The Best Time to Prune Blueberry Bushes

Pruning Age

• Prune young bushes for branch structure, to open centers and to balance root systems with top growth. Blueberries 3 years and older need yearly maintenance pruning to be fruitful.

Why Prune?

• Moving ripening to an earlier period is one reason to prune. Prune highbush types to prevent overbearing and open them up for better berry distribution. Pruning fruiting wood can increase remaining berry size. Pruning removes old canes and produces new fruiting wood.

Rabbiteye

• The rabbiteye is a highbush type that is the exception to the pruning rule. You can grow rabbiteye blueberries with little pruning. Occasional shoot and sucker removal and annual thinning are enough.

Wild and Lowbush

• Prune in late fall through very early spring, when bushes are dormant. Some commercial growers use mowing or burning to control large fields. Homeowners can shear lowbush varieties using hedge trimmers.

Highbush and Half-High

• Highbush are pruned in very late fall to winter or very late winter to very early spring, when bushes are dormant. Leaves have dropped so flower buds are easily seen and you can avoid pruning bearing wood.