Growth varies by variety. Those that send up long unbranched canes can be pinched back. Yours are growing nicely. It won't hurt anything to pinch the tips. That's better than them growing so tall that they flop over. If they flop this yr without fruit they'll be flat on the ground next yr when those same canes are heavy with fruit.

The flower buds form at the ends of shoots. You don't want to have to prune off the flower buds next winter.

Sorry for delayed response.

One terrible storm later, I have collected 330 gal of 10 ppm rain water @ ph of 6.5.

tank took 15 minutes to fill. 2 larger than is appreciable tree branches fell. (30'-0+) laying through my chicken coop and chickens running everywhere. Bad storm rolled thru about 2:30 in the am. still not regrouped. The blueberries did not suffer a bit! Trashed my yard badly.

Though I did on 6-20-17 cut the tops of the tall canes. I accepted from above the inevitability of having the tall canes feel the effects of gravity.

I did not pinch the tips, I fully removed 1'-0+ of the top of long canes from several plants.(about where I feel they should branch out)

I am happy to say that all topped tall canes have now produced new branch buds that appear to have enough enough time to grow new branches and harden before the end of growing season? I think we will have a long growing season here.

We always do.

Having plucked all flower buds this year has sent all energy to vegetative growth. I guess I will see less vegetative growth next year when they are growing berries?

no berries on 1st year growth/plucked all flowerbuds in feb.

lots of regular nitrogen. Peat and pine bark & needles in holes in the ground.

12 days after cutting back the tops of lone canes, these have made new baby branches. I am wondering if these new branches will get large enough and harden to produce flower buds for next year? We are at the beginning of July, that leaves about 2 1/2 months of growing/hardening time

I think. In hot/humid east Texas

Yes those new shoots will set flower buds. Your plants look great. Nice job..!!

The tops I cut have now generated 16" of new growth in 3 weeks+.

Am trying to settle on a date to stop all feeding for this fall.

consecutive 3" rains have inundated this land. I now have (2) 330 gal

catching rainwater. Wind stripped the plastic off the green house.

Blueberries caught very little wind damage surprisingly.

The trees did not fare as well.

Your blueberry plants look great! What fertiliser are you using? Are you watering your plants with a low dose of ammonium sulfate every week? Because that's a lot of growth in 3 weeks.

Hi Alec V,

This is my first successful?? attempt at growing blueberries, I cannot speak as to what these will do in fall or next spring, I see now that dedicated pinching would have worked well at providing a more "upward" directional growth. Also pinching back allows the main branch to thicken more than just growing a branch out full length uninterrupted. Still learning.

These are all rabbiteye, Premier, Brightwell, Powderblue & Austin. (2) of each.

AS 21-0-0 w/Sulphur, 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons rainwater. I use this every time I water.

I am watering 1 quart each 3 times a day in this heat but will reduce as it cools off. I just watch the plants, and feel the ground to determine moisture requirements.

I can see the plants from my office window, Dr. says get up from the desk and walk, so I visit multiple times daily. Not bored yet!

All my Thanks to Fruitnut!!!!!

As I pick berries from certain bushes I tell myself that I will prune to open the canopy which means removing old canes and doing little to no further pruning on remaining branches. Too many intersecting branches makes bushes a literal pain to pick. What is your end goal to such extensive pruning?

As I said, this is the 1st year in the ground. All but (2) of the same variety (Brightwell) were 1 year old plants , the Brightwell were said to be 2 years old plants. They all looked the same to me. I planted (8) total plants, (2) of each kind. And though growth habits are somewhat similar, not all have grown the same. The attached pic is a Brightwell that shot up a lone cane that grew to 50" before I cut the top off to about 36" to prevent a floppy berry supporter next year. This Brightwell is now 5'-0 wide. And I think too much growth has gone into horizontal branches that don't look anything like berry supporting wood. I believe that I could have directed more upward growth in lieu of as shown in the pic. That is a tangled mess of crossing branches on the sides..

I have only internet experience. Training/pruning properly appears to be my latest challenge. And it appears to be an important one. How tall are your berry bushes versus their width? My end goal is still only getting blueberries.

I have never grown a blueberry that didn't die within 30 days probably? I
have never picked a blueberry. I am growing them for my wife. Married 30 years this year, I thought she deserved my best effort. (she doesn't look at them. LOL)

From your comments it appears that you are aware of what you are doing with the pruning. And the picture shows a beautiful "Ornamental" specimen but, as you noted, many lateral branches cannot support heavy fruit load and will be lying on the ground during production. A higher bush that requires less bending to pick as well as the "Open" framework would be my preference. The great thing about having healthy plants is that you can keep adjusting as years of growth continue so that your ideal shape will eventually be realized.