Pruning the Blueberry Bushes
Pruning chores continue at my Bedford, New York farm.
I love growing berries and have been growing them for many years. I grow raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, gooseberries, currants, and of course, blueberries - those plump, juicy, sweet fruits that are low in fat, yet packed with vitamin-C and antioxidants. My blueberry bushes produce an abundance of fruit every summer, but they do need some maintenance to keep them productive. This week, my gardeners, Ryan McCallister and Brian O'Kelly, pruned all the blueberry bushes. Pruning produces larger berries in greater volumes, ensures good air circulation and light throughout the plants, and helps to control diseases that might otherwise spread through the patch.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- Blueberries are among the most popular berries for eating. Here in the United States, they are second only to strawberries.
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- Blueberries produce from early summer through late fall – we pick cartons and cartons of blueberries each year, eat some fresh, and then freeze the rest for use throughout the seasons.
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- I planted this blueberry patch more than 10-years ago – here, the bushes are just about two feet tall. They are located near my flower garden and large Equipment Barn, next to my grove of quince trees. The posts are the same 18th-century Chinese granite uprights I use for the clematis pergola, my apple espaliers, and to support my raspberry bushes.
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- Over the years, they’ve developed very nicely. And just before these blueberry bushes are laden with fruits in summer, we place a net over the pergola to protect the developing berries from all the birds. The netting covers the blueberry bushes on all sides and on the top.
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- Here is what the bushes looked like just before pruning. I asked Ryan and Brian to prune all three rows so the outer rows were within the pergola posts. I also instructed them to trim the middle row a bit shorter, so ample light could get to all the plants.
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- Here is a view from inside the patch – it is very crowded and in need of a good trim.
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- Blueberry bushes have glossy leaves that are green or bluish-green from spring through summer. The leaves are ovate, in an irregular oval or slightly egg shape that is wider at the bottom than the top.
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- In fall, the leaves turn red or take on some reddish hints before falling.
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- Pruning blueberries is an essential chore for several reasons. Proper pruning maintains an open growth habit, opens the center of the plant to sunlight, and reduces disease. Annual pruning also maintains productivity by encouraging the growth of new fruit-producing stems. Brian begins by cutting off any dead, diseased, or damaged branches. He cuts the stems off all the way back to where they join a thicker branch.
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- Brian also makes sure all his tools are extremely sharp, so they make clean cuts.
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- Here is a trimmed dead branch – noticeable because it is hollow inside.
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- It’s also a good idea to keep all pruning tools disinfected to avoid the spread of any disease.
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- The goal of good blueberry pruning is to remove enough old growth to encourage the production of new. Brian is able to prune most of the branches with his secateurs.
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- For larger branches, Brian uses our Fiskars 28-inch Bypass Lopper. The lopper can cut branches that are one to one-3/4 inches thick.
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- It’s easy to discern an old blueberry branch from a new one – the newer branches are pliable and dark in color, while the old branches are rough-barked and lighter in color.
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- When pruning, cut about one-third of the branches all the way down to the ground to stimulate new stems to emerge from the roots.
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- And for even thicker branches or those that cannot be accessed with the loppers, Brian uses a hand saw. Here, he cuts one of two crossed branches. It is important to do this particularly if one is rubbing against another. And be sure to cut crossed branches off all the way down to the base of the plant.
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- Here’s just one load of pruned branches ready to be taken to our chipping pile.
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- The middle row looks so much better already – no more overcrowding. Blueberry shrubs are actually extremely hardy. Some varieties survive down to minus-35 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact, blueberries need a set number of hours below 45-degrees in order for their flower buds to open and produce berries. Without ample cold weather, blueberries do not produce fruit.
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- And here are the blueberry bushes all pruned. One can see how much better they look. Pruning takes some time, but the benefits are great. With good, regular pruning and maintenance, our bushes are sure to produce a bounty of fruits year after year.
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