Readers ask: When to prune blueberry bushes in the south?

What month do you prune blueberry bushes?

The optimum time to prune blueberries is in late winter to early spring after the chance of severe cold is over and before new growth has begun. At this time, it is easy to assess how much, if any, winter injury has occurred as well as how many fruit buds are present.

How do you prune Southern highbush blueberries?

Cane-Renewal Pruning

Around ¼ of the oldest canes should be removed each year by cutting them back to the plant crown or to a strong lateral point. Dead, weak, crossing, or low-spreading branches can also be removed at this time.

Do blueberry bushes need to be cut back?

To keep them producing well, blueberry bushes need to be pruned every year. If your bushes have never been trimmed, be careful not to go overboard the first year: Remove no more than two or three of the oldest canes (more than seven years old). Remove any diseased or broken wood, plus crossing branches.

Are used coffee grounds good for blueberry bushes?

Coffee grounds are a good source of nitrogen for blueberry bushes, says the University of Minnesota Extension, so don’t throw away your grounds next time you make a pot of joe.

How do you winterize blueberry bushes?

Protect the blueberry bush from cold winter winds and ice damage by wrapping it in burlap. Start at the top of the plant and cover the bush with burlap, pinning the material together. Continue wrapping until the entire bush is covered. Leave the burlap on the blueberry bush until spring.

What is the best fertilizer for blueberry bushes?

Blackberries respond well to any nitrogen-rich fertilizer, but blueberries require fertilizers with an ammonium form of nitrogen such as urea, sulfur-coated urea, ammonium sulfate, or cottonseed meal. Any fertilizer sold for azaleas or rhododendrons also works well for blueberries.

How do you revive old blueberries?

When rejuvenating an old planting, remove one or two old canes for every five or six younger canes. In following years, remove up to 20% of the wood until new cane growth occurs. Keep only 2 or 3 new canes and continue to remove up to 20% of the oldest canes.

Do blueberries fruit on new wood?

Blueberries grow on wood that’s at least a year old, with harvests peaking on two-year-old stems before fading as the canes get older. Fruit grows off side shoots to the main stems which grew the previous year.

What time of the year do blueberries turn ripe?

Blueberries are harvested between June and August. Some varieties ripen in June and are considered “early”, some in July (“mid), and some in August (“late”). When choosing varieties for cross pollinating choose varieties that produce around the same time.

Do blueberries like full sun?

Blueberries need full sun. Blueberries require acidic soil. Plant two or more varieties for successful pollination. Plants won’t have much fruit the first 2 to 3 years.

How do you care for blueberry bushes?

Water blueberry plants during the day. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Give them at least 1″ per week during growing season and up to 4″ per week during fruit ripening. Keep the soil moist to a depth of 1″.

How do I prune blueberry bushes?

Here are the steps in properly prune blueberry bushes:

1. Visually observe the blueberry bush.
2. Imagine what the plant should look like when pruning is completed.
3. Look for the strongest canes with the best flower buds and save them.
4. Remove all diseased and broken canes.
5. Remove dead twigs.

Are eggshells good for blueberry bushes?

Save your eggshells and turn them into a natural acidic fertilizer loved by Blueberries, Roses, Azaleas, and Hibiscus. Eggshells are almost 100% calcium carbonate, one of the main ingredients in agricultural lime, which increases the pH of acidic soil. Save your eggshells and allow them to dry.

Can you put Epsom salt on blueberries?

Blueberries are acid lovers and will respond well to the addition of coffee grounds, wood ash, or Epsom salts. Watering the ground around the blueberries with a solution of one tablespoon of white vinegar to one gallon of water can also increase soil acidity.

How do I get more blueberries on my bushes?

Apply one-half cup per bush of an acidic 10-10-10 granular fertilizer in a 2-foot diameter around the blueberry bush; azalea fertilizers work well for blueberries. Alternatively, use blood meal, fish meal or cottonseed meal for organic production.