Want a better blueberry harvest? If so, think about pruning your blueberries this winter. Pruning is critical to blueberry productivity. An annual pruning regimen is needed to remove old and diseased canes, encourage strong new canes and increase the harvest.

From noon-1 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31, home gardeners can get advice from Clallam County Master Gardeners about blueberry pruning at the Fifth Street Community Garden in Port Angeles.

Clallam County Master Gardeners Jeanette Stehr-Green and Audreen Williams will teach home blueberry growers how to prune their plants for productivity. They will describe the typical growth pattern of blueberries and outline a systematic approach to pruning. They will demonstrate pruning techniques on the blueberry bushes at the Fifth Street garden. The presentation will help home gardeners implement an annual pruning regimen that will lead to healthier plants and a bigger and better harvest in coming seasons.

Stehr-Green has been a Master Gardener since 2003 and was the 2012 Clallam County Veteran Master Gardener of the Year. Stehr-Green is now enrolled in Oregon State University’s Online Blueberry School. Williams joined Master Gardeners in 2012 and was the 2014 Clallam County Veteran Master Gardener of the Year co-recipient. Both Stehr-Green and Williams have many years of experience growing berries of all types.

The blueberry presentation is free and open to the public and will occur rain or shine (or cold temperatures). Attendees should wear warm clothing and waterproof shoes and be prepared to stand for the duration of the one-hour presentation.

The Fifth Street Community Garden is located at 328 E. Fifth Street, just off Peabody Street across from City Hall. The garden includes more than 50 individuals plots that are each 9 feet by 12 feet.

The garden was developed on city property in 2011 with a vision to connect people to the earth and their community through growing food.

For more information about “Pruning Blueberries for Productivity,” call 360-565-2679.