Blackberries are a healthy and tasty berry. But for good growth and yield, a number of mandatory measures must be taken with the crop. One of them is autumn pruning. Without this, the blackberry bush will thicken, weaken, and yield will decrease. Therefore, after picking the berries and before the onset of cold weather, you need to prune. There is nothing super complicated in this process, but there are some tricks.
Choose the right timing
Autumn pruning of blackberries is divided into two phases. In the first phase, in mid-late September, sanitary pruning of diseased and injured branches is carried out.
The second phase begins in a month (end of October), but different areas have their own timing. During this period, the main branches are shortened and the bush is prepared for wintering. Do not delay pruning, as the branches must heal before the onset of cold weather.
Which branches to delete
The following are subject to mandatory pruning: weak long green vines, broken or damaged by the pest and shoots that bear fruit. All these branches are pruned at the root without stumps, since pests often live in stumps. Thick branches of the current year are also cut off, but not completely, but only by cutting off ¼ of the length.
It is better to burn cut branches with signs of disease or damage by insects so that diseases do not spread throughout the garden plot.
Thinning young shoots
In addition to shortening the shoots of the current year, in autumn pruning it is often necessary to thin out the young bush. For active flowering and high yield, 6–8 strong young branches are enough to protect against frost, leaving a maximum of 2 more. But no more!
Therefore, weak, short, improperly growing young blackberry branches must be removed, but if the bush is still dense, then only 10 strong branches are left for wintering.
Pruning remontant varieties
With remontant varieties of blackberries, everything is very simple. All shoots are pruned in autumn. Remove like other varieties at ground level, without leaving protruding stumps. There is no need to worry about the bush; in the spring, remontant blackberries will produce new shoots and produce a high yield. But the remaining root system needs to be insulated.
The final stage of pruning
No special procedures are required after pruning blackberries, but like any plant, blackberries need to be fed to survive cold weather safely. For this purpose, a combined complex of mineral and organic fertilizers is used. Compost up to 10 cm thick is laid in the row spacing, superphosphate is sprinkled on top and the row spacing is dug up. For the winter, blackberries are insulated.
To enjoy the sweet berry in the summer, preparations begin in early autumn. But if you do everything correctly, blackberries will thank the gardener with their taste and beneficial properties.
