It's important to keep the bushes in good shape.Proper structure of the plant is promoted by training young bushes to be pecked regularly during the first two years.You can train blueberry bushes to grow productive plants by recognizing mature canes and cutting them correctly.
Step 1: Know where the fruit comes from.
Blueberries grow on the side-shoots of the bushes.Blueberries only grow on branches that are at least a year old.It is possible that branches have a smaller crop over four years.Pruning the bushes will give you enough growth for next year's production.
Step 2: Pruning is important to understand.
If the bushes aren't trimmed back every year, they can produce more than they should.The bushes only produce fruit once a year.As you don't want the bush to be too tall, you also need to trim it.If it's too tall, it will be difficult to harvest the fruit.ThePruning opens up the middle to sunlight, providing nutrition and ripening the fruit.
Step 3: Train young bushes.
You have to train your bushes for the first two years of life.Crossed branches should be removed.You have to cut any branches that cross each other in the first two years.By allowing the bush to focus its resources on canes growing straight up, it will be stronger and help you create a better-shaped bush.It will keep the fruit out of the ground.The bush needs to be created with the right shape.Cut away branches that didn't grow much in the last season.You can leave the ones that have grown taller.
Step 4: In the second year, cut the longest stems to encourage growth.
If the bush didn't grow much in the first year, you can cut the canes back to 1/3rds of their length.It will be helped by this pruning.
Step 5: Remove the fruit buds.
If you see a fat fruit bud in the first 2 years, you need to remove it.You can cut away the buds with shears.The bush needs to focus on growing.If you missed fruit buds, flowers might grow from them.If you find them, cut them away.
Step 6: Know when to cut back.
Prune during the winter.You can do it as early as November or as late as March.The best time to peck is late February to the beginning of March.This time of year is the best because you can see which buds produce fruit and which ones produce leaves.
Step 7: Use a pair of shears, loppers, gloves, and disinfectant in a bucket.
Always use sharp shears when cutting.Dull shears can cause you to use too much force.It will make cutting more difficult.Prune while wearing gloves to protect your hands.
Step 8: Start with the sick branches.
First cut canes that have diseases.Look for branches that are discolored.
Step 9: The shears should be dipped in Disinfectant.
The shears should be used between bushes to stop the spread of disease.Move on to the next bush after shaking off the Disinfectant.There is a rag or towel that has been soaked in rubbing alcohol.To get rid of the shears, wipe them down.
Step 10: Take out damaged canes.
Cut any branches that look damaged.The branches that are damaged will lose leaves or be broken.
Step 11: Any growth that looks spindly should be cut out.
Cut out growth that doesn't look good.It will not have had enough time to develop fully, so look for growth near the bottom that started late in the previous season.Preserve resources for the top of the plant by removing the late growth near the bottom.The twigs are too small to produce fruit this year because they didn't grow enough in the last season.Fruit that touches the ground can be produced by cutting out the lower branch.Fruit shouldn't touch the ground.These branches go out at an angle, instead of straight up or bending towards the ground.
Step 12: Remove the upper twig growth.
If a cane doesn't produce fruit, cut back on the growth.twiggy growth has an abundance of smaller twigs, more than other branches.The wood that produces this type of growth won't be as shiny as newer wood growth.When cutting, look for a branch that is growing upwards rather than downwards.If you want to do it on the next branch, make the cut above the bud.
Step 13: Older canes that haven't been produced in a while should be cut back.
If your bush is growing too tall, remove the older canes.Bushes are too tall if you can't reach them.You should leave at least seven canes.A new shoot is taking off from the cane.You shouldn't have canes that are more than six years old.
Step 14: Limit mature cane removal.
Remove 2 or 3 mature canes per year.After four years, canes stop producing fruit.The mature canes are at least two years old.