How to prune spartan blueberry

Late winter while fully dormant, before bud break in early spring. Cut canes older than 5–6 years to the base. Retain 6–8 healthy, well-spaced canes. Tip back the remaining canes by 20–30% to reduce crop load and improve berry size. Remove any twiggy, weak growth from the interior of the bush.

Annually, every late winter. Spartan is an early-season highbush blueberry that tends toward vigorous, upright growth and benefits from annual winter pruning to maintain an open structure. It can overbear on young canes, so tipping back young growth is especially useful to size up individual berries. Like all highbush cultivars, remove canes older than 5–6 years at the base to rejuvenate the plant.

Cut canes older than 5–6 years to the base. Retain 6–8 healthy, well-spaced canes. Tip back the remaining canes by 20–30% to reduce crop load and improve berry size. Remove any twiggy, weak growth from the interior of the bush.