Date: Thu, 3 Mar 2016 04:02:13 +0000
From: Debbie Roos
Subject: blueberry pruning & production resources
The Chatham County Center of North Carolina Cooperative Extension conducted four blueberry pruning demonstrations in late February and early March. The demonstrations were held at Howard’s Farm a few miles west of Pittsboro on Hwy 64. The Howards grow peaches, apples, blueberries, and vegetables and sell them at their on-farm stand, called Mema’s Fruit Shack.
About 250 farmers and gardeners from 22 NC counties attended the demonstrations. NCSU Blueberry Specialist Bill Cline talked about the importance of annual pruning to promote plant health and ensure large, high quality berries for many years to come. Pruning is done during the dormant season, usually between December-early March in the piedmont. Many people are reluctant to prune because it removes some of the flower buds and reduces berry production for the year, but if pruning is neglected berries get increasingly smaller and bush health declines. Consider pruning an investment in the long-term success of your plants!
I pulled together some excellent resources on blueberry pruning and blueberry production and posted them along with some photos on Chatham County Cooperative Extension’s Growing Small Farms website at http://go.ncsu.edu/blueberry-resources
Happy pruning!
Debbie
Debbie Roos
Agricultural Extension Agent
Chatham County Center
North Carolina Cooperative Extension
919.542.8202
www.growingsmallfarms.org
www.facebook.com/growingsmallfarms.nc
www.twitter.com/GrowSmallFarms