Most wild blueberry fields are pruned to the ground every other year. In the growing season immediately following the pruning, the vegetative and formative growth takes place. Flower buds are formed during this season. In May of the following year, or the crop year, the flower buds open and come into bloom. This bloom period lasts from two to four weeks.
Blueberries require cross pollination for a successful fruit set.
After pollination and fruit set, the blueberries develop and ripen in late July and August. Until recently, most commercial blueberry fields have been pruned by fire with straw or oil burners. Repeatedly burning fields for a number of years has resulted in a decline in production associated with the destruction of the organic pad and exposure of the rhizomes. Mechanical mowing will produce equivalent yields without depleting the organic pad. Mowing is less costly than using oil or straw and has been widely adopted by blueberry growers.