Blueberry Plant Pruning How To Prune Blueberries

Prune out all the dead, diseased wood. Remove crossing stems and any crossing or particularly spindly-looking branches. Then remove any low branches that will touch the ground when fruit-laden. Blueberries have a shallow, spreading root system and suckers can sprout up some distance from the bush.

When should Blueberries be pruned?

The optimum time to prune blueberries is in late winter to early spring after the chance of severe cold is over and before new growth has begun. At this time, it is easy to assess how much, if any, winter injury has occurred as well as how many fruit buds are present.

Should I prune back my blueberry bushes?

To keep them producing well, blueberry bushes need to be pruned every year. ... You want the bush to have a narrow base and a wide, open top that allows sunlight and air in. The best time to prune blueberry bushes is late winter while they're still dorant.

How do I prune blueberry bushes?

Here are the steps in properly prune blueberry bushes:

Visually observe the blueberry bush.
Imagine what the plant should look like when pruning is completed.
Look for the strongest canes with the best flower buds and save them.
Remove all diseased and broken canes.
Remove dead twigs.

Are used coffee grounds good for blueberry bushes?

Coffee grounds are a good source of nitrogen for blueberry bushes, says the University of Minnesota Extension, so don't throw away your grounds next time you make a pot of joe.

How do you rejuvenate blueberry plants?

When rejuvenating an old planting, remove one or two old canes for every five or six younger canes. In following years, remove up to 20% of the wood until new cane growth occurs. Keep only 2 or 3 new canes and continue to remove up to 20% of the oldest canes.

What is the best fertilizer for blueberries?

Blackberries respond well to any nitrogen-rich fertilizer, but blueberries require fertilizers with an ammonium form of nitrogen such as urea, sulfur-coated urea, ammonium sulfate, or cottonseed meal. Any fertilizer sold for azaleas or rhododendrons also works well for blueberries.

How tall should blueberry bushes be?

The bushes can grow up to 12 feet tall, but most peak at about 6 feet. In the spring, clusters of beautiful white blossoms pop up all over the bushes and are pollinated by bees.

How do you winterize blueberry bushes?

Protect the blueberry bush from cold winter winds and ice damage by wrapping it in burlap. Start at the top of the plant and cover the bush with burlap, pinning the material together. Continue wrapping until the entire bush is covered. Leave the burlap on the blueberry bush until spring.

Do blueberries like full sun?

Blueberries need full sun. Blueberries require acidic soil. Plant two or more varieties for successful pollination.

Do blueberries fruit on old or new wood?

Understanding Blueberry Fruit Production

A blueberry bush grows canes which then produce branches and side-shoots. The fruit is produced on the tips of side-shoots which were new the previous year. (In essence, fruit is produced on year-old wood.) The most productive canes are around three years old.

What time of year do you fertilize blueberries?

When to Fertilize Blueberries

Fertilizing is recommended in early spring before the leaves have grown in. This gives the fertilizer time to be absorbed by the roots of the blueberry before it enters its active growth stage during summer. Feed new plants once in early spring and again in late spring.

Do blueberry plants spread?

Blueberry plants will gradually spread from their growing location through a process called suckering. New, fast-growing shoots grow out of the soil from the main root cluster a few inches from the main clump. ... After one or two growing seasons, the suckers can be carefully severed from the main root clump and replanted.

Can you put Epsom salt on blueberries?

Blueberries are acid lovers and will respond well to the addition of coffee grounds, wood ash, or Epsom salts. Watering the ground around the blueberries with a solution of one tablespoon of white vinegar to one gallon of water can also increase soil acidity.

Are eggshells good for blueberry plants?

Save your eggshells and turn them into a natural acidic fertilizer loved by Blueberries, Roses, Azaleas, and Hibiscus. Eggshells are almost 100% calcium carbonate, one of the main ingredients in agricultural lime, which increases the pH of acidic soil. Save your eggshells and allow them to dry.

How do you care for blueberry bushes?

Water blueberry plants during the day. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Give them at least 1" per week during growing season and up to 4" per week during fruit ripening. Keep the soil moist to a depth of 1".

How long does a blueberry plant last?

How long do blueberry bushes typically live? With proper care and in the right environment, blueberry bushes live 50 years or more.

Why is my blueberry plant not fruiting?

Another cause may have been a lack of new growth on the blueberry plant. This is a common cause for mature blueberry plants not bearing blueberries; they may have one high-yield, "over-fruiting" year that stunts their new growth and results in poor fruiting the following year.

How far do blueberry roots spread?

In general, blueberry roots do not extend very far from the plant. In most soils, 50% to 60% of the roots are located in the top foot of soil and are within 8 to 12 inches from the crown.

How can I make my soil more acidic for blueberries?

One method is to add sphagnum peat around the base of the blueberry plant about once a year. Used coffee grounds can also be used. Another method for lowering blueberry soil pH is to make sure you are fertilizing your blueberries with an acidic fertilizer.

Can you use Miracle Grow on blueberry bushes?

Blueberry bushes will grow strong and prolific when you use Miracle-Gro® soil and plant food together to create the ideal nutrition-filled growing environment. ... Doing this won't just feed your blueberry bushes, but will also feed the microbes in the soil that help your plants take in all the nutrition they need.

Is cow manure good for blueberries?

We recommend using Black Kow Cow Manure or pine nuggets. Specifically, pine nuggets will increase the acidity of the soil, which blueberries love! When installing your blueberry bushes, dig a hole that is 1.5 times the size of the pot.