blueberries

Question

I have had blueberry plants in for approx. 15 yrs. They are not producing. My intent is: Heavy prune in late Feb. and feed a mix of compost, organic 10-10-10 fert. with copper at bud break. Do you think this is reasonably correct? Thank you for any consideration.

Answer 1

You can cut back the plant, but I would not do so all at once. Every year, cut back no more than 1/3 of the oldest canes, until you have got the plant back to a manageable size. Here is more information on pruning blueberries: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/blueberries/blueberry-plant-pruning.htm

As for the lack of fruiting, this could be attributed to your soil and fertilization. Too much nitrogen will result in little to no blooms or fruit but plenty of growth. Increase the phosphorus content in your fertilizer, or add some bone meal to the soil to help encourage additional flowering and subsequent fruiting.