Matthew Orwat
County Extension Agent – AG/NR
Email: matthew.orwat@ag.tamu.edu
Blackberries need to be pruned each year to increase the yield and keep the crown healthy. Some varieties bloom and bear fruit on primocanes, the canes that are new that year. All blackberries bloom and bear fruit on floricanes, the canes that have survived a winter. Floricanes die after they bear fruit.
Most of the varieties of blackberries that grow in our area are floricane bearing plants. Primocane bearing plants do not do as well in our heat.
Blackberries at the Dallas County RB1 Farm. Image Credit Dallas County Master Gardeners
Pre-Pruning Training
Blackberries grow best when they are trellised. Often, the trellis is two parallel strands of wire, one at 30 inches off the ground and one at 60 inches off the ground. Canes are trained up the trellises. This makes the berries easier to pick, reduces dirt contamination of fruit, and increases air circulation around the canes. Pinch off or cut a few inches from the tip of the primocanes when they reach above the top of the trellis to promote branching and increase the fruit yield the following year.
Just a reminder, snakes like blackberries, too, including copperhead snakes, so watch where you put your hands and feet when you are near blackberries. It is a good idea to wear closed toe shoes and gloves when pruning, especially if you are pruning thorny varieties.
Pruning Blackberries
As soon as the blackberry floricanes stop producing fruit, cut them back to the crown. Be careful not to damage the crown. Remove the canes you have cut off and dispose of them. Leaving them where they are increases pest and disease problems.
If you have double blossom or other plant diseases, you can mow all the canes down to the crown in midsummer. This reduces the yield on floricanes the next year but can improve the quality of the fruit you do harvest. It can also save the plants without having to use harsh chemicals.
After Pruning Care of Blackberries
Blackberries do not require any special care after pruning. Continue watering the plants for the rest of the growing season. Mulching around the plant will reduce weeds, which steal water, nutrients, and sunlight from your plant. Leave a gap of around three inches between the crown of the blackberry and the mulch so primocanes can grow from it. This also protects the crown from getting rotten spots where the mulch holds moisture against the plant. Mulch not only helps keep weeds down, but it also helps keep the soil moist and stabilizes the soil temperature.
For more information on growing blackberries, check the Extension publication Blackberries on Aggie-Horticulture.
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