How to prune blackberries in the fall for a good harvest. Proper pruning of blackberries in autumn

Blackberries need regular pruning, which will not only help create decorative look plants, but also improve its productivity. The specifics of the procedure vary for certain types and varieties of crops, as well as depending on the time of year.

Why do you need to prune blackberries?

Pruning is required agrotechnical technique when growing blackberries: if done on time and correctly, it not only gives a well-groomed appearance to blackberry plantings, but also:

increases the yield of each plant;
makes it easier to care for;
reduces the risk of disease and pests;
prevents thickening of the bush;
promotes better lighting branches.

The need for it is due to the peculiarities of cultural development. The underground part of plants of all groups is perennial, and the aboveground part is biennial. In the first year of vegetation, stems are formed from the renewal buds, from the axillary buds of which the fruit-bearing ones will develop the following year. side shoots. The stems that bear fruit die off in the fall: they are replaced by shoots of the current year, and the whole cycle repeats.

As a result of properly carried out pruning, healthy and generously fruiting berry bushes grow.

Pruning blackberries of different groups

All types of wild blackberries and varieties obtained from them are divided into 3 groups:

upright (bramble);
creeping (dewberry);
intermediate semi-creeping forms.

The formation of a plant depends on the type of its growth, and the absence or presence of thorns only affects the complexity of the process itself, and techniques such as removing old shoots and shortening stems at the time of planting are common to all varieties of blackberries.

Bush blackberry

For brambles, an important procedure is cutting off the upper part of the shoots (pincing). It is carried out in the summer: from young stems, 90–120 cm tall, the tops 7–12 cm long are removed. This pinching leads to the formation of lateral shoots, which are then shortened to 40–50 cm. Thus, the growths are formed in the form of a kind of compact tree with an increased area fruiting.

Kumanika needs cutting off the top shoots

creeping blackberry

Dewberry varieties are convenient to grow on a support. The simplest way placing plants on a trellis, understandable for beginners - a fan formation, which is well suited for relatively low-growing varieties:

This procedure is repeated annually: the growing lashes and fruit branches are kept at a distance from each other, without complicating care and pruning.

Some more difficult way weaving, when fruit and new shoots are separated only by different levels of arrangement on the trellis. Young summer shoots are directed both to the right and to the left from the center of the bush, tied to the lower rows of wire, so that in the fall it is easier to remove them from their supports for the winter and not break them. Next spring they are fixed for fruiting in the same way, but on the top of the trellis. New shoots take place on the lower levels on both sides. Old stems are cut out in the fall, and growths are laid and covered for wintering.

When forming a bush by weaving, the shoots are fixed at different heights

Two-year-old shoots of creeping blackberries can reach a length of 3–3.5 m or more. For convenience and to increase the fruiting zone, sequential pinching of shoots is recommended:

The branches that have grown after planting pruning are shortened to a length of 90 cm.
The side shoots that appear on them are cut to 60 cm.
The growths that have already grown on these lateral branches are cut to 45 cm.

New blackberry shoots are trimmed successively at different lengths

The next season, new shoots are formed and placed on the trellis in this way: the result is highly branched, well-lit bushes. The bulk of the berries in most creeping varieties are formed on the middle part of the stems, so trimming their tops will not lead to a significant reduction in yield. And, although the number of berries is reduced, their size often increases.

Repairing blackberry

There is a group of blackberry varieties that can produce 2 harvests per year; they are called remontant. These include:

Ruben;
Prime Arc;
Black magic and others.

The young shoots that grow in the spring will bloom in the same summer, and in the fall you will be able to taste the first berries. Next year they will produce a summer harvest, and the newly appeared growths will produce an autumn harvest.

Caring for these plants is extremely simple, and pruning depends on the purpose of cultivation. If you plan to get berries both in summer and autumn, young shoots are left and covered for the winter, like the rest of the blackberries.

If only the second harvest is important, after the end of fruiting all stems are mowed down to the roots, and the plantings are mulched. Remontant blackberry grows as a strong bush with straight stems; it does not need to be removed from its supports, covered, then raised again in the spring, etc.

Features of pruning individual varieties

In addition to the general and mandatory removal of old branches in the fall for all varieties of blackberries, varieties different groups have their own pruning characteristics.

Agavam blackberries, a representative of one of the most frost-resistant bush varieties, need to pinch off strong, erect shoots at the end of summer to speed up their ripening. Distinctive feature varieties - the ability, along with powerful stems, to produce thin flexible shoots on fertile soils. If you do not cut them out in the fall, but save them for the winter, in the spring they can, if necessary, become a replacement for frozen thick branches.

Agavam blackberries can produce thin, flexible shoots

Powerful bushes of thornless blackberry Thornfree consist of long, creeping shoots raised at the base, which can reach a length of 6 m. It is difficult to place the vines on a trellis without pruning, and besides, the variety is very fertile, its formation must begin from the moment of planting in order to prevent overloading of the stems with the harvest. The main shoots are shortened to 3–4 m, and the side shoots to 0.5 m. The same is done with the following varieties:

The New Zealand early-ripening variety Karaka Black with flexible, prickly shoots of medium growth strength is distinguished by a small distance between the axillary buds. Therefore, its lashes, up to 5 m long, do not need to be trimmed in order to cause additional lateral branching: there will already be a lot of fruit branches.

Karaka Black blackberries do not need to be pruned

Thornless Evergreen - a very original variety with unusual evergreens carved leaves, entering late into the time of full fruiting (in the 5th year). The vines grow long - up to 6 m; it is not necessary to shorten them for greater branching: the variety is already productive. It is easy to place non-thorny shoots on a trellis, resulting in a magnificent green screen. True, for the winter it will have to be removed from the support until next spring.

