I have some new blueberry bushes, covered with blooms, very pretty. I read
somewhere that I should not allow them to set fruit the first year, but
should pinch off all the blooms instead. So I've been out to do it several
times and every time I see how pretty they are and how many berries there
will be and I leave the blooms on. I'm presuming they'd fruit next year if
they spend this year growing. But ... they seem perfectly fine and I
hesitate to de-bud them unless I really should. Advice?

I never heard of debudding blueberries, and I have 9 bushes and never did it.
They are in full bloom and beautiful, now.

susan

Tim B wrote:

I have some new blueberry bushes, covered with blooms, very pretty. I read
somewhere that I should not allow them to set fruit the first year, but
should pinch off all the blooms instead. So I've been out to do it several
times and every time I see how pretty they are and how many berries there
will be and I leave the blooms on. I'm presuming they'd fruit next year if
they spend this year growing. But ... they seem perfectly fine and I
hesitate to de-bud them unless I really should. Advice?

Setzler
I never heard of debudding blueberries, and I have 9 bushes and never did i

I recently read you should do that to encourage roots to grow instead of
berries the 1st year.

Keith Karausky wrote:

Setzler
I never heard of debudding blueberries, and I have 9 bushes and never did i

I recently read you should do that to encourage roots to grow instead of
berries the 1st year.

Where? Strawberries, yes. You pinch off the first-year flowers
so that the plant energy will go into runners & the next
spring into fruit. They go for about 3 years & then start again.

Never heard of that for blueberries. We grew those for years.

Minteeleaf

Never heard of that for blueberries. We grew those for years.

Minteeleaf

I've been reading about them preparing for my first ever blueberries.

Opps, I meant shoots not roots

"Flower Removal - Remove all the flowers during the first year. Do not permit
berries to develop, as they will restrict shoot growth."

http://www.noursefarms.com/planting_...ies_guide.html

That's where I read it too.

It may only apply if they're bare-root plants, of which I have a couple, and
not to plants that were bought in large greenhouse pots, of which I have a
couple.

"Keith Karausky" wrote in message
...
Never heard of that for blueberries. We grew those for years.

Minteeleaf

I've been reading about them preparing for my first ever blueberries.

Opps, I meant shoots not roots

"Flower Removal - Remove all the flowers during the first year. Do not
permit
berries to develop, as they will restrict shoot growth."

http://www.noursefarms.com/planting_...ies_guide.html

It may only apply if they're bare-root plants, of which I have a couple,


Ya got me thinking so I had to ask'em.
They say,

"We do suggest removing all blossoms on all blueberry plants the first season.

Vickie
Nourse Farms, Inc."

On 21 Apr 2003 21:30:31 GMT,
(Keith Karausky) wrote:


It may only apply if they're bare-root plants, of which I have a couple,


Ya got me thinking so I had to ask'em.
They say,

"We do suggest removing all blossoms on all blueberry plants the first season.

Vickie
Nourse Farms, Inc."

Did they tell you *why* ?

Thinking about it, plants that grow in nature certainly
don't have all their blossoms removed the first year.... So
I am curious.

Pat

On 21 Apr 2003 23:39:22 GMT,
(Keith Karausky) wrote:


Did they tell you *why* ?

Thinking about it, plants that grow in nature certainly
don't have all their blossoms removed the first year.... So
I am curious.


Their web site says
"Do not permit berries to develop, as they will restrict shoot growth".

I'm a blueberry growing newbie. I'm just guessing that when Mother Nature is
doing her magic there is no rush but us humans want everything ASAP.

Thanks, this makes sense. We've ordered three blueberry
bushes - they will arrive in May - so I'm glad to know this.

Pat

Hey I would like the answer on this one too. We had two of our four from
last year that survived the Minnesota winter.
We are really not to certain how to care for these up here.

Tim


"Tim B" wrote in message
.. .
I have some new blueberry bushes, covered with blooms, very pretty. I
read
somewhere that I should not allow them to set fruit the first year, but
should pinch off all the blooms instead. So I've been out to do it
several
times and every time I see how pretty they are and how many berries there
will be and I leave the blooms on. I'm presuming they'd fruit next year
if
they spend this year growing. But ... they seem perfectly fine and I
hesitate to de-bud them unless I really should. Advice?

I've got blueberry bushes 10 plus years old and have never debudded
them, first year or not. Right now they have fruit set and are
absolutely loaded. There are a number of blueberry "orchards" around
here and AFAIK none of them were ever debudded the first year. What
earthly purpose could that serve? Even if you buy blueberry plants in
one gallon pots they are, at the least, one year to two years old when
you get them at the nursery. These are southern rabbiteye blueberries
that I grow.

George

Tim Stoner wrote:

Hey I would like the answer on this one too. We had two of our four from
last year that survived the Minnesota winter.
We are really not to certain how to care for these up here.

Tim

"Tim B" wrote in message
.. .
I have some new blueberry bushes, covered with blooms, very pretty. I
read
somewhere that I should not allow them to set fruit the first year, but
should pinch off all the blooms instead. So I've been out to do it
several
times and every time I see how pretty they are and how many berries there
will be and I leave the blooms on. I'm presuming they'd fruit next year
if
they spend this year growing. But ... they seem perfectly fine and I
hesitate to de-bud them unless I really should. Advice?

Pick and eat them before the birds do ...enjoy yourself as those bushes will
be around for 45 years or so. Defruiting ???? to what hard fact end ...does
the effort really justify the out come ..eh can't say ..but they do taste
good on my cereal.

God Bless Tom nr Pittsburgh
"Keith Karausky" wrote in message
...
George Shirley
t does seem likely to have the effect of diverting resources -
which would otherwise be spent on producing fruit - on growth


I've done a little more research and found a couple of sites that
recommended
removing the buds for the first 2 years. I can't wait that long.