Pruning and maintenance of brambles
R
aspberries and blackberries
are very popular fruits. However,
having a good crop of large, juicy
berries requires work. Red raspberries,
black raspberries and blackberries
(collectively called brambles) can
quickly become overgrown if not
managed properly.
Canes
There are two types of canes (stems)
on a typical bramble plant: first
year primocanes, which do not fruit
the same year they emerge on some
varieties, and floricanes, which are
canes that flower, bear fruit and
then die.
Certain red raspberries, black
raspberries and blackberries
are primocane-fruiting, meaning
they will bear fruit on primocanes
that emerged that year.
Each year, new primocanes emerge
from the bramble plant. Red
raspberries and blackberries
produce new canes from the crown
(compressed stem at the ground level)
and roots, while black raspberries
produce new canes predominantly
from the crown.
Maintenance
There is no advantage to having too
many canes, because they will shade
and crowd each other resulting in
small fruit and disease problems.
It is important not to let the row
or plant canopy of blackberries and
raspberries exceed 36 inches in width.
Any canes that emerge past this width
should be removed either by pruning
or tillage.
Another strategy for controlling cane
growth is to use a landscape fabric
between the rows as a mulch to
suppress canes from emerging.
Tipping
Tip pruning or “tipping” brambles
refers to the practice of removing
4 to 5 inches from the tip of each
primocane. Summer tipping of
primocanes is practiced only on
black raspberries, purple raspberries
and blackberries – not on red
raspberries. Pinching the tips
makes the plant produce side
shoots or laterals, which will
increase the number of
blooms per cane
and produce an
earlier crop.
In addition,
the canes
do not get
exceedingly
tall and
unmanageable.
Tipping is done on black
raspberries before the cane
begins to arch to the ground
(typically at 30 to 36 inches);
however, blackberries are tipped
at 4 to 5 feet in cane length.
Many black raspberry and blackberry
varieties produce new plants where the
cane contacts the soil. To prevent new
plant formation and overcrowding in
the canopy, the canes are tipped or
pinched.
Also, a trellis can be used to keep
the canes upright. Floricanes die
after bearing fruit and should be
removed from the plant canopy
before winter.
Primocane-fruiting types
For gardeners who want a
fall harvest of berries, the
primocane-fruiting types
are a suitable choice.
Recommended varieties
include ‘Caroline,’
‘Himbo Top,’
‘Heritage’ and
‘Autumn Britton’
(red raspberries);
‘Niwot’ (black
raspberries); and
‘Prime Ark Freedom®’.
Primocane blackberries must
be tipped to encourage
side shoot or
lateral
branching;
however, primocane raspberries
are not tipped.
Primocane-bearers are
pruned once per year. This
is accomplished by mowing
the canes off in late winter
as close to ground level as
possible. The following year,
the new canes will emerge and bear
fruit later that season.
By Lewis Jett – WVU Extension
Specialist, Commercial Horticulture
Managing Colorado potato beetle
– continued from page i –
can then be destroyed (along with
any beetles) before the primary crop
becomes susceptible to attack.
or planting them 1/4 to 1/2 mile away
from the previous season’s crop may
reduce beetle populations.
Crop rotation is an effective option
for larger growing areas. Growing
susceptible crops every other year,
By Daniel Frank, WVU Extension
Specialist – Entomology
Insert provided by WVU Extension Service and Davis College of Ag., Natural Resources, and Design
Summer 2015
West Virginia Farm Bureau News 19