Thornless Evergreen blackberries are easy to trellis.

Pruning during planting

Blackberry seedlings are planted in both spring and autumn. For all species and varieties, it is necessary to trim the stems to a bud at a height of 25 cm above the ground after planting.

Immediately after planting, it is necessary to prune the blackberries.

Spring pruning

In the spring, pruning is of a sanitary nature; its purpose is to put the plants in order before the growing season begins and prepare them for flowering and fruiting.

During this period, parts of the shoots damaged by frost are removed from overwintered bushes; this mainly applies to upright bush forms. The stems are shortened to the first living bud, the drooping tops are cut off at the bend.

In late spring and summer, the number of replacement shoots is regulated: weak ones that fall outside the allotted limits are removed, leaving up to 8 well-developed shoots per plant or up to 16 per 1 m of planting. In the summer, plants continue to be formed, taking into account the characteristics of each species and variety.

Inexperienced gardeners are better off starting to grow blackberries with easy-to-care, non-thorny or remontant varieties.

Autumn pruning

The main pruning of blackberry bushes is carried out in the fall, when they finish the growing season and prepare for wintering. If the formation of the plants was carried out correctly and the fruiting stems and replacement shoots are separated from each other, then the main task - removing old branches - is easily accomplished (pruning prickly varieties is done with strong gloves). Using a sharp pruner, they are cut out at the very base, taken out of the area and burned, thereby reducing the possibility of damage to the plantings by diseases and pests.

Weak tips of young shoots are removed. In brambles, all stems are shortened to a height convenient for harvesting, usually 1.6–1.8 m. The bush is thinned out, leaving 3–4 of the most upright plants strong escape substitutions, and for dewdrops - 4–6. You can leave 2-3 more stems in case of a harsh winter, and remove the excess in the spring.

After this pruning, the bushes are ready to be removed from their supports and covered for the winter. In the spring, based on the results of wintering, all that remains is to carry out sanitary pruning.

You can prune blackberry bushes in spring, summer, and autumn. Depending on the time of year, the procedure has a specific purpose and purpose. To prevent novice gardeners from getting confused about how, what and when to prune, they should use diagrams, advice from experienced gardeners and video master classes.

The benefits and necessity of pruning

In summer, blackberry bushes look very attractive: green, lush, with delicate flowers, and then delicious berries. Many gardeners know that this crop is a biennial plant. In the first year after planting, young shoots grow, gain strength, and begin to lay fruit buds. Already in the second year, flowering and fruiting occur. After this, the shoots become old, and there are no more berries to come from them. But the bush, out of habit, continues to support the “old people”, wasting its resources, which at the same time could be used more rationally.

If the procedure is carried out correctly, the shoots that have not yet borne fruit will receive more nutrients. Accordingly, this will have a positive effect on the harvest. Root shoots also need regular removal, which grow in abundance in some blackberry varieties. A thickened bush does not transmit sunlight well, and this can lead to:

low quality berries;
weakening of the entire plant;
the occurrence of illnesses;
freezing of blackberries in winter period. The fewer branches, the easier it is to cover the entire bush for the winter.

Blackberry bushes

Proper pruning stimulates flowering and fruiting next season. If the procedure is carried out in the spring, then its goal is to rid the bush of shoots that have frozen out. Even branches covered for the winter may not withstand very severe cold. Also, despite good care, it cannot be guaranteed that blackberries will not break during strong gusts of wind. Pruning diseased and rodent-damaged branches will also have a good effect on the entire plant.

Attention! Spring pruning is done before the buds swell, autumn pruning is done after the fruiting stage is completed.

How to prune blackberries in spring and autumn. Technology and recommendations

Gardeners warn that pruning blackberry bushes is a troublesome and not the easiest task. However, if you put in some effort, even beginners will succeed. It is important to follow a clear pattern:

The first pruning is carried out immediately after the bush takes root. All branches are shortened to a height of 25 cm, and the top is also trimmed.
In summer, blackberries are removed root shoots. During the same period, you can cut out weak, diseased shoots, as well as those that interfere with the formation of the bush.
In the first autumn after planting, blackberries are left with 8-10 branches. As a rule, a healthy bush consists of exactly this number of shoots. If there are more of them, you need to leave the strongest ones. Diseased and weak branches should be cut just below soil level. The remaining shoots of upright varieties should not exceed 1.8 m. creeping species remove the lash, starting from the bend, cutting it off immediately after the bud.
Next spring, remove all damaged and frozen branches. The rest are cut by 10-15 cm, to a healthy bud.
Some owners prune blackberries at the beginning of summer, shortening the fruit-bearing branches. This helps redistribute the load on the bush (berries appear in the middle of the shoots), and also stimulates the appearance of new shoots.

After this, annually, every next fall, carry out the procedure for pruning blackberries in this way:

cut off all the branches that bear fruit this year - completely, at the root;
remove thin, short, pale, and pest-damaged shoots;
shorten young, strong and thick branches by about 1/4;
do not leave “stumps” because they may rot. Trim shoots just above the bud.

Advice. It is better to delete all branches that seem suspicious to you. A carefully thinned but healthy bush will bring more benefits than one that is replete with weak or diseased shoots.

In the same way, you need to re-inspect the blackberries every spring in order to promptly remove frozen branches. They are black in appearance, break easily, and are fragile. Healthy shoots, on the contrary, are elastic, Brown and slightly shiny. Count how many branches have successfully overwintered. If there are at least 6 of them (out of 8-10 left in winter), the plant is potentially strong and will bear fruit well. 4 healthy shoots is an average result, and 3 or fewer indicate that the bush is not viable.

