Step-by-step instructions for pruning blueberries in spring for beginner gardeners

Garden blueberry is a popular shrub with large blue berries. The plant is generally unpretentious, but tends to run wild in the absence of care and regular pruning. There are fewer berries on such bushes, they become smaller and lose their taste. Let's look at how and when to prune blueberries correctly.

Why prune blueberries in spring?

Blueberry is a deciduous shrub, the closest relative of blueberries and lingonberries. Garden blueberries tend to thicken with new shoots over time, so they need regular spring pruning - both formative and sanitary. And if sanitary pruning can be carried out throughout the year, then formative pruning can only be done in the absence of sap flow, either in late autumn or early spring.

Is this necessary?

Removing old and diseased branches is a mandatory procedure for every fruit plant, including blueberries. Without regular thinning of the shoots, the crop grows wild - it bears fruit worse, the berries become small, and lose their taste. Dense plantings create an ideal environment for the development of fungi and the proliferation of harmful insects.

Advantages and disadvantages of spring pruning

Some gardeners prefer autumn rather than spring pruning. Others, on the contrary, consider spring pruning to be the most correct. From the point of view of pros and cons, the following positive aspects of the spring procedure stand out:

• frozen parts of shoots are removed;
• shoots that did not survive the winter are removed;
• rationing of tops and thinning of plantings is carried out;
• more complete improvement of culture.

Minuses:

• there is a risk of pruning too late and damaging the bush;
• If the approach is too zealous, there is a high risk of reduced yields.

Timing for spring pruning

In spring, blueberries are pruned before sap flow and active vegetation begin. In different regions they may vary according to climate. If warmth comes early, agrotechnical methods are carried out in the first ten days of March. In regions with a harsh cold climate, pruning dates are shifted until the second ten days of May.

Types of procedure

There are three types of blueberry pruning depending on the purpose: shaping, sanitary and rejuvenating.

Forming

Formative pruning of shrubs is carried out either in late autumn or early spring, when there is no active vegetation and sap flow. In areas with a mild climate and relatively warm winters, the procedure can be performed during the snowy season.

The first formative pruning is carried out before planting so that the bush has only vertical branches. Remove all growth and horizontal shoots. The second time the procedure is carried out after planting the bush, removing flower buds. They take too much energy from the plant.

A whole blueberry crown is formed in the third year of life by removing small branches at the base of the bush. Most often, such pruning is combined with sanitary and (or) anti-aging pruning.

Rejuvenating

It is customary to rejuvenate blueberry bushes at least once every five years. The outdated crown is removed in large part, choosing the most dense, twisted branches. In varieties with weak branching, maximum cutting is used - it activates growth.

Anti-aging pruning is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. Remove horizontally directed branches growing up to the main shoot.
2. Remove branches and shoots from the lower level.
3. Branches that thicken the crown and grow incorrectly are cut out.
4. If necessary, remove thin shoots.

A properly formed bush consists of 12-15 skeletal branches.

Sanitary

Sanitary cutting is carried out not only in the spring, but throughout the year when signs of damage by insects or fungi are detected. In the spring it is needed to remove branches that have frozen and died in winter.

Important! When cutting off the damaged part, take 1.5-2 cm of the apparently healthy area, since the damage could affect the deep tissues of the wood.

How to prune blueberries in spring

The pruning technique is simple and contains steps common to most garden crops.

Required materials and tools

The procedure will require the following tools: pruning shears, hacksaw, lopper.

Important! Before and during pruning, tools are disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate, alcohol or chlorhexidine.

Additionally, you will need a garden varnish to process large cuts.

Step-by-step instruction

Trimming includes the following steps:

1. Inspecting the bush and identifying shoots to be pruned.
2. Removing dead branches.
3. Removing frozen parts of branches.
4. Removing branches from the middle of the bush, the growth of which is very small. Most often there are no new shoots on them.
5. Removing shoots without fruit buds.
6. Removal of long bare and excessively branched shoots.
7. Covering large cuts (more than 2 cm) with garden varnish.

The removed parts of the plant are burned.

What to do with long branches

For plants with a spreading crown, most of the pruning is directed towards the edges of the bush and less - towards the middle.In vertical varieties, more attention is paid to the central part to avoid thickening. Once every 5-6 years, all long branches are removed at the root to stimulate young growth and the formation of flower buds.

How to form bushes correctly

First of all, when forming bushes, thin and weak branches that do not have fruiting prospects are removed. Then old branches older than 4-5 years of life must be removed.

The formation of bushes also depends on the variety: shoots that are too weak are removed from low-growing ones, and old branches are pinched. In vertical varieties, only those branches that thicken the bush are removed.

Vigorous hybrids with a spreading crown require more frequent pruning. In such varieties, curved lower shoots are removed, as well as old and weak shoots in the center of the bush, leaving 5-6 skeletal branches and several young one-year-old shoots.

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The nuances of pruning a young seedling

Young bushes are pruned for better tillering. Here, low-lying shoots and branches that grow inside the crown and interfere with ventilation are removed. The flower stalks of seedlings in their first year of life must be removed.

Mature plant

An adult plant needs proper formation for 3-4 years. Second-order branches of such bushes are removed, especially those growing deep into the crown, and damaged tops are cut off. After a long period of fruiting, when too many stems have formed, the bushes are cut back to zero for complete rejuvenation.

Low growing varieties

In low-growing varieties, shoots that are 6-8 years old must be cut. Removing one or two old shoots stimulates shoot formation and flower formation on young branches. Intertwined branches must also be cut out.

Post-procedure care

After the procedure, large sections are covered with garden varnish to prevent the development of fungal diseases. All branches must be burned. The crown and soil around the bush are sprayed with solutions of urea, growth stimulants and fungicides.

Important! The mulch must be inspected and if there are signs of rotting, it must be completely replaced. The old mulch is burned along with the trimmings.

Tips and tricks from experienced gardeners

Experienced gardeners recommend the following:

1. Don't forget to remove mulch before pruning. Before work begins, the soil is cleared down to the ground, while the mulch is inspected, the unusable mulch is burned, and the good mulch is returned to its place after the procedure.
2. You should not feel sorry for old branches - they only block the access of light and air to the crown. In addition, old branches in the fall will not allow you to fully cover the bush for the winter.
3. It is advisable to prune blueberries starting from the second year of life. This will affect the number of flower buds and, accordingly, the yield of the bush in the future.

Conclusion

Pruning blueberries is the key to high yields and healthy plants. It is carried out during a period of complete rest before the start of sap flow. The procedure must be carried out regularly, and once every five years the bush must be cut to zero for its complete rejuvenation.