Also, when the growth of the new canes reach about seven feet in height, can you prune back these first year canes to four feet? Or. . . will that pruning affect the crop on the cane the following year? Thanks Mrs. G

I hope a berry person will help us with these questions. Thanks, Mrs. G

You usually tip the top to encourage the lower laterals to grow faster since this is were the fruit next year will appear. If you trellis your plant you only need to pinch the top out and support all fruiting branches to the trellis. If you have an erect plant and don't want to trellis most would cut it to 4' or so depending on if you have a lot of lower buds, then in winter they cut the lateral back to 18" or so so the weight of the berries dont take the plant to the ground in high winds. If you don't want to use a trellis I would cut it back to 5' and use stakes to support the main cain and laterals if needed, but don't forget, i'm a green horn, get other opinions before doing anything.

I'm so glad y'all are talking about this.

My Cherokee blackberry is getting too long this year, its first year making a robust bunch of primocanes. Is it fine to keep those pruned to a reasonable length all season (instead of waiting until winter to prune)? I didn't allocate the whole backyard for that one plant :D

Anyone know of any Pick Your Own farms around Atlanta, GA that might have Bababerry, Tayberry, Anne Yellow or Fall Gold?

In link there list you check out see if they still growing blackberries its old list not up to date.

Here is a link that might be useful: Blackberries

No luck with PYO farms, I looked at the area South of Atlanta and found no raspberry farm picking, left voice messages at 3 farms and no one returned my call, maybe because of the holiday.

I still have no advise on if I should tip the top lateral branch to get better growth on the lower laterals or can I leave it.

catfishhoward,

Given that your climate in Atlanta GA is quite warm for raspberries, you may want to check with a couple of online retailers like Edible Landscaping (Afton VA) and Berries Unlimited (Prairie Grove, AR) that grow in warmer climates, to get their advice on growing raspberries in your area. Several people on this forum have tried Tayberries and they did not have success with them in climates that were slightly cooler than yours.

MrsG47,

"When the growth of the new canes reach about seven feet in height, can you prune back these first year canes to four feet?" I would not recommend making such a significant pruning while the plant is actively growing. If you want to cut it back, then do that in the late winter / early spring while the plant is dormant. Will you lose production capability by cutting it back? In theory, if you cut back the plant (generally laterals) you should get larger, better quality fruit. Does that apply to all blackberry varieties or to the primocane... I'm not sure. One of the issues with summer pruning is creating plant wounds that act as an entry for diseases and pests. The smaller the plant wound, the better.

MrsG,

I disagree, I would cut them back now to encourage laterals. A general rule for all plants to to never remove more than 1/3. I would use that rule. So you can cut them back 1/3.
I agree about wounds, just make the cut when we have clear skies for a few days and all will be well.
I have been so busy I have not cut mine back either, but will Wednesday when the rainy weather is supposed to clear up, I also have black raspberries to cut back.

I now have raspberry borers getting a few tips of my Cherokee BB, so I think I won't cut it back like I planned. Better to have more cane that might need pruning out when I see the tip wilt and rings! At least, as far as I can figure :)

I've been pruning away a few inches under the rings and not waiting on that, of course. But I think it might be good for me to leave mine long since this appears to be a bit of a problem here. Y'all let me know if I should go a different way with my approach, please. If they get far down in my canes, I would get upset about them! The canes are really long now, so hopefully I'm good with pruning as I catch it.