Pruning blueberries

[d000hg]

I have two blueberry bushes, both 2-3 years old - had the first crop off both last year and they did nicely.

This blueberry bush seems to basically have one very tall, healthy cane (is that the right term?) so I'm not really sure how to prune it if at all. I would rather it was a bit more bushy but that's mainly for aesthetic reasons, what should I do?



And this pinkberry (pink blueberries basically) is if anything too bushy, it wants to flop on the floor like a creeper almost, note I've trussed up the base to hold the canes more upright. Any tips?



My book tells me this is the time to be pruning blueberries but that they need very little pruning in the first few years... should I just leave them alone?

[boatsman]

The only time I pruned my blueberry bush was when I cut off a dead branch. The bush is in a large tub and is over five years old and is in flower at present.

[BUFFS]

it looks a lot like my blueberries did at that stage of growth but in the following years they have filled out very well, I would not prune it. now is the time i give them a ericaceous feed to get them off to a good start, right or wrong thats the way I treat them and we get good crops now..

[stevejohnson53]

Just cut out any dead or crossing branches. What I do with mine is during the growing season I keep nipping out the growing tips to encourage bushy plants other than I dont do 'owt else.

[Kirk]

Let them build up in size.
Remove anything that is dead, and perhaps look at the shape and direct it to whatever you consider a good shape - will say mine is sort of random bush shaped.

[Aberdeenplotter]

I know Thomson and Morgan have been getting a bit of a bashing on this Forum lately but they have a good video on pruning blueberries here How to Prune a Blueberry Bush Video | Thompson & Morgan