Besides, experienced summer residents It is advised to normalize shoots. This means that to get a good harvest of large berries, you need to leave a certain number of young branches. For erect varieties – 4-5, maximum 7 pcs., for creeping varieties – 7-10 pcs. You can add 1-2 spare branches to them, and in the spring, preparing the bush for fruiting, trim off damaged and excess shoots.

How to prune a blackberry bush in the fall: video

Many novice gardeners are deterred from growing blackberries by the alleged difficulty of growing, propagating tasty and healthy berries, and the abundance of thorns and thorns on the stems of the plant. Blackberry pruning is one of the important points care, a procedure that requires attention and patience.

Target

Proper pruning will subsequently show itself as an abundance of ovaries and a complete absence of diseases. If pruned incorrectly, the yield decreases and spoils taste qualities berries Currently, many varieties and hybrids of thornless, thornless blackberries have appeared, one of them is the American thornfree variety.

But gardeners do not refuse to grow the old prickly variety “agavam”. Growing raspberry - a successful hybrid obtained by crossing raspberries, a crop that is not afraid of frost, but very demanding on the quality of the soil, and the heat-loving blackberry, which is not picky about the soil, which in this regard is much simpler, but its berries have an excellent taste.

Blackberry is a plant with a two-year fruiting period. In the first year the bush grows root system and branches for fruiting. On the second, the ripened lashes will produce a harvest. They will no longer bear fruit; after fruiting, unnecessary branches are removed by pruning. This will allow new shoots to receive sufficient nutrition for development and ripening. Then everything repeats itself.

If pruning is not done, the old canes will create shadow, but blackberries are light-loving, and this will affect the harvest. In addition, the frost resistance of the plant is significantly reduced. Pruning shoots has a stimulating effect on flowering in the next season.

Pruning normalizes the harvest, improves the quality of berries and their quantity. Proper pruning reduces the risk of pests and disease. Autumn pruning prepares blackberries for winter season. The vines of creeping blackberries are removed from the trellises, shortened and laid on the ground for wintering.

By pruning they form a bush and maintain the health of the plantings (sanitary pruning).

Tools and materials

To carry out work on pruning blackberries, you need to prepare tools, the main one of which is a pruner. For old, unkempt bushes, you will need a lopper with retractable handles. Sometimes you may need a garden saw. Before starting work, all tools should be thoroughly sharpened and disinfected. The presence of large thorns and small prickly bristles on the branches requires protective measures for the gardener:

rubberized apron;
gloves;
sleeves

To process the cuts you need a garden varnish.

Methods

Shoots are pruned in different ways:

cut to ground level;
shorten by some part of the length;
pinch off the tops.

Pinching the tops is done to enhance the branching of side shoots and increase the size of the berries. The thin tops can be pinched off with your hands, hence the name. For climbing varieties this is not relevant, but it is necessary to shorten strongly grown lashes.

Erect varieties have a growth point in the center of the trunk; in order to stimulate the growth of lateral branches, the tops are pinched, otherwise the procedure is called pinching. At the beginning of summer the first summer pruning: shorten the tops by 5-7 cm to cause branching.

In mid-July, when the bush grows to 1 m, the tops of young shoots are pinched.

Technology and schemes for different types of bush

When growing, you need to know how to prune blackberries correctly to get good harvest. Distinguish existing varieties blackberries by bush type:

erect varieties (kumaniki) - straight shoots up to 2-3 m tall, often prickly (there are also thornless ones), medium-sized fruits, 5-10 g;
creeping (dewberry) - climbing, creeping vine 4-5 m high, with large berries 10-15 g;
remontant.

The peculiarity of remontant blackberries is that the shoots begin to bear fruit in the same year, unlike erect and creeping ones. For novice gardeners, it is difficult to understand the intricacies of the pruning procedure and pattern. Differences in the structure of the bush crown require each type to have its own pruning scheme.

Erect

Double pruning of erect blackberries consists of cutting off the tops by 5-7 cm in the spring of the first year to stimulate branching. When caring for blackberries in the summer (in July), the tops of new shoots that have grown to 35 cm are shortened by 7-10 cm. the procedure is called pinching and is done to increase the branching of shoots. An upright bush is formed in the form of a fan as follows:

install trellises up to 2 m;
stretch the wire in rows, with a distance between them of 30-50 cm;
young branches are tied to the lower wire row parallel to the ground, directing them from the center to the sides;
fruiting shoots are left in the center.

In the fall, it is convenient to cut out the central, fruit-bearing part of the bush to the root. Young shoots are pruned and stored for the winter.

Creeping

Creeping varieties have lower frost resistance, and the bush is formed differently. When using trellises, you can save longer length branches. Young shoots are placed on trellises, attached to the three lower wires and directed in the other direction from the fruiting branches.

In spring, the stems are shortened to one and a half meters in length.

During the entire growth period, newly emerging shoots are attached to the wire, positioned horizontally. Berries will appear on them in next year. This arrangement of fruiting and young shoots: fruiting in one direction, young in the other, will allow harvesting, alternating the left and right side.

Repairers

Remontant blackberries are distinguished by the fact that fruits appear on its shoots in the same year. That's why they do it every year autumn pruning the entire bush to the root. For the winter, the place where the bush grows is insulated using straw and sawdust. Cover the top with spruce branches or agrofibre.

In spring, the insulation is removed and lightly watered. Emerging shoots are attached to the trellis, pinching the tops.

