PIKETON, Ohio – If you want to get the most out of your small fruit crops this spring and summer, pruning is an essential maintenance practice that should be performed during winter while plants are still dormant.
Ohio State University South Centers at Piketon will be holding a pruning workshop in March for grape, blueberry and bramble growers to help them develop better pruning techniques. The workshop will take place March 20 from 10 a.m. until noon at OSU South Centers, 1864 Shyville Road, Piketon, Ohio. Registration is $5 per person.
Pruning may be an overwhelming, intimidating task, but it is used to help maintain plant structure and size, promote good air circulation, enhance fruit yield and quality, and stimulate new growth.
Maurus Brown, an OSU Extension small fruit specialist, will guide growers through pruning process during the hands-on workshop. Topics covered include learning the different pruning requirements for blackberries and raspberries; discussing the advantages and disadvantages of different pruning methods for blueberries; reviewing blueberry renovation and pruning study data from OSU South Centers blueberry trials; and discussing how to balance fruit production with vegetative growth in vineyards to maintain vine structure, promote good yields, and maintain fruit size and quality.
The workshop is designed to be beneficial to both the backyard fruit grower, as well as those producing fruit on a commercial scale. Attendees should come prepared to be in the field. If there is inclement weather, the program will be moved to a classroom-style presentation.
The workshop is part of the OSU South Centers Horticulture Business Training Series. For more information on the workshop or to RSVP, contact Julie Strawser-Moose at 740-289-2071, ext. 223, or e-mail strawser.35@cfaes.osu.edu. Walk-ins are welcome.