Pruning blackberries: when and how to do it correctly so that there is a good harvest

In order for blackberries to bear fruit well next season, you need to do the right pruning. Also, the procedure will contribute to the formation of a beautiful appearance and increase the size of the fruit. If the fruiting branches are not removed annually, then as a result the plant will cease to produce a crop. Therefore, it is important to know everything about blackberry pruning, when and how to do it correctly.

The benefits and necessity of pruning

Blackberries are biennial plants. This means that only branches from last year and once can bear fruit. New shoots grow in summer, gain strength and prepare for fruiting next season.Therefore, when the berries are harvested, the old branches become unnecessary. They shade young shoots and interfere with their development. If they are not cut in time, then next season the fruits will become small and it will be very difficult to get to the berries.

For a good harvest, pruning should not be neglected, as the presence of unnecessary shoots will contribute to the development of diseases and a decrease in crop volume.

What to look out for

Blackberry annually gives a lot of new shoots, if they are not cut, then thickening cannot be avoided. It is best to thin out when the bushes are still dormant. The ideal time is spring, when leaf buds swell and it becomes clear which shoots have suffered from frost. You should start with those that grow on the side. Cut at the root.

All varieties have a lot of shoots around the roots, which must be removed.If the procedure is not carried out in time, the bush will weaken, as it will become impervious to sunlight. As a result, various diseases will begin to develop, and the crop will also be attacked by pests.

In addition, the plant will have a hard time surviving the winter, as blackberries need proper pruning.

Pruning dates for garden blackberries

Spring pruning aims to remove frozen shoots. Autumn - getting rid of old branches, and summer - to stimulate the growth of side shoots.

New, just planted seedlings do not need pruning in the spring. And require special care:

1. Young shoots that appear in summer are tied to a wire.
2. Side shoots that appear in the leaf axils are cut to 1 leaf.
3. In winter, you need to remove the shoots, leaving the 3 strongest, and shorten them by two-thirds.
4. The next year, many new shoots will begin to grow from the rhizome. You will need to leave a maximum of 6 strong and tie to the trellis, while distributing to the left and right.

Spring

The bush is inspected when the threat of frost has passed. Visually determine the viability of the whip. If it has elasticity, there is a he althy sheen and a brown tint, then the plant has survived the winter. Remove all fragile, black and rough specimens. Shoots that are in doubt should be removed. They will produce fewer berries than a he althy specimen.

Summer

In erect varieties, the growth point is located in the center of the trunk. To stimulate the growth of side branches, you will need to pinch the top. This procedure is called pinching. Summer pruning is carried out in the first decade of June. The tops are cut to 7 centimeters to provoke branching. In July, when young bushes reach 1 meter, cut the tops. After fruiting, the branches from which all the fruits were removed are completely cut off. In August, stepchildren that have reached a length of 40 centimeters are removed and shortened to 4 sheets.Long bushes should also be shortened in the second decade of August.

If there are many buds on stepchildren, then the harvest will be more abundant in the coming season, but the berries will grow small and not fragrant. You can't skip summer pruning. Otherwise, chaos will form from the shoots, which will complicate the harvesting process.

Autumn

At this time of the year, pruning for the winter is carried out, which allows:

• Rationally use the nutrients supplied to the plant. All the necessary elements will receive a young shoot, not an old and useless one.
• Increase frost resistance. The sun will fall into the center of the bush, and new shoots will be easier to insulate if necessary.
• Normize the total load on the plant, which will contribute to a good harvest.

Autumn pruning of young lashes will stimulate future flowering, and the fruiting part of the plant is completely cut off at the root.

Also:

• get rid of thin and small lashes;
• cut branches damaged by pests, as they will not survive the frost;
• to stimulate a good peduncle, young and thick shoots are cut to a quarter;
• pruning is carried out above the kidney, stumps cannot be left, as they rot and infect the bush.

Blackberry Pruning Patterns for Beginners

A special method of shaping in the spring will help facilitate autumn pruning and get the richest harvest. Care depends on the type of crop.

Upright varieties

This variety has a high level of winter hardiness, but it is recommended to insulate during severe winters. During the procedure, it is easy to damage the plant, so you should prepare the bushes in advance:

• in spring time, frozen shoots and old branches that were not harvested before winter are removed;
• biennial overwintered shoots need to be picked up and tied to the trellis in a vertical position;
• young shoots are attached to the bottom of the trellis under a slight slope.

This preparation distributes the age of the plant. Bushes that will give up this season and become useless are located in the center, and in the fall they will be easy to find and remove.