Timing and specifics of work completion

Blackberries should be pruned twice a year: in spring and autumn, which significantly increases the yield. In the summer, due to the fact that the berries do not ripen smoothly, during fruiting they cut off the branches from which the berries were removed.

Pruning blackberries in the fall is carried out after the end of fruiting before the onset of frost, they get rid of unnecessary shoots that bear fruit, and shorten young stems. Be sure to inspect the branches, those identified as diseased and damaged are also removed.

Autumn pruning strengthens the bush, normalizes the load, and improves the ripening of berries.

in spring

Early spring - optimal time for trimming. This procedure will be painless until the buds swell, when the snow has melted and the temperature remains at +5-7°C, and the likelihood of frost returning is extremely low.

In the south, bushes begin to be pruned in early March and are completed by mid-April. In the central regions - at the end of April, in the north, in Siberia and the Urals - from the end of May.

Pruning must be done with tools rather than breaking off shoots by hand.

In the first season, the bush grows shoots, laying fruit buds. In the second year they bear fruit. Pruning is carried out according to step by step instructions. By cutting out last year's branches that will no longer produce a harvest, you need to clear the planting of thickening, thereby eliminating the penetration of insect pests and pathogens of fungal diseases.

Young shoots are carefully examined to identify pests and signs of disease, and all weak and disease-affected shoots are cut out. They pinch by cutting the shoot to a quarter of its length. The sections must be treated with varnish. Pruning increases yield and makes it easier to care for the bush.

in autumn

After harvesting, autumn pruning begins (late August - late October), which prepares the plants for winter. How to prune blackberries in the fall, what to remove and what to leave? The branches from which the berries were collected should be cut with pruning shears in the fall to ground level, without leaving stumps. They carry out sanitary pruning: thin, weak, pest-damaged and disease-affected young shoots are removed in the same way.

The strongest 8-10 branches are left for fruiting, taking into account possible winter losses, they are shortened by one quarter of the length (left up to 2 m). Sufficient quantity stems in a bush: 5-7 pieces. For example, the new creeping variety of blackberry "thornfree", without thorns, has long creeping shoots. In autumn, the branches that had berries are cut off completely. Those that will produce a harvest next year are cut and laid, covered for the winter.

Rules for adult plants

Sufficient air circulation and free access to berries are ensured correct location shoots. This is possible when:

branches are placed on the trellis at a distance of 30 cm from one another;
no more than eight fruiting shoots;
bushes grow in an area illuminated by the sun;
pruning is carried out in a timely manner.

Specifics of the formation of a young bush

The formation of the bush begins immediately after planting: during rooting, the blackberries are pruned, shoots 20-25 cm high are left above the ground. This procedure will lead to the rapid growth of the root system. During the first season, all the buds remaining on the young seedling after pruning will produce numerous shoots, the length of the shoots can be 3 m or more.

In the spring, the top of the bush is pruned, which leads to stimulation of the lateral buds, and this leads to a significant increase in yield. At the same time, sanitary pruning is carried out. New shoots emerging from the root are shortened by one quarter of their length, which promotes the appearance of several branches on one shoot.

In the third year, the branches that had berries last season are cut out at the root, because they will not bear fruit, and those left will take away nutrition from the fruit-bearing shoots. Two-year-old shoots are attached to trellises, thinning the bushes for better ventilation of the plantings and uniform ripening of the berries.

In the fourth and all subsequent years, pruning in the spring is done in the same way: two-year-old branches that bear fruit are replaced with young shoots.

Methods of placing and tying to a support

The method of gartering the bush depends on the type of blackberry. For upright bushes, fixation with a wire trellis will suffice. If the shoot is not secured, it will fall to the ground. The wind often breaks loose shoots. The vertical, fan method is used for upright varieties.

Fruiting branches are attached vertically to the trellis, and young shoots, as they grow, are tied horizontally in both directions to the lower wires. The branches are arranged in a fan, which allows you to easily cut out the central old branches at the root in the fall. And young shoots are easy to lay on the ground.

Creeping blackberries need a tie to a multi-tiered trellis. It is tied using the horizontal rope method. Its branches are flexible and long. They are wound in a spiral in one direction, and the young shoots are led in the same way in the other direction.

With any method, the main condition is to separate old and young branches, which will greatly simplify the care of the berry garden and make it easier to trim.

Caring for the bush after pruning

After spring pruning, blackberries need increased attention and care. The preserved branches are tied to a trellis so that all the inflorescences are illuminated by the sun, which stimulates better ripening of the berries.

Additionally, the plants are inspected to identify shoots directed towards the center; their growth will lead to thickening, so they are cut off. The soil under the plantings is loosened and watered. Blackberries need regular, abundant watering while the berries are ripening. After autumn pruning, the plants are prepared for winter by laying the canes on the ground and insulating them.

Common gardening mistakes

Often, novice gardeners do not follow the rules for pruning. When planting, do not shorten the seedling, which should be done correctly, leaving a height of up to 25 cm. Carrying out spring pruning in more early dates can lead to freezing of the buds and reduced yield.

If pruning is done incorrectly, when instead of removing old branches, young shoots ready for fruiting are cut out, and old ones are shortened with formative pruning, there will be no harvest at all. Incorrect spring pruning when left larger number shoots, leads to a lack of nutrition: the roots are able to provide sufficient nutrition certain number There are 6-8 shoots, as a result the yield is reduced and the quality of the berries deteriorates.

Out of ignorance, weak, damaged and disease-affected branches are not removed.

If you do not form a crown, old branches and young shoots intertwine with each other so that when pruning it will not be possible to reach the fruit-bearing branches, so as not to touch the remaining ones. Dense plantings do not provide access for pruning, complicate the picking of berries on thorny blackberries, the branches shade one another, the berries become smaller, and the taste deteriorates.

