I always prune some after harvest. Usually removing 25-50% of the old wood. This year, on 2nd year plants, all that low wood that grows the first year was removed. Mine are starting to regrow already.

The other task is to shorten long canes so they can support the fruit. New growth usually needs the tips pinched out at frequent intervals. Many varieties want to grow long unbranched shoots that if allowed to grow too tall can't support the weight of the fruit.

Some varieties are a lot easier to maintain than others. I have a few that are very difficult to grow compactly enough to support the weight of the fruit.

It's only been a couple of seasons of pruning for me personally, but Four Winds has been around a long time and the tip sheet has been on the web for a while too. My goal is easy care, if your goals are different, there may be other methods and instructions better suited to your situation.

The other factor is that there are huge differences between cultivars. Some form many small canes down low early on. Various cultivars can be very lanky and upright or low and spreading.

Harvest dates across the country range from April to September. So one size can't fit all. Even if you narrow it down to just southern highbush there may be enough difference in harvest dates, and certainly in cultivars to affect pruning approach.

I think you'll get a lot of different approaches to pruning but that's mine.

Clint..i'm not sure what it is about summer pruning you find hard or complicated.

SHB are prone to disease, namely stem blight and root rot. Stem blight is avoided by removing dead canes/branches (spent fruiting wood). My plants tend to form a thick canopy by the time fruiting is done. This canopy limits sunlight and air cirulation. It also forces branches and canes to rub on each other wounding the plant. These wounds can be a entry point for disease

Fungus and Mildews can cause major issues with leaf retention in humid areas which have a direct effect on number of fruit buds formed in the fall. By prunning after harvest you force new shoots and leafs which stay longer on the plant into the fall to form more fruit buds. Usually the spring flush of leafs is pretty battered by the time fall comes and thats only the leafs that managed to hang on to the bush that long.

Branching is multiplied by topping new canes and branches after harvest. More branches equal more fruit buds/fruit next spring.

Sunlight and air. New shoots need sunlight to grow up right and strong. Shaded branches and shoots tend to be weak and sometimes twisted trying to reach the upper canopy. Sun and air also keep mildew and fungus at bay to an extent.

Any thing else Im missing here? Ive even taken this same approach to my rabbiteyes. I believe in my area of the world rabbiteyes benefit even more from summer prunning than SHB. Ive had bad problems with powdery mildew in rabbiteyes from the get go and prunning to a open center and thinning out the rest of the canopy after harvest really seem to help.

Im trying to think of a good reason not to prune SHB after harvest...... Im at a loss....... Still thinking....... Forget it, I cant think of any! I guess if your not really into getting the best production out of your blueberry plants than sure, why prune after harvest right? But if your nuts over growing the things like I am its just another reason to spend time in the garden. Your mind and plants benefit from it.

I looked at your plants and they are still pretty small. Are you sure it is the sun frying the leaves and not the sun frying the pots and overheating the roots? I know you said you had recently repotted them.were they in black pots? Mulching the pot tops does help.

The other thing could be if they were planted during hot weather......they really prefer to be planted in the late fall though winter works almost as well.

My normal mulch is fairly dark so this year I have tried using stable waste which is basically just 95% pine chips. The light colored mulch does seem to keep the soil cooler. The only unknown is it is not mellowed which I know is the recommendation......but so far it has not caused any noticeable issues.