Pruning blackberries: when and how to do it?

Without the right care, a handsome bramble bush quickly turns into a wild, prickly and impenetrable hedge. With us you will learn everything about the necessary pruning of the blackberry.

blackberries (Rubus sect. Rubus) form a section of the worldwide plant genus Rubus, which belongs to the rose family (Rosaceae). She is tight with the raspberry (Rubus idaeus) related. The plant is widespread in its wild form and likes to grow on forest edges and in forests, slopes and railway embankments, from which one likes to pinch a few berries in passing. Some cultivated forms for the garden are now thornless and are in no way inferior to their wild relatives in terms of taste. For a high yield and the health of the plant, it is important to prune it regularly. With us you will learn everything about pruning blackberries.

Do you have to cut back blackberries?

Yes - blackberries should be pruned to keep them in shape and ensure yield. This is supported, for example, by the fact that blackberries have their fruit on one-year-old wood - i.e. only on the branches that were formed in the previous year. Older, worn shoots, on the other hand, no longer bear fruit. For a good fruit set, it is therefore advisable to cut back the blackberry regularly and only leave the one-year-old canes that will soon bear fruit on the plant. The pruning also keeps the plant in shape and only grows in the specified paths without overgrowing neighboring plants or the rest of the garden. Ultimately, regular pruning also serves to keep the plant healthy, since shoots that are potentially susceptible to disease and rods and leaves that are already diseased are removed.
Regular pruning also prevents overhanging shoots from rooting in again. This avoids the formation of a thicket. Blackberries sprout from their basal buds or from the roots, so the rooted buds are not important to the maintenance of the shrub.

Pruning blackberries: when is the right time?

Due to the rapid growth of blackberries, targeted pruning several times a year is necessary. For a high fruit load, it is important to leave the one-year-old, fruit-bearing canes on the plant and only cut out the older ones. The old and young shoots can usually be easily distinguished by their color and texture, as the younger ones are greener, smoother and less woody. But when do you cut back blackberries?

Prune blackberries after planting

With blackberries, the first cut is already necessary immediately after planting. This gives the plant the optimal conditions for healthy growth and strong root development. Only 1 or 2 strong shoots are left standing while the other shoots are shortened. Our special article tells you how Plant blackberries properly can.

Pruning blackberry bushes in spring

In general, blackberries should be pruned in spring, because the old shoots protect the young shoots from winter cold and frost. The worn-out, older parts of the blackberry are cut back radically close to the ground, so that the plant puts her energy into the formation of the new, flowering rods and thus more light on the young tendrils reached.

Cut blackberries in summer

After the harvest, the formed young canes are cut in the summer, which should bear fruit next year. This reduces the number of axillary shoots that emerge, which improves the quality of the remaining canes and the fruits formed on them. The flowering of the blackberry is not simultaneous on all buds, but moves from the last bud towards the base. By pruning the young shoots, this flowering induction takes place more evenly - which later leads to an even ripening of the berries.

How do you cut blackberries?

When pruning the blackberry, one or the other special feature must be observed depending on the time. Choose the right equipment before cutting: Wear gloves to avoid injuries from the sharp thorns of the blackberry. A pair of sharp rose scissors makes the job easier while reducing the risk of disease or fungal infection. Check the plant for diseases and pests every time you cut it. The resulting plant material can be used in the compost if it is free of infections. It is also advisable to tie the rods upwards on a trellis so that there is no contact with the ground and the shoots do not take root.

Regular pruning of the blackberry

The blackberry plants in the garden undergo pruning immediately after planting and from then on regularly throughout the spring and summer. At the different times, do the following:

Blackberry plant cuttings

1. Select 1 or 2 strong shoots from the freshly planted blackberry and shorten them to around 20 to 30 cm in length.
2. Cut back all other shoots close to the ground.

spring pruning the blackberry

1. Separate the two-year-old, worn shoots from the young shoots. With blackberries grown on a trellis, separating the old and young canes to the left and to the right can make this work easier.
2. Cut back the two-year-old shoots as close to the ground as possible. If you are unsure what the young canes are, you can wait until the fruit set before you cut them.
3. Select the 4 to 7 strongest annual canes and remove the remaining ones close to the ground. Tie the remaining shoots up the trellis or trellis.
4. If the young rods already have side shoots, these are shortened to about 2 to 3 eyes or buds.
5. Remove dead and frozen shoots right down to the healthy wood.

summer cut the blackberry

1. The new young shoots from the current year can be cut back to 3 to 5 eyes.
2. Very long-growing, bearing shoots can be cut back to achieve fewer but larger fruits and to prevent sagging.

tip: Some varieties such as 'Theodor Reimers' also form stinging shoots in the supporting rods Axillary buds that are easily removed from the leaf axils with scissors without damaging the main stem to damage.

Cut side shoots

By shortening the side shoots, which in some varieties are already formed on young shoots in the year before flowering, the yield is promoted. To do this, the corresponding side shoots are cut back to about 2 to 3 eyes or buds. In the year of harvest, more fruit-bearing side shoots sprout here.

Cut columnar blackberries

Pruning columnar blackberries is no different from pruning other species. The upright growing varieties are very easy to care for, as they only form new shoots from the base. The canes rarely touch the ground and therefore fewer rooted shoots are produced. They can therefore be cut in the same way as other types of blackberries. Pulled on a vertical trellis, they still need some attention, as their wild and sprawling growth quickly makes them look unaesthetic. This growth form is best cut in March, before the new shoots. Also shorten the height of the plant and adjust it to the climbing aid.

Are you happy with the regular pruning of your blackberry and is the plant bearing well? Then take the opportunity and learn how to Simply multiply blackberries can.