In the summer, along with the branches that bear fruit, they forget to cut out weak shoots; root shoots, which greatly thicken the bushes, do not allow Sun rays. It leads to:

weakening the bush;
diseases;
freezing in winter (it is easier to cover a bush with fewer branches);
poor fruit quality.

Pruning blackberries in the fall is difficult for novice gardeners due to large volume long branches and ignorance of how to properly prune blackberries and prepare the bush for the winter season. Amateurs often violate the frequency of the procedure, pruning once every few years.

If you pay attention to the procedure, do not break the rules and follow the advice, blackberries will definitely bring a bountiful harvest.

Garden blackberries are wonderful healthy berry, not too picky about the quality of the soil, fertilizing and watering, but requires regular pruning. In order to have a good harvest, this procedure must be carried out promptly and correctly.

Any gardener must know that not every type of blackberry will take root in a certain climate; for example, for Russia the most suitable varieties will gray and bushy, aka bramble. Throughout Europe, this berry is quite rare, only certain countries grow it in large quantities, this is the birthplace of blackberries - America and Mexico. In Russia, blackberries most often grow in wildlife, and only a small part of gardeners are engaged in growing it in their summer cottage.

Blackberry is a shrub with multiple rhizomes and stems covered with fairly sharp thorns. Currently, thanks to the work of breeders, blackberries have begun to grow without thorns and produce a rich and stable harvest. Besides this type practically not afraid of pests. The plant can grow two meters in height, if, of course, there is support. The leaves of the blackberry bush are usually three, five or seven-parted, having a light green color.

Planting blackberry bushes at home

It is customary to plant blackberries at the end of the second month of spring, or at the beginning of the third, at the moment when the earth warms up enough. It is better to choose a place that is illuminated, that is, where there is a lot of sunlight, but on the other hand, this place should protect the fruits from the wind, as it can damage the sprouts. Also, the place should be fairly level. It should be noted that blackberries will grow better on drainage, breathable loam, or sandy loam soil.

Before planting blackberries, the soil must be put in order; weeds and pests must be removed in advance. If the soil is not saturated enough, it must be fertilized with organic matter, superphosphate, and potassium sulfate in certain proportions.

Planting blackberries, video

To successfully plant a plant, you need to purchase seedlings from a well-known store that are a little over twelve months old and have a good root system. And the main thing is that the seedlings have stems more than five millimeters in diameter. It is best to plant blackberries at a distance of more than one meter from any other crop.

There are two methods of planting blackberries:

Bush, when several seedlings are placed in one hole, with enough low level shoot formation.
Tape, when seedlings are placed in the ground sequentially. In this case, the distance between copies should be within one meter, and between the rows a distance of two and a half meters should be ensured.

When placing a seedling in a hole, it is necessary to straighten the roots different sides, in this case, you should fill the soil with fertilizer so that the bud is several centimeters underground.

Also, the seedlings must be filled in so that a small recess remains. It is customary to compact and water the soil around planted fruits. For each individual bush you need to spend about five liters of water; after the moisture is absorbed, the soil should be mulched with manure or peat manure.

Caring for blackberries in the garden

Caring for blackberries consists of constant watering, loosening and weeding of the soil, fertilization, and prevention. And also when a disease occurs - treatment. And we should not forget about circumcision when necessary.

Spring care

After the end of winter, it is customary to install trellises, to which fruit-bearing shoots of blackberries will soon need to be tied.

Blackberry pruning diagram

Two-meter posts need to be dug at both ends of the row, as well as every ten meters, to stretch the wire in three rows at a height of fifty centimeters, one hundred twenty-five and one hundred eighty.

When growing straight-growing blackberries in the first season there will be practically no fruits, so that in the second season they will be, pincer the young shoots from a meter to a meter and twenty centimeters high, while the tops must be cut off by ten centimeters.

Just planted blackberry bushes should be carefully monitored and in the first forty-five days you should regularly weed and do not forget to water if there is a drought. At the same time, you should know that the well, as well as cold water not suitable for watering. The best type is rainwater or running water, that is, water supply that has been in the sun for several days. It is also extremely important to monitor the condition of the soil and not forget about feeding.

Typically, blackberries are fertilized at the same time as raspberries, raspberry trees or gooseberries. Best suited for feeding nitrogen fertilizer or organic, high in nitrogen.

Blackberries reproduce in all seasons except autumn. There are three methods of reproduction:

Apical layering. Most easy method propagation, in which it is necessary to bend the climbing shoot to the ground and sprinkle the top with earth, and it will give roots. It is best to use this method in the spring.
Horizontal layering. The entire blackberry shoot must be placed on the ground and sprinkled in order for new bushes to form. Next, this shoot is cut between the bushes and planted in a new place.
Root suckers. They appear around the bush, they can be separated and planted in a new place. Those offspring that have reached ten centimeters are best suited.

In autumn, blackberries should be prepared for wintering. First, you should trim the bushes and mulch the soil with peat or sawdust. You also need to spray the bushes for preventive purposes. At the end of autumn, blackberries need to be covered, thereby protecting them from winter frosts.

Surely everyone is familiar with such a berry as blackberry. Outwardly very similar to raspberries, only black in color, they grow on the edges of forests, on the steep banks of rivers, lakes and ponds. Its berries are very tasty, juicy, tolerate transportation well and are a proven means of preventing cancer.

Selection of seedlings for planting blackberries in the fall and varieties

When you choose plants to plant, you need to be sure of the variety that you are buying. Therefore, you should avoid car sales near roads and gardening associations.

