How to prune small cranberry

Early spring after the risk of hard frost has passed. Snip out dead, brown, or frost-killed runners at their base using clean scissors or hand pruners. Avoid cutting healthy green trailing stems. If the planting becomes congested after several years, thin selectively to improve airflow.

Rarely; light tidying annually as needed. Small cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos) is a low, creeping bog plant that rarely needs structured pruning. Beyond removing dead or winter-damaged runners, minimal intervention is best. Commercial bogs use light sanding or flooding for renovation, but in garden or bog settings, just tidy dead growth annually.

Snip out dead, brown, or frost-killed runners at their base using clean scissors or hand pruners. Avoid cutting healthy green trailing stems. If the planting becomes congested after several years, thin selectively to improve airflow.