How do you prune a rabbiteye blueberry bush?
With rabbiteye varieties, prune off old canes about 6 to 12 inches aboveground to force new canes to develop from stump suckers. Canes of highbush variet- ies should be pruned at ground level, as canes from root suckers tend to be more fruitful than those from stump suckers (Diagram 5).
What does heavy pruning do for blueberries?
Reasons for pruning blueberries Annual pruning maintains productivity by encouraging the growth of new fruit-producing stems. Pruning removes dead or damaged branches. Pruning increases fruit quality because the shrub is able to put more energy into producing the fruit, not more leaves.
Should you cut back blueberry bushes?
The best time to prune blueberries is in late winter to early spring (January to early March) after all chance of severe weather has passed. Young bushes generally do not require as much pruning, however, trimming blueberry bushes throughout the growing season may be necessary to maintain overall health and vigor.
Are coffee grounds good for blueberries?
Coffee grounds are highly acidic, they note, so they should be reserved for acid-loving plants like azaleas and blueberries. And if your soil is already high in nitrogen, the extra boost from coffee grounds could stunt the growth of fruits and flowers.
What should I do about my rabbiteye blueberries?
Rabbiteye blueberries require little pruning. Lower limbs can be thinned out to keep the fruit from touching the soil, and excessively vigorous upright shoots can be thinned out several feet from the ground to keep the center of the bush open and to keep the bearing surface within reach.
How big does a Rabbiteye blueberry plant get?
Southerners have not yet discovered the outstanding quality of rabbiteye blueberries. They associate them with wild heckleberries and sparkleberries, which are in the Vaccinium family but are characteristically small and tasteless. Most cultivated varieties are mature in 10 years and will be 15 feet tall and 10 feet wide.
What kind of herbicide to use on rabbiteye blueberries?
Small commercial growers should promote areas around their orchard for natural nesting to provide enough bees during full bloom to insure good cross-pollination. Plants for rabbiteye blueberry plantings should be treated with glyphosate herbicide and well-tilled three months before planting to kill all weeds.
How often to fertilize rabbiteye blueberries in Alabama?
Follow product label directions or use about 1 ounce of 12-4-1 per plant per year of age (not to exceed 6 ounces in the spring, or 5 ounces on postharvest applications). An organic fertilizer such as cottonseed meal (6-3-2) could be used. Apply fertilizer twice a year.