I’ve got 40 mature plants that need some attention. I know they need to be pruned back badly. What time of year do you do this and how far back do you cut? I searched online but the info was all over the place. They’re located in central AL in the Lake Martin area if geographic location is a factor. The blueberry patch was always my dad’s pet and I never paid much attention to the details while he was still alive. Just one of many questions I wish I could ask my old man.

Thanks in advance for helping me out

I use hedge clippers and flattop them about chest to head high. If you have too many canes, cut out some of the largest ones and let the smaller ones grow. Right now will be fine. My bushes have been trimmed this way for years. If yours have grown wild, you will lose some production this year but should get much better production next year and your berries will be where you can reach them. Fertilize with 5-10-15 when they start growing

That’s great info, thanks jw!

I’m gonna be back out there tomorrow and will try to get a couple pics posted

Learn something new every day. I’ve never even thought about pruning mine. Hmmm

Pruning stimulates growth. The new growth is where next years berries will be

This : cut out any dead canes / branches and cut to a height you can pick without getting on a ladder . I use a battery powered hedge trimmer.

This is my story exactly. It never occurred to me to ask. Towards the end, I was so focused on taking care of him. I can short list several things he had the answers to that didn’t occur to me until I was the caretaker of those things. There’s a lot of self imposed pressure not to screw things up.

When should we put sulfur and fert on the ground for the plants? Now or spring up? Thanks all

I dont know about the sulfer but i fertilize in march and again a couple weeks before the berries start getting ripe. I have no idea if thats right but its what i do

I fertilize mine first of every month, starting in April, and going to August, I do my fruit trees the same except I wait till the start putting on fruit and then fertilize

What fertilizer are you using on your fruit/berries?

Pruning now is the good. These back and forth temps have bushes messed up.

High-yield ammonium sulfate and at some point during spring/summer a complete fertilizer