I wait until the leaves just begin to emerge, that's standard operating procedure for subshrubs and certain not-so-sub shrubs. Also, I find it difficult to prune these tastefully, which for me means pruned in such a way that it doesn't look like they've been pruned at all. Branch stubs really spoil the look of this plant, imho, so I generally cut them pretty close to the ground. I'll have to try pinching, that might control the shape without leaving stubs, but doesn't it encourage that right-angle branching that makes this plant look a bit ... frenetic? Waiting for the flowers is no problem here, because I'm relying on them to flower after most other plants are done for the season; earlier isn't always better. Mine reseed flagrantly, so I'm a little cavalier in how I treat them. I've got about a dozen, in various shades of blue and purple, all offspring of a white hybrid. I gave away the parent plant because it required daily dead-heading to not look messy during its peak season; the darker colors don't have this problem.

Agreed, BB's should be left alone until you see new growth in the spring. Yours looks fantastic! Great job! Those pieces on the ground each want to grow a new bush for you... (enable, enable...) Mine were green all winter and one of them has buds that should open in the next few days. It's wild how early everything is happening in most places. I swear when I lived in OH (5b), it was the norm for BB's to just start showing leaves about this time, mid-April. Am I remembering correctly? Since BB's produce buds on old and new growth, and they do it rapidly all summer, there shouldn't be any fear about removing buds or delaying flowering, especially in this, the year without a winter. Even mid-summer when I'm deadheading, I'm very generous with the cuts when I see weaker, smaller buds in front of a much more robust node, and usually remove that inferior set. Once the branches get too long, they seem to lose their oomph. Still end up with a bush that's taller than me.

Maybe better pruning a little late than too soon. I pruned mine back too early when we were having weather in the 70's back in March and almost killed them. The warm weather went on for so long that I thought it was going to stay that way (it didn't). Anyway, I agree with horster and I'd say to prune yours and have blooms a little bit later than usual, but they will bloom. Cathy

Here are few blueberry experts advice and discussions on blueberry pruning that might interests you to finalize your plan.... http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1475683/how-to-prune-shb-blueberries-after-fruiting?n=3 http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1491547/should-i-prune-these-blueberry-bushes-pics?n=13 http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1462188/prune-bareroot-blueberry-immediately-after-planting?n=12