On the contrary, you should trust sales at agricultural fairs and exhibitions, where many specialized nurseries offer their products to gardeners. Finally, if you have enough free time, you can drive to the nursery yourself and buy seedlings directly from the plot. For all blackberry plants sold, the seller must have a varietal certificate, which you should not hesitate to ask to see.

Blackberry varieties can be divided into two groups - bush and semi-cresting.

Bush blackberry unpretentious, tolerates frost well, has stems up to two meters long, often curved in the form of arcs or rings, and the stems have curved thorns.

Semi-creeping varieties have stems up to four meters long without thorns; when growing it, it is advisable to fix the stems on trellises for ease of collection and care. Almost all varieties of blackberries are of American origin; this berry is extremely popular there.

At good care it is capable of producing about 25-30 kilograms of berries from one large semi-creeping bush or about 20 kilograms from one regular one.

Autumn blackberry pruning and care

Due to differences in climate, semi-creeping varieties of blackberries must be removed from the trellis for the winter and bent to the ground so that they do not freeze.

Ordinary bush varieties tolerate wintering quite well without shelter.

When planting blackberries in the fall, it is best to choose plants in pots as varietal material. With this planting, we have a plant with an intact root system, which with a high probability will have time to take root in a new place before the onset of cold weather. Seedlings with roots without soil, without pots, take root a little worse. Finally, all kinds of root layers and cuttings with rudiments of the root system, if you find them on sale, are best planted in the spring so that they have time to take root in a new place.

Plant in a pot:

A plant carefully removed from the pot before planting:

Choosing a location and arrangement of plants

Whether you plant blackberries in the fall or spring, location always has a big impact on the plant's growth. Blackberries are very responsive to watering. Therefore, it is better to choose a place for it close to a pond, a water tap or a reservoir from where you get water for irrigation. However, it does not tolerate waterlogged soil. For its growth it is necessary to provide good drainage if the water is too high. According to the type of soil, blackberries prefer fairly heavy clay and loamy soils, which hold water quite well even in hot summers.

When planting, it is worth considering that blackberry bushes are quite large. The distance between semi-creeping bushes should be at least three meters, between ordinary ones - at least two. Taking into account the trellis principle of bush formation, you can plant blackberries in rows, in a row the distance between bushes is three to four meters, between the rows of trellises - two meters. This will make the berries easier to pick and easier to care for.

Blackberries are shrubs that have stems, each of which bears fruit every other year. First, the stem grows, the next year it bears fruit, after which it dies. Therefore, it is convenient to make double-row trellises - on one row you put the stems that began to grow this year, next year they will begin to bear fruit, and on the other there will be stems that are already bearing fruit, and then you need to carefully cut out the dying and drying ones.

Technology for planting blackberries in autumn

If you chose seedlings in pots as seedlings, planting blackberries will be the easiest. Before planting blackberries in the fall, the plant must be removed from the pot, if polyethylene, paper or similar pots are used. If the pot is made of organic material that will rot in a couple of months, then there is no need to remove it. A hole is made according to the size of the seedling's root system - about 10 cm deeper than the root system. Humus is poured into the hole in a layer of 10-12 cm.

Then the plant is placed there. Hold it with one hand, and with the other carefully fill all the voids between the roots and edges of the hole with humus. After this, add a little humus on top, water the plant to compact all the voids in the depths of the hole with water, and mulch around the seedling with peat with a layer of about 10 cm. It is advisable to add potassium fertilizers to the water for watering; you need to water if necessary and there is no rain once a week before frosts.

If you plant a plant with bare roots, you need to carefully take care of their safety. Blackberries have a fibrous root system. When planting, form a small mound at the bottom of the humus hole. Place the plant on it so that its stem starts approximately from ground level. Begin to gradually sprinkle the roots with soil and humus, lightly compacting the soil with your palm. After planting, water and mulch as in the previous case.

Technology for propagating adult blackberry plants in autumn for planting

If you have garden plot There are already blackberries and you would like to get seedlings, autumn is the best time for this.

The easiest way to propagate blackberry plants is by layering.

For this, stems that have grown this year are selected.

It is advisable to do layering no later than the beginning of October. The blackberry stem is bent to the ground, secured with a flyer-pin made of wire and sprinkled with earth.

During wintering, the stem will begin to take root, in spring and summer it can be cut off from the mother stem with pruning shears, and next fall it can be carefully removed from the ground along with the roots and planted in a new place.

Do blackberry plants need to be covered after autumn planting?

As practice shows, the thickness of the snow cover during a snowy winter at a summer cottage is more than 60-70 cm. This is more than enough to completely cover the stems of blackberries planted in the fall. Considering that under the weight of the snow cover the stem of the plant will bend to the ground, near which even in severe cold the temperature usually does not drop below -1ºC, it becomes obvious that young plants do not need to be covered after planting.

If you still doubt that the winter will be snowy enough, you can bend the plants to the ground in advance and sprinkle them with a layer of light peat.

It is better to do this in late autumn, just before frost, so that the plant does not begin to take root along the entire length of the stem.

In spring, naturally, this stem must be freed.

Adult plants tolerate wintering much worse, especially semi-creeping varieties, which have gone farthest in selection from their forest counterparts. They must be removed from the trellises and bent to the ground using wire pins and twine. It is advisable to keep the stems that have already borne fruit this year and the one-year-old ones separately, so that later they can be placed in different rows of trellises. The height of the stems should be such that the snow covers them completely. During the first snowfalls, it is advisable to go to country cottage area and shovel the snow on top of them.

Regular blackberry bushes do not need additional shelter and can overwinter without preparation.

