Growing blueberries in your home garden may be enjoyable. Blueberries picked directly from the bush taste very fresh. Aside from the initial challenges of establishing a new plantation, there are few pests that infest blueberry bushes.

Proper weeding, fertilization, insect and disease control, and proper pruning help ensure quality fruit at harvest. So how do you prune a blueberry bush? This article will work with you to find out.

OVERVIEW

Learning to master the art and science of pruning blueberries takes time and practice.

Make sure to prune your blueberry bushes each year to maintain the size and shape of your bushes to maximize fruit production and improve overall fruit quality. The ultimate test of pruning efforts is properly sized, delicious berries year after year.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO PRUNE BLUEBERRY BUSHES?

The largest, most flavorful blueberries are usually found on firm, newer canes in the upper half of the bush and in a more upright position.

Any pruning of blueberry bushes, especially mature bushes, is necessary for successful blueberry production.

Blueberry bushes that are not pruned each year may become overgrown and less harvested (Figure 1).

Proper training of blueberries is essential to maintain plant size, shape, and productivity.

During the first two years, it is important to train young blueberry bushes to promote proper plant structure in order to maximize fruit production.

WHAT ARE THE STEPS FOR SUCCESSFUL BLUEBERRY BUSH PRUNING?

The following are steps for proper blueberry bush pruning.

Thus, blueberry pruning is a continuous renewal process in which old canes are removed to promote new, sturdy and more upright growth. Please refer to (Figure 2) and (Figure 3).

Visually observe the blueberry bush.
Imagine how the plant will look when pruning is complete.
Find the strongest canes with the strongest buds and save them.
Remove any diseased and broken canes.
Remove dead branches.
Remove canes that are more than seven years old.
Remove weak and twisted canes with many buds.
Keep sturdy canes with many large flower buds.
Remove short, low canes.
Very prune every few years to rejuvenate the bush.

ARE INDIVIDUAL BLUEBERRY VARIETIES PRUNED DIFFERENTLY?

Yes, the different blueberry varieties should be pruned completely. Most gardeners in the United States grow tall bush blueberries.

Upright growing varieties can benefit from cane thinning at the top. More bowed varieties can benefit from shortening the long stems, resulting in a more compact bush. Bush varieties can benefit from canes with thinner canopies.

CAN I PRUNE YOUNG BLUEBERRIES WITH OLDER MATURE BUSHES?

CAN I PRUNE YOUNG BLUEBERRIES WITH OLDER MATURE BUSHES?
Younger bushes usually do not require as much pruning to remove unwanted vegetation.

One or two cuts to remove low hanging and weaker canes are sufficient. The key to pruning young plants is to concentrate on establishing the entire plant structure, which will make the bush fruitful for several years.

Mature bushes usually require more selective cutting to maintain the desired shape, plant structure, and productive fruiting wood.

Bushes aged 7 years and older require some removal of mature canes to maintain a balance between older canes that are losing productivity and younger canes that are not yet in full production. Mature bushes should be mixed with canes of different ages.

HOW SHOULD I PRUNE OVERGROWN, OVERGROWN BLUEBERRY BUSHES?

Blueberry bushes should be rejuvenated to increase fruit production and maintain the proper shape. This may require removing several old canes and pruning the bush to fit the desired shape.

If annual pruning has not been done for several years, then restoring the bush will be a big challenge.

The first method is to remove any diseased or broken branches. Second, depending on the total number, the oldest two to three canes should be removed to open up the plant structure.

Like any blueberry bush, the center of the plant should be open from direct sunlight and airflow. The bottom of the bush (at the top of the root crown) should be tighter than the middle to the top of the bush. All branches that touch and cross should be removed.

WHAT TOOLS ARE USED FOR PRUNING?

Hand tools (e.g. lawnmowers, hand pruners, and hand saws) can be used to efficiently remove all unwanted wood from the blueberry bushes.

Choose the appropriate tool to remove the wood as cleanly as possible to avoid unnecessary damage to the plant. Hand pruning shears can be used to effectively remove one year’s worth of wood.

If the wood is two or three years old, it is recommended that a mower or saw be used to cut through heavier wood.