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Fruit & Orchards

PRUNING High Bush Blueberries

14 years ago

HI there, I have about 12 High bush Blueberris, and I know they need pruning. They are about 6 or 7 years old. I do realize that the old canes need to be removed, as well as any crossing canes, or overcrowding and diseased growth. My question is about the remaining healthy canes. Do I cut them back a bit?? and if so, how many inches from the tip should I cut them?? Or do I leave them alone. I don't want to ruin the bush or minimize the amount of blueberries for next year. I have clusters of big blueberries that are weighing the plant down and some flopping over a bit at the top from the weight.

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Comments (2)

jellyman
14 years ago
Flowersnhens:

If you are completely removing older, woody canes, and watching for diseased growth, you are doing the right things.

It would be nice to be able to prune back the long producing canes, but unfortunately if you do you will remove the prime fruiting areas of the bushes. You could prune them down in the dormant season if you are willing to essentially forgo your blueberry crop for the following spring and summer. The plants would then regenerate fruiting areas at a lower altitude, but only after a year.

Once the load of the fruit is removed, the canes will normally recover their former erect status, and until that time the best way to deal with them is to stake or tie them up if that is possible.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA
flowersnhens
Original Author
14 years ago
Hi Don,,Okay, Thank you, I appreciate the help. I will leave them alone and just stake them up better after removing the old canes.

Take care, Flowersnhens
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