A shrub with a two-year fruiting cycle, blackberries bear fruit on the shoots of the previous year. In the first year, the lashes mature and grow wood and root systems.

Fruiting occurs only the next year, after which we can, with a clear conscience, remove the vine that gave up the berries - it has already served its purpose. In this way, two-year-old wood is cut out.

But when and how - let's look at it. Some novice gardeners doubt the advisability of autumn pruning, counting on spring. Is it correct?

Power area: nutrients, necessary for the development of the root system of young shoots, are used to feed essentially obsolete vines.
Shadow: by shading the area, old canes do not allow young canes to develop fully, they shade, slow down the ripening of wood, and slow down preparation for the winter period.

How to properly prune blackberries in the fall?

All shoots that have yielded the harvest are cut out, leaving no stump. The easiest way is to do this in parts, shortening the lash to half, then to the ground level.
Young ones are cut out - weak, thin, damaged by pests - substandard ones are rejected.

As for yearlings, opinions differ. Some argue that young branches should be pruned in the fall, while others prefer to postpone the procedure to spring. You decide for yourself what to do. One question remains - when to prune blackberries? Immediately after fruiting, in order to have time to fold the vines that have not yet become woody in preparation for wintering.
For supporters of autumn pruning: the lashes are shortened by approximately 1/4, above the level of the bud. This is done to enhance lateral branching and increase the number of fruit branches.

Blackberry rationing laws: how much and why

A lot is not always good. A lot is extra mouths, figuratively speaking, on a non-rubber food area. This is a small harvest, this is shading, poor ripening. The bush will not pull all the formed lashes, especially in varieties with intensive shoot formation. More precisely, it will, but the harvest will be scanty, the quality of the fruit, taste and size will decrease.

On average, the load on a blackberry bush is 6-8 shoots. When pruning in autumn, they leave a reserve in case of freezing or freezing of fruit buds - up to 10; in the spring, adjustments are made.

The load of the blackberry bush is also distributed depending on the power of the horse system. But mainly - from the main factors.

Law one: each species, variety has its own. There are upright growing ones, and there are climbing ones - the latter are distinguished by their tendency to thicken, the growth power of the above-ground part and the weak ability for reproduction for many varieties.
Garden blackberries: pruning and preparing for winter

Creeping forms are often rationed in the spring without waiting for them to grow, thereby saving nutrients and space.
One produces a lot of replacement shoots and can feed a whole horde of 10-15 pieces; for another, 7-8 will be too much. When starting to cut, take an interest in the varietal characteristics. Both the strength of growth and the intensity of formation of root shoots are important. Thus, in many weaving species that form very little of it, each new branch- long-awaited.
Law two: the number of shoots is proportional to the intensity of nutrition. With intensive feeding, you can reduce the distance between plants and leave a larger number of vines. In the absence, we will get a sad sight: skinny whips, weakly leafy with a couple of dry small berries.
Law three: let's think about health. Yes, yes, exactly about him. Because intensive feeding during thickening is not always good. Excess of agrochemicals is not good. However, the topic of the article is different, but it should have been mentioned.

Formation of upright blackberries

The optimal shape of the bush - for upright growing species - is fan-shaped or single-cavity in three rows of wire. In the spring, overwintered shoots are lifted and attached vertically, young shoots are sent horizontally to facilitate bending, on both sides of the growth point, attached to the bottom wire. In the fall, 8-10 of the most powerful ones are looked after, the rest are cut out. You can shorten the creeping lashes, or you can postpone the procedure until spring - a lot depends on the climate.

Formation of creeping blackberries

Less fragile, more pliable, culture is formed differently. I often use a two-layer support - I form a T-shape, or I grow it on both sides of the row. One is last year's plants, the other is young growth. So, last year’s vine is wrapped around wires or pinned on the right side, while young ones are pinned on the left.

Before pruning blackberries in the fall, for the winter, in order to avoid mistakes in tangled branches, they are removed from the supports, laid out, and the excess ones are removed - everything that is subtle and loud. Leave 7-8 of the strongest ones, the rest - at the root.

Those that bear fruit are also cut out, leaving no stumps.
After the lashes are rolled up, folded like grapes, they are prepared for wintering.
In the fall, fruit-bearing plants are cut out, flush with the ground.
Upright growing plants, despite the stated relatively high winter hardiness, need winter shelter.

Considering that most creeping forms are smooth-bore, pruning thornless blackberries, which, as we have discussed, differs from straight-growing thorny species, is a less labor-intensive and traumatic procedure. In any case, whether in the fall or in the spring, you won’t have to, armed with pruning shears and gloves, fight with thorny thickets.

Pruning of remontant blackberries is carried out by analogy with its red sister: those that have fruited, cut out all the wood flush with the ground. But shelter is also necessary - cover the soil with agrofibre, sprinkle with mulch to prevent freezing. This is done in the fall so that in the spring new shoots appear as early as possible, since in our climate this species will still bear fruit once - at least this is advisable for most regions due to the climatic conditions of the continental climate, which is not very conducive to collecting two harvests of a late crop.

Pruning blackberries in the fall for beginners. In summer, blackberry bushes look very attractive: green, lush, with delicate flowers, and then delicious berries. Many gardeners know that this crop is a biennial plant. In the first year after planting, young shoots grow, gain strength, and begin to lay fruit buds.

Already in the second year, flowering and fruiting occur. After this, the shoots become old, and there are no more berries to come from them. But the bush, out of habit, continues to support the “old people”, wasting its resources, which at the same time could be used more rationally. In our article we will talk about pruning blackberries in the fall for beginners.

