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Blueberry Advice please

TheveggardenerTheveggardener Posts: 1,057
in Fruit & veg
I have three different Blueberries, they are growing really well but the stems are very long and floppy. Should I prune them and if so how hard, I only bought them this year. They didn't fruit this year but I didn't expect any till maybe next year.
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  • mrtjformanmrtjforman Posts: 331
    they sound very young at which point their stems will not be very strong yet. They should be producing alot of young leaves at the moment.

    If you just have long bare stems then something is probably wrong. They require ericaceous soil, not multipurpose or anything else. It helps to add some rotten leaves or perlite for aeration. Then water only with rain water. They might produce some fruit next year although you will want to prune them away to leave only enough to sample a few. The year after you can decide if it is strong enough to hold its fruit.
  • mrtjformanmrtjforman Posts: 331
    pruning after about year 4 - 6
  • Logan4Logan4 Posts: 2,590
    I only prune the dead stems off and leave the rest. The young growth will be soft, i always tie them on a cane to support them if they're very long.
  • TheveggardenerTheveggardener Posts: 1,057

    mrtjforman and Logan4 thanks for your advice. The stems are covered in healthy leave so that sounds as if they are doing alright. All three are in good size pots so the get a good root system then I'll pot them on into bigger pot and they are in ericaceous compost with cracks at the bottom and perlite added. Going on you advice it sounds like they are OK but need some support. When the rain stops I'll get some support out for them. Thanks again, this is my first year growing fruit and veg so you advice is appreciated. 
  • Logan4Logan4 Posts: 2,590
    That's alright and glad that they're doing well @NannaBoo.
  • TheveggardenerTheveggardener Posts: 1,057
    I'm only growing them for my son as I'm not a lover of them but thankful like all the other fruit in the garden. I was thinking along the lines that you prune to make the plant bushier, glad I checked first. Thanks again.
  • mrtjformanmrtjforman Posts: 331
    I know what you mean about the pruning. It's quite complicated to know how to prune all the different fruits - that's why I love blueberries so much - No pruning needed. 

    This is one of my bigger ones.

    I know the Herbert on the second picture has never been pruned. Gorgeous blueberries this year.

    These are my 2 latest additions and although the one in the back is looking a bit scraggly the Ozarkblue in front has exploded in growth - loving the B'n'Q ericaceous soil I have tried this year.

    Nother new addition which was a kind of freebie so don't care too much about it but this one does look a bit floppy which is why I took a picture of it. Not worried in the slightest - I know this variety will become my tallest one yet
  • TheveggardenerTheveggardener Posts: 1,057
    mrtjforman  they look really healthy thank you for putting the photo's up. If this rain stops it's been non stop all day I'll tie them up and stop worrying about them they are in good size pots at the moment. Thanks again.
  • nil9747nil9747 Posts: 2
    Hello - bit of a novice here but after some advice on a blueberry bush that has gone a bit mad. We had the bush from the garden centre and had it in a pot for the first year or so - it seemed to grow ok but not much fruit so the following year (last year) I planted it in the garden. It then produced some fruit but only around the very based of the bush.
    We had a lot of building work done over the winter and to be honest have neglected the garden a bit, but it struck me today that the blueberry bush has grown massively with many of the canes probably now 8ft tall - and no fruit at all this year.
    I have read up a bit about pruning blueberries but thought I would post something and see what people advise??!
  • Logan4Logan4 Posts: 2,590
    edited July 2019
    Hello @nil9747 you can prune it a bit to make it more bushy, usually it's done in March, but you can prune it during the growing season to keep it in shape. Prune out the lower branches to stop fruit touching the ground and any thin week branches. Also you can reduce the height. The tall ones will need some support.
    Hope that helps. Logan
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