Hi all I have got 3 blueberry bushes about 6-7 years old had them in pots initially, now they are in my new raised corner bed in ericacious compost.I have had a reasonable crop off them but over the years I have not pruned them as I should have done, now on 2 of them I have not got any new growth from the bottom of plants the old growth which I should have pruned out long ago is about 1.5 inches Dia.If I cut them out will the plant die? or will I have to wait 2years to get more crops?
I am wondering if I might be better scrapping them and getting some new bushes what do you think is the best thing to do.
Hi – I grow high bush blueberries in an exposed, northern garden and I don’t prune them at all. Each year the are heavily cropping and it’s not reliant on new growth from the base. So personally I’d only prune if they were outgrowing their space. If you must, look for twiggy growth that has emerged on fruited shoots from last year, and prune that to a healthy up-turned bud.