Pruning six acres of blueberry bushes, Jeff and I have learned, is not for the faint of heart. We have ground down the blades of two Dewalt power pruners and now have matching callouses on our "trigger" thumbs. We have bug bites and scratches of unknown origin. We are investing in Neosporin. We started out with dedicated "farm clothes" but now everything bears the dirt stains and rips from a day in the field.
Before February, we had never pruned anything more significant than our five rose bushes or a houseplant. Today we have pruned over 3000 blueberry bushes. We were counting for a while. We stopped counting at 2,608 bushes... and then kept on pruning for a long time after that.
Yesterday two of our summer staffers came to the farm for a few hours of branch clean up (and golf cart joyriding). We love these kids already. Aisle by aisle, they methodically gathered straggler branches that had fallen off our grapple. They made two enormous piles.
Are the branches all cleaned up now? No.
Are we done pruning for 2024? Also no.
Early in the season, I wrote some thoughts about pruning... edited slightly for the weeks that have ensued.
Things I am Learning While Pruning Blueberry Bushes
If it's crossing the wrong way and rubbing, it is never going to grow right. Remove it.
What looks like a huge obstacle might easily break off in your hand.
Choose carefully but forgive your mistakes.
Don't get distracted by little twigs. Move along.
Pay attention. Sometimes the oldest limbs have the best new growth.
Make room for growth and let light in.
If you're starting to get angry at the bushes, it's probably time for a snack.
Keep going. There is a lot to do.
We love it.
May 25, 2024
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