Winter Preparations

Thank You for Participating in the U-Pick Season

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated in our U-Pick season. Your enthusiasm and support make our efforts worthwhile. As we transition into winter, it’s time to focus on essential pruning tasks for our berry and grape plants to ensure a fruitful harvest in the coming seasons.

Winter Pruning Tasks

Blackberries

• Remove Dead Canes: Cut back any dead or diseased canes to the ground. These canes are usually brown and brittle.

• Thin Out Excess Canes: Retain 4-6 of the healthiest canes per plant for optimal fruit production. Remove any weak or overcrowded canes.

• Trim Tips: For our varieties, we will trim the tips of the canes to encourage branching and more fruiting laterals.

Blueberries

• Remove Old Wood: Eliminate any old, unproductive wood to promote new growth. Focus on removing one-third of the oldest canes.

• Shape the Bush: Maintain an open center for sunlight penetration and air circulation by selectively pruning branches that cross or crowd each other.

• Shorten New Growth: Trim back the tips of new growth to encourage branching and increase fruiting potential.

Muscadines

• Prune Back Vines: Cut back last year's growth to about 6-8 buds per cane to promote healthy new growth.

• Remove Unproductive Vines: Identify and remove any vines that are not producing fruit or are weak.

• Train Young Vines: For young plants, train them to the trellis by tying them loosely to ensure they grow in the desired direction.

By following these winter pruning tasks, we can ensure that our blackberries, blueberries, and muscadines are well-prepared for the upcoming growing season. Thank you once again for your participation, and we look forward to seeing you next season!