Pruning Blueberries
Blueberry bushes grow quickly and densely. Unfortunately, more growth does not lead to more fruit. Thinning your blueberry bush is the only way to get a good harvest of fat, juicy blueberries. Removing dead and damaged branches will only get you half way there, however. The art lies in knowing which healthy shoots to cut away and which ones to leave. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Prune at the right time. Do all your pruning during the winter, when the plant is in hibernation. The best time to prune may vary a little by region, but January or February is usually just right.
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Cut away damaged shoots. Cut away anything that looks damaged or diseased. Remove the broken shoots along with dead ones.
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Prune shoots that are too low to the ground. Any shoot that will actually touch the ground when it becomes weighed-down with fruit should be pruned.
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Cut away old canes. Canes that are 7 years old or older generally start to produce less fruit. Cutting these away will make the younger shoots more productive. Be careful to not remove more than 2 or 3 mature canes in a year, however.
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Prune to get the right shape. You want your blueberry bush to be tight at the base and spread out at the top, with an open center. Removing older canes and cutting back some shoots in the center will help to train the plant to the right shape.
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Thin the plant out. Having too much dense growth will actually decrease the amount of fruit you get. Prune shoots that are pushing against other shoots, particularly if some of them are diseased or dead.
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Notice when your blueberry is in decline. Blueberry bushes tend to peek about 8-10 years after planting. After that peak, they will slowly start to decline, giving you less fruit every year. At that point, you might want to start thinking about getting a new blueberry.
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Tips & Warnings
Have several blueberries going at the same time, staggered by a few years. Blueberries go through different stages, so you can apply what you learn from the first one to the second and third one.
Don't overdo it. When you are first starting with blueberries, prune conservatively and err on the side of caution.
