The proper time to prune blueberry shrubs is in late winter (or very early spring), while the plants are still dormant. Pruning isn’t hard to do. The goal is to encourage new flowering and fruiting branches to emerge. I tackle the job this way:
Need more pointers for growing great blueberries? I have 8 useful tips for you:
Tip #1: Consider the real estate. Although blueberries will grow in part shade, they will grow even better in full sun.
Tip #2: Before planting, work plenty of organic matter into the soil. I added shredded leaves and peat moss to my boxwood-edged bed.
Tip #3: Never plant just one shrub! Cross pollination of different varieties will give you more and bigger fruit. I grow early-, mid-, and late-season varieties.
Tip #4: Even if it pains you to do so, remove flower buds the first two years after planting. Otherwise, growth will be slow, and the shrubs will never amount to anything. I speak from experience.
Tip #5: After three years have passed, winter-prune while the bushes are dormant. Pruning forces the plants to produce extra fruiting branches. (Click the above video to watch me prune my blueberry shrubs.)
Tip #6: Mulch the bed with 2- or 3-inches of…something. Over the years, I’ve relied on shredded leaves, pine needles, and wood chips to mulch my blueberry patch.
Tip #7: Provide adequate moisture. Blueberries, like most plants, prefer 1-2 inches of water per week.
Tip #8: Provide acidic soil! Blueberries prefer a soil pH of 4.6 to 5.5 (I mistakenly said “6.0” in the above video. ) I rely on Espoma’s Organic Soil Acidifier to achieve to the proper pH in my blueberry bed.
Was this post helpful to you in some small way? You can let me know by posting a comment.
xKevin
Pam says
Hi, Kevin!
This post is immensely helpful. Now I know what I have been doing wrong with my blueberry plants – everything. Well, live and learn – I hope. Thanks!
Pam
Meghan Girroir says
Good Evening Kevin,
Do I treat my raspberry plants using the same methods/
Thanks,
Meg
Acewalker says
I recently moved to Maine and planted blueberry bushes last fall. I’ve never grown them before so your tips are really helpful. Thank you Kevin!
Mike, aka the Veggivet says
Great sunglasses!
Toni says
Thanks, Kevin. Now it is just a battle between me and the bunnies!! I have only two varieties of blueberries in my six plant garden; they love one variety and leave the other one alone. It’s Easter and bunnies are so cute but…..LEAVE MY BLUEBERRIES ALONE!
Dianetg says
Heck! I am”ditto” on Pam’s comments. Sure explains why I am lucky to get 4 blueberries a year. Now in year 9. Definitely need to change out my process. Thanks, Kevin!
Kathy from Cold Climate Gardening says
I didn’t know you could root the prunings! A similar process to rooting boxwood, I imagine?
Bonnie Weekley says
Kevin, I just discovered some of your articles! Thank you for the great thin bags I’ve learned already. Will try tip#4 and #5. I knew blueberry plants liked acidic soil. And I recalled another gardener use pine needles in their azalea beds to add acidicity. When my blueberry plants were struggling and near death, I put pine needles several inches thick around each bush. It seemed miraculous and they recovered really well. They’ve been producing many many berries. Much more than I ever thought they would. I continue to do this every 4 months adding more pine needles.
I’m looking forward to reading / listening to your other articles.
Joan says
So glad to know your wonderful tips! Thank you, Kevin.
I plan to buy a few blueberry plants this spring!
Suzanne Urban says
Always very helpful! I hope you do a post on hanging plants and if you use any water retention products. Right now I’m thinking baby diapers, but would be interested in any method you use. Thanks Kevin!
Susie Cook says
Very helpful post and super excited to plant the clippings! I had no idea!
Emily in Ohio says
Happy Easter, Mr. Kevin! Are your blueberry shrubs full-grown? The varieties I find available locally are all described at 5-6′ tall and wide, which I don’t have room for, but yours don’t look that huge. Any advice?
Julie R says
Such great tips Kevin. I do not have blue berries, but if I ever do plant them, I will use your methods. I do have miniature strawberries which produce the tiniest little strawberries that I have ever seen. I will be getting some Dwarf Lavender plants to plant in one of my perennial gardens, for the first time this spring and I would love any tips about how to grow it. It is supposed to get only 12 inches high, which will be perfect for my garden. I can’t wait to get it and get busy in my garden. Happy Spring !
JOANN D. says
Lots of good advice although I do not have blueberries I pick them every year
and use them in alot of desserts and smoothies!! Kevin, have you ever planted
anything that did not turn out the way you expected it too? I have but found that
was a good way to learn and to find out many alternative methods. Thanks forr
all your knowledge.
Susan Golden says
What happens when the rabbits/mice eat your new blueberry shrubs down to the ground the first winter? They came back but didn’t grow very tall and there were no blossoms. As we head into fall, should I give them another year to see what happens or am I doomed? Thank you, Kevin, for your great advice about ………. EVERYTHING!!!
David Kawecki says
This was very helpful. Thank you. If I just bought bushes this year and they have berries on them, how should I handle them? During the next two years should I pick off the flowers?
Dave
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi David – That’s what I would do — disbud during the next 2 years. Meantime, enjoy the berries you have now!