How to Prune Blueberries for the Winter

Pruning blueberry bushes ensures higher quality fruit.

Specialists from the North Carolina State University Department of Horticulture recommend pruning blueberry bushes to maximize future fruit yields and promote plant growth. Late winter is the optimum time to prune blueberries; the bushes are dormant during this time and flower buds are visible. This makes it easy to determine the plant's potential fruit yield and prune accordingly.

Things You'll Need

• Long-handled pruning loppers
• Small, one-hand pruning loppers

Instructions

1. Using your small loppers, cut off the terminal branches of young plants to remove fruit buds. Young (1- to 3-year-old) plants shouldn't be allowed to bear fruit, since it can stunt plant growth and reduce future yields. You don't need to do any additional pruning on young bushes.

2. Use your long-handled pruning loppers to prune all low-spreading branches, as well as weak canes toward the center of the plant.

3. Prune any diseased or infested canes, cutting below the point of damage.

4. Thin the top of the plant by pruning 20 percent of the shorter, thinner shoots.

References

• NC State University: Principles of Pruning the Highbush Blueberry
• University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension: Pruning Blueberries