Question for the Gardeners on here...

[czechgrubworm]

After the blackberries are finished blooming and producing fruit, can they be cut back? My plants are as tall or taller than I, I have them on panels to keep them off the ground and be able to pick all berries without the vines falling all over the plant. The tend to keep growing and growing and growing after production is complete. I'd like to know if trimming them back now will create less production next year? Didn't know if the new growth process after production was a part of the rebirth of the plant and important for longevity of the plant. Thanks for your time. Angie

[Burnadell]

Angie, blackberries only produce fruit on canes that are 2 years old and will not produce on those again. So...cut back those canes that produced this year and let the new canes grow.

[czechgrubworm]

Burnadell: Okay, the crazy wild growth I refer to is not from the base of the plant, but shoot offs (for lack of the right word) all over the plant. So you are saying I need to cut back the large canes (they are like small trees) at the base of the plant? I think I shall take a pic tonight for you, to sure that I don't ruin them. They are all beautiful, green and lush (minus the super duper stickers these guys have). They are wonderful huge berries and just the sweetest flavor. I got my original plants from Bowyer on here and he had them years in his Mom's yard. They are delicious...

[czechgrubworm]

Will get a few pics and post this evening.

[czechgrubworm]

Here are pics

[Burnadell]

Wow! You have some healthy bushes/vines. If it were me, I would leave those new canes and cut back any spent growth. I'm not sure if cutting the top part of a new cane will affect its production below that. I have just always heard to leave new growth and cut off the canes that just produced. There should be some good info on the 'net about pruning them.

Looking forward to my cobbler next year!

["DOC"]

Angie, those are amazing bushes, wish mine were even close to that..........

[czechgrubworm]

Thanks Burnadell. I am telling you, these canes can be classified as small trees when it comes time for me to prune... I have to reach for the Limp Loppers.. not a small hand held pruners job....

[czechgrubworm]

Seriously....in the spring I have so many baby plants that pop up everywhere that I have plenty to share. If anyone wants any, call me and come on by, we will dig up some babies to relocate....

[Burnadell]

Do you have any idea what variety of blackberry they are? You may have already checked, but here are some links that may help:

http://easttexasgardening.tamu.edu/tips/fruitsnuts/pruningblackberries07.html

http://harrison.agrilife.org/files/2011/06/blackberries_6.pdf

https://utextension.tennessee.edu/publications/documents/SP284-G.pdf

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/NR/rdonlyres/5DD47469-DA9F-4398-AD57-85FDB3E9327E/27320/pub1553blackberriesFINAL.pdf

[czechgrubworm]

Mean vicious pokety ones.

[buckmastertexas]

Good info here. There has been a good crop of blackberries in East Texas, which I have been enjoying while scouting for the elusive Whitetail Trophy monster bucks. After reading some of the management articles I see how I can manage a couple of my own personal wild blackberry patches, which by btw is great for the deer.

[quackaholic1]

If you want to prune them do it in the winter after the drop all the leaves and the sap is down in them. Come spring new shoot will grow from the cuts and put on fruit.

[Pilgrim]

Cut off all the canes that had fruit this year (floricanes) and leave a few of the new canes that grew this year (primocane) for next year and you'll be good to go.....