Pruning the Blueberry Bushes at My Farm
Many gardening chores are best done in winter when the plants are dormant. Among them - pruning.
Here at my Bedford, New York farm, I grow a lot of berries - 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. Not long ago, just before the season's first snow storms in the area, my gardener, Brian O'Kelly, pruned 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.
-
- Blueberries are among the most popular berries for eating. Here in the United States, they are second only to strawberries. During summer, we pick boxes and boxes of these sweet, delicious fruits.
-
- Blueberries produce from early summer through late fall. We eat some fresh, and then freeze the rest for use throughout the seasons.
-
- Blueberries are ready when they are completely blue. One may want to pick them as soon as they turn, but it’s actually best a few days later, when there are absolutely no hints of pink or green on the fruits.
-
- 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.
-
- And just before these blueberry bushes are laden with fruits, 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.
-
- I planted this blueberry patch more than 12-years ago. This is what the bushes look like in summer, when they are full of foliage and fruit. They grow very well here.
-
- This is what they looked like before pruning. When pruning, we always make sure the outer rows are within the pergola posts. Here, it is easy to see how much growth has occurred.
-
- In winter, flower buds are easily visible on one-year-old wood and their numbers can be adjusted by pruning to regulate the crop load for the coming year.
-
- New growth shows visible swelling of the flower buds. It also indicates good healthy plants. This stage can also tolerate cold temperatures.
-
- When pruning, Brian uses these Okatsune pruners – they are very dependable and long lasting. Everyone on my crew has a pair.
-
- Flor slightly larger branches up to two-inches in diameter, Brian uses his trusted STIHL bypass loppers.
-
- 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.
-
- Brian also makes sure all his tools are extremely sharp, so they make clean cuts.
-
- The goal of good blueberry pruning is to remove enough old growth to encourage the production of new.
-
- 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. 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.
-
- Brian also checks for any crisscrossed branches or ones that are rubbing. He goes through each bush carefully as he prunes.
-
- These bushes look so much better already – no more overcrowding and all within the granite posts.
-
- 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.
-
- Every so often, Brian steps back to see the work he has done and to assess where he must trim next.
-
- Here are pruned branches ready to be taken to our chipping pile. 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.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
