So I pruned my blueberries a few weeks ago. Super Important. You will not believe how much blueberry production will increase if you've never pruned before. More branches and growth do NOT equal more blueberries. For more info on how to prune go HERE. If the plant is using all of its energy and nutrients to feed leaves, guess what it won't be doing? That's right, making blueberries!
Now is the time (I'm zone 7) for all of the flowers to cover my bushes. And time, too, for the very important work of bees. Without the bees and their pollination, the blueberries would not be possible.
A busy bee at work pollinating my blueberry bushes.
This essential pollination is why you should have at least two varieties of blueberry bushes planted. Next to each other.The cross-pollination will greatly increase the production of blueberries. Some varieties won't produce at all without cross-pollination. Side note: this is really the only time of year bees will be attracted to the plants. So if you have bee sting concerns, don't worry!
All of these flowers will soon be blueberries!
During the time of year when the bees are pollinating the bushes, I also like to fertilize with Epsom salts. I let 1/4 cup dissolve in a couple of gallons of room temperature water, and then I divide it between the two mature plants. (I planted 3 new ones this year, and I'm not going to fertilize them this year.) Epsom salts provide magnesium, which blueberry bushes like. (Your tomatoes and bell peppers like it, too, BTDubs.)
Okay, so are you ready to see my bushes? I hesitate to post a picture because it doesn't look like these two could actually produce the gallons of berries that they do. Here you go...
These guys are in full sun on the south side of our house.
They love to be mulched, so there is pine straw covering the soil.
Can you believe it? They don't look like much, but they are big producing bushes!
If you want to read more about my blueberry care and other blueberry related posts:
