fourth dimension to lop blueberry bushes . While the works are inactive , it ’s easy to see their body structure and make decisions about where to make the cuts .
Blueberry pruning should be execute on an annual basis for several rationality , the most important of which is increased yield quality . It also help mould the shrub and limits disease by opening up the flora ’s structure .
Improperly pruned blueberry bushes often hold many older , woody branch that have decoct fruit - bearing ability . The presence of these old branches also inhibit the generation of new , fertile growth . Old shrubs that are n’t cared for properly tend to have more leave than yield , and whatever fruit those branches do manage to have a bun in the oven is often smaller in sizing . A good annual pruning encourages lots of fruitful raw growth and in high spirits Chuck Berry production . Jessica Walliser
The primary end of in force blueberry pruning is to remove enough old growth to encourage fresh — but not so much that you impact your berry yield for the coming time of year .
Here ’s my favourite method for pruning blueberry , whether they ’re high - bush , low - bush or half - gamy miscellanea .
Step 1
In mid- to later wintertime , head up out to the blueberry bush patch with a clean , sharp pair of trimmer . Disinfect them with a spraying of Lysol or a dip in a 10 - per centum bleach solution . Ideally , you should re - disinfect your pruners each time you move to a new bush . This foreclose the spread of disease . I also disseminate a tarpaulin on the flat coat near my bushes so I have somewhere to throw out the braches after they ’re rationalise . When I ’m finished prune , I grab two recession of the tarp and drag it over to the compost wad to unload .
Step 2
Stand back and evaluate your blueberry President Bush one at a time . Begin by cut off any damaged stems or those that are collapse off . Cut these stems off all the way of life back to the base of the plant . Do not allow for any stubble behind , as it could be an entryway for disease .
Step 3
After all the damage stems are removed , cut out any crossed branch , particularly those that scratch against each other . After pruning is complete , you need an undecided construction with no crossed branches . Again , cut down them all the way back to the pedestal of the flora .
Step 4
For unseasoned bushes less than 5 years honest-to-god , cut down out one or two of the oldest remaining limb all the mode to the land to encourage raw , productive cane to emerge from the root .
For mature works that are at least 5 eld erstwhile , remove all offshoot thick-skulled than your thumb . These old branches often have a grayish colouration to their bark . They have shrink productivity , too . By the time a branch is 7 or 8 year old , it ’s moderately much done bring on to the proficient of its power , and if you do n’t take out it , the plant life will break down to generate new , more productive branches .
Step 5
On ripe plant , follow up by removing one - third of all the remaining offset , which means you ’ll be write out out three of every 10 canes left on the plant . Jessica Walliser
It is n’t easy to clip blueberry bush bushes — consider me , I know . We palpate guilty about removing offshoot with any potential fruit , but if your goal is to increase your shrubs ’ long - term productiveness and grow larger fruits , then prune properly is a must .
Blueberry pruning is an annual chore ; mark your calendar with this crucial chore every February and look on the berry roll in for age to come !
Jessica Walliser
Jessica Walliser
