My blueberry shrub has grown a sucker, or at least I think that's what it
is. It's quite a long flexible stem, unlike the other stems.

Do I cut it off or leave it?

Thanks.

I think I would leave it. I was instructed not to prune blueberries except
to get rid of dead wood. They also said that the plant would put out new
stems from the ground and that they would also bloom when they were old
enough, and produce fruit. If after a couple of seasons, it hasn't bloomed,
then cut it off.

Dwayne


"Joanne" wrote in message
...
My blueberry shrub has grown a sucker, or at least I think that's what it
is. It's quite a long flexible stem, unlike the other stems.

Do I cut it off or leave it?

Thanks.

"Dwayne" wrote in message
...
I think I would leave it. I was instructed not to prune blueberries
except
to get rid of dead wood. They also said that the plant would put out new
stems from the ground and that they would also bloom when they were old
enough, and produce fruit. If after a couple of seasons, it hasn't
bloomed,
then cut it off.


Thanks, Dwayne. Have you ever had stems from the ground, and if so were
they thick but very soft and flexible? They're not like the other stems
which is why I wondered what they are.

Thanks.

In message , Joanne
writes
"Dwayne" wrote in message
...
I think I would leave it. I was instructed not to prune blueberries
except
to get rid of dead wood. They also said that the plant would put out new
stems from the ground and that they would also bloom when they were old
enough, and produce fruit. If after a couple of seasons, it hasn't
bloomed,
then cut it off.


Thanks, Dwayne. Have you ever had stems from the ground, and if so were
they thick but very soft and flexible? They're not like the other stems
which is why I wondered what they are.

I'd be inclined to give it the benefit of the doubt for a season or two.
If they are grafted then it might well be a sucker, but it may just be
new growth that has not had chance to ripen into mature wood. If it
doesn't look more normal or have fruit next season only then I would be
inclined to prune it out.

FWIW New shoots on mine look soft, green and flexible in their first
year. And don't always fruit in the second year.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

Joanne, I agree with Martin. Without seeing what you have it is hard to
tell, but what can it hurt to leave it? Blueberries reproduce by sending up
new shoots to replace the older dying shoots. I never tried it, but I was
told that you can cut some shoots off and root them to make entire new
plants. If you are interested in doing it, I would get on the internet and
type in "growing Blueberries" and some college will have a lot of free
information available for someone to use. Good luck, have fun, and
congratulations on picking one of the healthiest berries for humans, to
grow.

Dwayne

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
In message , Joanne
writes
"Dwayne" wrote in message
...
I think I would leave it. I was instructed not to prune blueberries
except
to get rid of dead wood. They also said that the plant would put out
new
stems from the ground and that they would also bloom when they were old
enough, and produce fruit. If after a couple of seasons, it hasn't
bloomed,
then cut it off.


Thanks, Dwayne. Have you ever had stems from the ground, and if so were
they thick but very soft and flexible? They're not like the other stems
which is why I wondered what they are.

I'd be inclined to give it the benefit of the doubt for a season or two.
If they are grafted then it might well be a sucker, but it may just be
new growth that has not had chance to ripen into mature wood. If it
doesn't look more normal or have fruit next season only then I would be
inclined to prune it out.

FWIW New shoots on mine look soft, green and flexible in their first
year. And don't always fruit in the second year.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

"Dwayne" wrote in message
...
congratulations on picking one of the healthiest berries for humans, to
grow.


Thanks, Dwayne. However, when the blueberries are added to muffins, or
cheesecake, or icecream, I think the health benefits are somewhat diminished


Regards,

In article , Joanne
writes
"Dwayne" wrote in message
...
congratulations on picking one of the healthiest berries for humans, to
grow.


Thanks, Dwayne. However, when the blueberries are added to muffins, or
cheesecake, or icecream, I think the health benefits are somewhat diminished


I've always worked on the principle that when faced with a tempting
array of sweets in one of these hotel buffet lunches, adding the fresh
fruit salad to the cheesecake is far healthier than eating the
cheesecake alone ;-)
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

In message , Joanne
writes
"Dwayne" wrote in message
...
I think I would leave it. I was instructed not to prune blueberries
except
to get rid of dead wood. They also said that the plant would put out new
stems from the ground and that they would also bloom when they were old
enough, and produce fruit. If after a couple of seasons, it hasn't
bloomed,
then cut it off.


Thanks, Dwayne. Have you ever had stems from the ground, and if so were
they thick but very soft and flexible? They're not like the other stems
which is why I wondered what they are.

I'd be inclined to give it the benefit of the doubt for a season or two.
If they are grafted then it might well be a sucker, but it may just be
new growth that has not had chance to ripen into mature wood. If it
doesn't look more normal or have fruit next season only then I would be
inclined to prune it out.

