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tucker46060

Pruning and laterals

tucker46060
10 years ago

All-

I have a variety of blackberries and black raspberries.

Tipped the canes earlier, and they are growing laterals like crazy.

What is best practice for these? Some are 4' plus in length. Should I tip the laterals as well, or let them keep growing?

I have Triple Crown, Apache, Ouachita, as well as 3-4 varieties of black raspberries.

Thanks in advance.

Comments (8)

  • larry_gene
    10 years ago

    Depends on your trellis capacity and how many berries you want next year and freezer space. Past the point where the laterals get really thin, berries will be small or absent. Black-caps tend to thin in a few feet, Triple Crown can lateral on forever. There is no universal answer in inches and feet.

  • mrsg47
    10 years ago

    Tucker, read the other post on pruning blackberries. There is a link you should bookmark by poole. It will answer all of your questions. By the way, I have Ouachita as well. The berries are huge and excellent. Hope I have tons more next year. Mrs. G

  • gator_rider2
    10 years ago

    I always prune my blackberries so lateral grow over top wire as grow downward I stop growth by pruning buds out this makes all fruit be on out side wire at good picking height and up from ground very few berries make out reach in center of wire because take out all those lateral just let lateral produce beyond wire. This create wall blackberry fruit I do pull and tie some canes over to wire this leave center open for any new canes shoot up center. A blackberry plants grows so fast why not train for easy picking it also makes removing old spent cane easier to remove. I pick 16 gallon off single plant this year was Ouachita.

  • mrsg47
    10 years ago

    Gator! That is music to my ears!!!! You're the only other forum member that likes Ouachita besides me. 16 gallons from one plant? I have four of them, oh goodie!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mrs. G

  • gator_rider2
    10 years ago

    It is a market type berry looking inside at point brake off bush helps if gray its good if green I put in sack set in refrigerator one day and green center gray and taste same as gray fresh off bush.but I eat all big ones over size I pick. Third day picking turn out good fresh berries. It was unusual plant this year it got warm then cool so flower just keep coming and coming I had 4 canes coming up from crown. Because thornless stay green longer it does affect flavor that where thorny type win good taste test Chickasaw been best flavor berry I ever grew but has thorns that not problem for me but double was problem. I set scales up all pick and come in with 87 1/2 pounds at 5.4 pounds per gallon and several plastic suitcase bags I buy new bags at Sams stores last I got 1,000 15.00 but last many years.

  • mrsg47
    10 years ago

    Gator thanks for the tip on putting the not quite berries in the fridge. I am hoping for a great crop next year, as this is just my first small crop. I do wish more would ripen at the same time. That is why I bought four bushes. I want mine for jam and not fresh eating. I hope this berry will be good for that. Thanks again Gator, Mrs. G

  • drew51 SE MI Z5b/6a
    10 years ago

    "I want mine for jam and not fresh eating."

    I like to make Blackberry-kiwi jam. use 5 kiwi's to 2 or 3 cups of berries. Someone on the forum mentioned black and blue jam. Wild blackberries and blueberries.
    I have 8 blackberry plants. But I also forage wild blackberries. Here a photo of frozen wild blackberries with a Triple Crown berry on top (from my garden) and a quarter. Freezing them turned them red. The jam is excellent. I have 4 more cups and I'm going to try black and blue jam
    I like my jam tart, and have figured out how to use a lot less sugar. But it is difficult to get right. I recently discovered pectin that jells from calcium, you don't have to put ANY sugar in it if you prefer. I had to mail order, as I could not find locally. I'm saving the last of the wild berries to try it. Just waiting for it to arrive. I will probably forage more wild blackberries this weekend. Leaving for up north in a few hours. I love foraging!

    This post was edited by Drew51 on Thu, Aug 22, 13 at 10:05

  • gator_rider2
    10 years ago

    Drew51
    The secret to getting tartness is use few red berries in mix about 6 to 12 red berries per gallon fruit tart up jam are jelly this way you get wild berry taste and use larger berries.