What you will learn from this material:

Why do blackberries need pruning?

It is considered a plant with a two-year fruiting cycle - in the first year we grow a green whip and wait for it to ripen. At proper care in the second year of life, blackberry bushes will begin to produce crops. That is why the first thing that needs to be done is to remove the fruit-bearing wood, which will no longer produce a harvest.

In addition, such wood will begin to thicken the bush, preventing young shoots from ripening. There are also a number of other reasons that lead to the need for pruning:

If there is too much old growth on the bush, then the nutrients will go to them, and not to the young shoots, which need them for development.
Where there are a lot of old shoots, there is always more shade, but blackberries love light. By not removing unnecessary branches, you can reduce the frost resistance of the plant.
Trimming the shoots will encourage flowering next season.
Pruning blackberries in the fall normalizes the harvest, improving its quality and quantity.
Knowing how to prune blackberries will reduce the risk of disease and pests in your garden.

Timing for pruning blackberries in autumn

Naturally, it is quite difficult to name specific dates for pruning ordinary blackberries in the fall, but the main signal to begin the procedure is the end of their fruiting. Therefore, if the raspberries bear fruit already in August, then it is worth pruning the bushes already in this summer month.

In any case, you need to have time to prune raspberries for the winter 3-4 weeks before the onset of winter. subzero temperatures(although some gardeners believe that remontant, on the contrary, should be pruned after the first frost).

Tools for processing blackberries in autumn

Any gardening procedures need good tools, especially processing such a difficult plant as blackberries. For pruning, the gardener should get a lopper and pruning shears.

Stores offer a large assortment such goods. Before you grab the first specimen you come across, you should find out whether it is suitable for pruning blackberries. Also, when making such purchases, it is important to remember that the tool should last for many years.

The diameter of adult branches averages about 1.5 centimeters. Any pruning shears can handle this thickness. To process blackberries, you should pay attention to a bypass tool. It works just like regular scissors. When choosing pruning shears, you need to pay attention to the gaps between the blades. If there is a gap there, the device will chew the branches rather than carefully cut them off.

The degree of sharpening is also very important. Sharp blades make it easier to carry out similar works, they greatly facilitate the process. This point is especially important when choosing a tool for processing thorny plants.

In order to simply shorten the shoots, it is better to use pruners of the “anvil” design - the flat plate will hold the branch while a sharp knife cuts it. But when working with it, it is important to hold the tool at one angle, otherwise instead of cutting it, it will simply break the stem.

To remove woody shoots in autumn, it is better to use a lopper. This device will help get rid of thick branches and shorten growth in the middle of the crown, which a pruner cannot handle. Its long handles make it easy to trim in the center of the bush without touching the sharp thorns.

If neither the pruner nor the lopper could cope with the job, only a garden saw will help. It has a special setting angle and special sharpening of the teeth, which will allow you to cut shoots in 2 directions.

The advantage of such a tool is the ability to leave smooth cuts, which reduces the risk of infection of the bush and also looks more aesthetically pleasing.

Blackberry pruning schemes in autumn

All blackberry varieties are divided into two groups: those with upright growing stems and those with creeping stems. The way the bush is formed depends on how the stems grow.

The fan method (vertical) is suitable for upright varieties. Overwintered shoots are attached to the trellis vertically directly above the roots. Short stems are spread on both sides and tied to the bottom string at a height of 25 - 30 cm above the ground. This placement makes it easy to remove branches after fruiting; as a rule, these are central shoots; the remaining shoots are shortened in order to be freely positioned for shelter by winter. This method is used for upright blackberries.

Rope method (horizontal). Used for creeping varieties in which the length of the shoots reaches 10 m. Weaving and rope are similar, only in the first case, before attaching to the trellis, the old stems are divided into two bundles and twisted together, which gives the shoots greater stability.

In autumn, the fruiting vines are completely cut off. The young growth is untied, the best branches are selected, and the weak ones are removed. The remaining lashes are carefully laid in the prepared trench and covered suitable material for wintering. With this formation, neither the length of the lashes nor the thorns are a hindrance.

Important! Whatever method is used, it is best to separate young and old branches when forming. This makes pruning and maintenance easier. The blackberry bush develops in a biennial cycle. Depending on the age of the branches, their tops are cut or pinched. In the first year, when the young shoot is just growing and strengthening, at the end of May its top is cut off by 5-7 cm.

This stimulates the growth of lateral shoots, which will bear berries next year. Some gardeners practice a second pinching in mid-summer, when the stem reaches 0.9-1 m. In the second year, after in early spring When the buds begin to bloom, the side shoots are usually trimmed, shortening them to 40 cm.

Pinching upright varieties is carried out to stimulate the growth of lateral branches and increase yield. Creeping varieties do not need this. They are pruned only to shorten vines that grow to 10 m or more. Too long vines complicate autumn pruning and covering for the winter.

Feeding blackberries in the fall after pruning

Autumn blackberry pruning done! Caring for blackberries in the fall also involves applying fertilizer. In most cases, organic matter is used for this. For example, rotted manure is very suitable for these purposes. Fertilize garden blackberry You can also use mineral fertilizers. Their introduction is planned during the digging of the soil.

For greater efficiency, the addition of organic matter is combined with the addition of mineral complexes. In this case, feeding blackberries is carried out as follows:

A layer of manure about 5-10 cm thick is laid out between the rows.
The required amount of fertilizer is evenly scattered on top of it.
The soil between the rows is dug up.
As mineral fertilizer for autumn application it is recommended to use a mixture of potassium sulfate and superphosphate. Blackberries need to be fertilized in this way annually.