Correct autumn bush formation:

1. Remove lignified bushes located in the middle of the trellis. Cut them off completely.
2. Choose strong branches and leave only 8-9 of the best. The rest are cut at the root.
3. Green shoots are shortened by a quarter. Then spread on the ground in the form of a fan and covered with straw. In the spring, you need to tie them up at the bottom of the trellis.

Spruce blackberries are pruned 8 centimeters each summer to encourage side shoot growth. Autumn pruning is to remove the branches that bear fruit. They must be cut and carefully removed from the wire so as not to damage the remaining bushes with the prickly part.

Creeping varieties

The formation of blackberries begins in the spring. Select young shoots that will overwinter. Leave 10 pieces, and the rest are cut off at the root. Also pruned and reappearing shoots. Stumps should not remain after the procedure. Such a scheme will strengthen the roots and evenly distribute nutrients. If you postpone the procedure, then in the fall you will get a plant in which the vegetative mass will be confused and compacted.

Cutting process:

1. Shoots that have overwintered must be wound on a wire in the form of a spiral. The direction is chosen to the right.
2. Fix young shoots with the same technique, but wind in the opposite direction. This process will separate the fruiting zones and the vegetative mass. The process is carried out in the spring.
3. Before the cold weather, the part that yielded the crop is pruned.
4. All young shoots are reeled off. Choose 8 strong ones. The rest are cut off. This part will serve as a fruiting zone next year.
5. For a variety that has thorns, trenches are dug and left to winter in them. A culture without thorns is pressed to the soil and covered with agrofibre.

During the season, new shoots are formed, which must be attached to the wire and placed horizontally. Experienced summer residents recommend removing the lower buds on each branch. When the shoots develop and the fruits ripen, they are smeared on the ground and deteriorate from watering. In the spring, cut off the upper part of the shoot, leaving a height of 1.5 meters.

This will greatly stimulate the growth of the plant and better distribute the nutrients throughout the blackberries.

Repair varieties

Repairing blackberries require the simplest care. After the bushes have yielded the crop, the shrub is cut at the root. The place where it grew is sheltered:

• spruce branches;
• mulch;
• agrofibre;
• straw.

In the spring the material is removed, then shoots begin to sprout, which will provide more berries at the end of the season.

Pruning blackberries is a necessary condition that guarantees a bountiful harvest in the coming season.

Varieties without thorns

Climbing varieties without thorns are called "rosevika". They are recommended to be grown with side shoots.To do this, they are cut at a height of 4 kidneys. Pruning is carried out in the spring, before the onset of sap flow. When the plant enters the growing season, side shoots will begin to grow from the left buds. The first years are left on the ground, as they will not bear fruit. The next year they are raised on trellises. After 3 years, the old branches are cut off at the root, as there will be no harvest on them. Blackberries should not be allowed to grow randomly. This will lead to a decrease in yield. Therefore, the extra bushes that appear are cut off completely.

Mulch varieties in autumn. The ideal shelter for the autumn period is green manure. Winter - spruce branches and peat.

Blackberry garter after pruning

The most prickly bush in the garden is the blackberry. This pricklyness is a big problem for crown formation. Proper fit will greatly facilitate subsequent care. For free access, observe the correct distance between plants. For upright - this is 3.5 meters, for creeping - 4.5 meters.This will allow you to freely attach the shoot to the trellis and make it easier to trim.

Fan

Correct formation:

1. The shoots that overwintered and survived are attached to the trellis exactly above the root system in a vertical position.
2. Small stems must be parted in two directions and tied to the bottom of the support. The height above the ground will need 30 centimeters.

Ropeway

This method is suitable for creeping varieties that have reached a length of 10 meters. The branches are collected into one rope and shaped into a cylinder. To do this, the assembled bundle is tied with rings, placing them at different heights. This will make it easier to tie the shoots to the support.

When fixing, long branches and young ones are collected in different ropes and sent in opposite directions. Young stems are attached to the bottom of the support.

Wave

The method is suitable for creeping varieties. Process:

• one-year shoots are fixed on the upper tiers of the support;
• old branches form waves by tying between the lower and middle rows.

In autumn, two-year-old branches are cut off, and in spring young stems are placed in their place. So annually alternately replace the old branches with new ones. The garter ensures comfortable picking of berries.

Feeding blackberries after pruning

After the events carried out, the plant needs to be fed:

• rotted manure;
• bird droppings solution;
• mature compost.

Feeding is applied to the trunk circle after weeds have been removed and the ground has been loosened.

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