FWIW New shoots on mine look soft, green and flexible in their first
year. And don't always fruit in the second year.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

Joanne, I agree with Martin. Without seeing what you have it is hard to
tell, but what can it hurt to leave it? Blueberries reproduce by sending up
new shoots to replace the older dying shoots. I never tried it, but I was
told that you can cut some shoots off and root them to make entire new
plants. If you are interested in doing it, I would get on the internet and
type in "growing Blueberries" and some college will have a lot of free
information available for someone to use. Good luck, have fun, and
congratulations on picking one of the healthiest berries for humans, to
grow.

Dwayne

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
In message , Joanne
writes
"Dwayne" wrote in message
...
I think I would leave it. I was instructed not to prune blueberries
except
to get rid of dead wood. They also said that the plant would put out
new
stems from the ground and that they would also bloom when they were old
enough, and produce fruit. If after a couple of seasons, it hasn't
bloomed,
then cut it off.


Thanks, Dwayne. Have you ever had stems from the ground, and if so were
they thick but very soft and flexible? They're not like the other stems
which is why I wondered what they are.

I'd be inclined to give it the benefit of the doubt for a season or two.
If they are grafted then it might well be a sucker, but it may just be
new growth that has not had chance to ripen into mature wood. If it
doesn't look more normal or have fruit next season only then I would be
inclined to prune it out.

FWIW New shoots on mine look soft, green and flexible in their first
year. And don't always fruit in the second year.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

"Dwayne" wrote in message
...
congratulations on picking one of the healthiest berries for humans, to
grow.


Thanks, Dwayne. However, when the blueberries are added to muffins, or
cheesecake, or icecream, I think the health benefits are somewhat diminished


Regards,

In article , Joanne
writes
"Dwayne" wrote in message
...
congratulations on picking one of the healthiest berries for humans, to
grow.


Thanks, Dwayne. However, when the blueberries are added to muffins, or
cheesecake, or icecream, I think the health benefits are somewhat diminished


I've always worked on the principle that when faced with a tempting
array of sweets in one of these hotel buffet lunches, adding the fresh
fruit salad to the cheesecake is far healthier than eating the
cheesecake alone ;-)
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

I like your idea. Before I got serious about losing weight, I told everyone
that if you wanted to eat a candy bar, it was better to drink a diet soda at
the same time. That way they cancelled each other out, and you didn't gain
any weight. Of course, no one believed me.

Dwayne


"Kay" wrote in message
...
In article , Joanne
writes
"Dwayne" wrote in message
...
congratulations on picking one of the healthiest berries for humans, to
grow.


Thanks, Dwayne. However, when the blueberries are added to muffins, or
cheesecake, or icecream, I think the health benefits are somewhat
diminished


I've always worked on the principle that when faced with a tempting
array of sweets in one of these hotel buffet lunches, adding the fresh
fruit salad to the cheesecake is far healthier than eating the
cheesecake alone ;-)
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

"Dwayne" wrote in message
news
I like your idea. Before I got serious about losing weight, I told
everyone
that if you wanted to eat a candy bar, it was better to drink a diet soda
at
the same time. That way they cancelled each other out, and you didn't
gain
any weight. Of course, no one believed me.



Yep, and you don't gain weight if you eat standing up. Also toast doesn't
have any calories!!

On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 12:29:24 GMT, Joanne wrote:


"Dwayne" wrote in message
news
I like your idea. Before I got serious about losing weight, I told
everyone
that if you wanted to eat a candy bar, it was better to drink a diet soda
at
the same time. That way they cancelled each other out, and you didn't
gain
any weight. Of course, no one believed me.



Yep, and you don't gain weight if you eat standing up. Also toast doesn't
have any calories!!

And chocolate has no calories if no one sees you eat it.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
[change "atlantic" to "pacific" and
"invalid" to "net" to reply by email]

In message , Joanne
writes
"Dwayne" wrote in message
...
I think I would leave it. I was instructed not to prune blueberries
except
to get rid of dead wood. They also said that the plant would put out new
stems from the ground and that they would also bloom when they were old
enough, and produce fruit. If after a couple of seasons, it hasn't
bloomed,
then cut it off.


Thanks, Dwayne. Have you ever had stems from the ground, and if so were
they thick but very soft and flexible? They're not like the other stems
which is why I wondered what they are.

I'd be inclined to give it the benefit of the doubt for a season or two.
If they are grafted then it might well be a sucker, but it may just be
new growth that has not had chance to ripen into mature wood. If it
doesn't look more normal or have fruit next season only then I would be
inclined to prune it out.

FWIW New shoots on mine look soft, green and flexible in their first
year. And don't always fruit in the second year.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown