SUMMARY
Commercial wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) fields were mowed in spring and autumn at low (2.5-5 cm; 1-2 inches), medium (5-7.5 cm; 2-3 inches), and high (> 7.5 cm; > 3 inches) heights with a flail mower and also with a rotary mower (> 7.5 cm; > 3 inches), in order to determine optimal heights for mowing. Initial stem lengths reflected differences in mowing heights at both sites, but there were no differences in plant heights at the end of the pruning year growth, or in the spring of the crop year. There were no differences in buds per stem or in fresh fruit yields among the treatments at the Adams field, or among the flail mowed plots at the Murray Siding field. Yields in rotary mowed plots were lower than yields in all other plots at the Murray Siding field, and also stems were more branched than were stems in the other treatment plots. These results suggest that producers can mow their fields at higher heights without impact on plant growth and production, as long as they use the flail mower. Mowing at greater heights results in less damage to equipment, plants and soil, and is more economical than the low heights of mowing presently recommended for the industry.
