Blackberry pruning advise.

11 years ago

I accidentally broke one of my newly planted Navaho Blackberry plant last year at 2' tall while all my others I let get around 4'-5' tall so they where all erect with 18" laterals. The 2' tall plant eventually had 4 laterals which I allowed to get around 6'-10' long each which I then wrapped them around the trellis.

The 2' tall Navaho has already had some berries ripen vs the erect Navaho which has not. The 2' tall one also has berries twice the size of the other plants that were erect.

Is this a common way to prune? I figure this is a good way to have fruit earlier and large than the erect Navaho? If so, I might pinch more of my plants back this year if I can get the same outcome.

Would this work on a Triple Crown also?

I never planted blackberries before so I don't know what they will look like in there 3rd year. This is only a 2nd year plant, could that make a difference or is this a big berry for a Navaho (Picture Below).

You can see form the picture above the erect Navaho on the Left still has some flowers and that they are smaller than the plant on the Right which is the one 2' tall.

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Comments (2)

larry_gene
11 years ago
Your Navahos seem to have traveled 2 days into the future, nice trick!

I have not tried the two pruning methods, so cannot advise on the early/later ripening, but your bottom image is not convincing as they would have to be pictured at the same stage (green/red/black) for a true size comparison.

Provide a picture of each pruning type at the red stage, if available.
catfishhoward
Original Author
11 years ago
I JUST REALIZE I MADE A HUGE MISTAKE... The 2' tall plant is not a Navaho....... It's a Natchez, I went out this morning and found the tag still on the stem (Dumb Dumb). I don't think I have another Natchez so I don't know if this is normal for a 2 yr Natchez. Worst part is, yesterday I pinched 3 of my Apache's at 2' tall thinking that is might happen to them, I'll wait to see if they trail or not? I already have a new primocane at the 2' tall Natches which I already pinched at 5' tall so I'll see when it fruits next year and how the berries compare to this years.

I live in Atlanta Ga (Zone 8a)

Sorry for the mistake......I planted all kinds of varieties of berries (7 kinds of blackberries and 9 kinds of raspberries) to compare them for a future larger planting. Learn a good lesson, check the tags twice....

My Navaho, Apache & Ouachita are still all red and no berries picked yet, they all have 5' primocanes already. Triple Crown just flowered and I just found a new primocane (4"). Prime ark freedom already fruited on floricane and I have 5' primocanes already with lateral growth also.
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