Friday, January 10, 2014

Blackberry Pruning Demonstration

John Strang, University of Kentucky Extension Fruit Specialist provides a very thorough lesson on how to prune thorny and thornless blackberries. John provides some teminology and tips within his video that I have bulleted for you below.  
  • Primocane is a first year growth and does not fruit (unless it is a primocane fruiting variety)
  • Floricane is the same shoot after overwintering.  This shoot will flower and fruit in the second year
  • Rednecked Cane Borer is an insect that bores into the can and cause an enlarged growth
  • 4-6 canes per hill or 6 canes per foot of row
  • Laterals pruned to 12 -16 inches
  • Remove prunings from the orchard
  • Floricanes should be removed in the Fall if possible