Blueberry Pruning

 Pruning blueberries can be simple given you have a good limb lopper and or a saw.  In general most of the pruning will be 5-7 year old branches which will be removed from the base of the plant.  Little to zero detailed pruning is required but some can be beneficial.  

 Information Link - The Ohio State University

 

Blueberry Plant before pruning

This plant has been pruned every year and is 15-20 years old.  It stands about 5feet tall at most.  Every year we remove 2-4 of the largest branches and thin out any others that are rubbing or simply dont look good.

after pruning

Now after pruning, from the opposit side it is still a bit thick down low.  However, this is not a worry.  We need continual renual branches.  Remember Blueberries fruit on 1-6 year old wood (1-4 is best) so once they are 5-7 years old they can comeo out to let more fresh young vigorous branches to grow.

blueberry cut

Here is an example of a branch we did not choose to remove completly this year.  (probably next year we will) We did however remove one side of it.  Most likly it was shading below or broken off.  These cuts can be made but don't make it it a habit.  Just take it all the way out.

Now the fruiting buds.  The top of the branch is filled with small young branches which will have many many berries this summer.  A few of these can be thinned out but my suggestion is to leave them alone if they look this healthy.  You can cut out winter injury and die back but there is little need to thin out branches up high.  The whole thing will most likely be removed next season and thus you will only be removing fruit.