Pruning blackberries in autumn

In the autumn, blackberries require special attention to themselves, and this also applies to pruning, since they require knowledge, skills and dexterity so that everything goes well and so that the plant does not get damaged. It is important not to cut off excess shoots and branches during pruning, and also not to catch on the thorns of the shoots and not to harm yourself. In this article, we will try to take a step-by-step look at how to properly prune blackberries in the fall.

Why do you need pruning blackberries in the fall

As many gardeners know, blackberries are a shrub with a two-year fruiting cycle. And this fact can affect the conditions for pruning a plant.

In the first year, in the first summer period, we can grow a green seedling, which requires a lot of attention and caring procedures. And also we are in anticipation of when this bush will ripen, begin to grow wood, and strengthen. Also, how wintering conditions will be organized depends on the gardener.

Already in the next spring-summer period, the bush will begin to bloom, and the long-awaited fruiting will also begin. It will no longer bear fruit, but in extreme cases, some varieties can still bear fruit again if the most favorable conditions are arranged for them.

In this regard, lignified two-year-old wood, which has already given fruiting, must be removed by regular pruning. Otherwise, these branches will begin to thicken the bush, the young shoots will not be able to ripen normally, the plant will become weaker, and the new harvest will not be so plentiful, large and sweet.

So a lot depends on pruning - not only the health of the plant, but also its fruiting, the quality of the fruits, their abundance and quantity. It is also worth noting that the forms and methods of pruning will largely depend on which variety this or that blackberry bush belongs to.

The main reasons for pruning blackberries

Of course, I want to answer the most common question about why pruning blackberries in the fall is required at all. In particular, it is worth pointing out why you need pruning blackberries for the winter:

• in order for the shoots to ripen evenly, they can consume a large amount of mineral and nutrients. But, unfortunately, they are wasted unevenly so that the old growth is maintained in the same optimal condition as the new one. Therefore, it is recommended to cut it after fruiting in order to optimize the intake of nutrients and mineral resources;
• where very old wood is found in abundance, there is more shaded space. The sun practically does not fall on the branches, which are located not along the edges of the bushes, but in their middle, and because of this, the bush becomes less stable during frosts and with sudden changes in temperature. This also needs attention when the gardener is faced with a dilemma - to prune before the onset of winter, or not to do it at all;
• blackberries in a very excessive thickening with great difficulty prepare for the onset of winter, and therefore it will be better to remove excess branches and shoots from the bush first;
• pruning is also recommended as this will result in even more stimulating flowering next season. And, accordingly, fruiting will be more abundant and of high quality;
• pruning normalizes the crop load. The ripening of the crop becomes more efficient and plentiful, and the number of berries and fruits also increases. The bush is getting stronger.It also becomes more useful and effective, because the first thing a gardener pays attention to when choosing a blackberry variety is how abundantly it can bear fruit. Accordingly, not everyone realizes that fruiting also depends on whether the bushes are pruned in the autumn.

Blackberry garden pruning in the fall: rules for pruning and shaping

Of course, pruning blackberries in the fall must follow certain rules. If you do something wrong, then there is a high probability of causing more harm to the plant than good. So you should definitely pay attention to all the subtleties and rules so that in the future the plant feels comfortable, and so that pruning gives exactly the result for which it is actually carried out.

Scheme of autumn pruning of blackberries

After the crops have been harvested from the bushes, the gardener must organize first stage pruning blackberries. All branches that have borne fruit in the current season are cut out, hemp does not remain, they are also carefully cut out.

Young lashes must also be removed. In particular, among them, it is precisely those that have not matured enough to the current moment that are being removed. It is also worth removing short, thin and unviable lashes, having previously evaluated their external characteristics. Such lashes will only take away some strength and nutrients from the plant, but will not give any growth or fruitful result. Therefore, there is no point in leaving them in their places.

It is also worth removing those branches from the shrub that have been damaged by pests or diseases. It is very rare among pests on blackberries, but aphids or spider mites may appear. And if they hit the branches, then these parts of the plant will definitely not be able to survive the upcoming frost. It is better to remove them immediately so that the pests do not move to healthier parts of the plant.

Young lashes that have matured are also recommended to be shortened, but this should not be done entirely, but by about one quarter. Thanks to this, peduncles will be stimulated, which next year will demonstrate more energy and strength and, accordingly, there is a high probability that fruiting will be more active and abundant.

By the growth of the roots and by the strength of this process, you can also independently calculate what will be the load on the bush in the future. A medium-sized plant can provide nutrients and minerals and components from six to eight lashes, which will then give abundant fruiting.

This means that for the winter we will leave from eight to ten shoots on the bush, and then we will see which of them were able to survive the winter and which should be removed. We also reserve a few lashes just in case for this. After all, it is very important that the bush has a sufficient number of branches and lashes that will be able to bear fruit perfectly in the future, and it is on them that the future well-being of the shrubs will depend.

We also cut the upper tips of annual shoots just above the bud. It is better not to leave hemp on the bush, since they can cause the bush to begin the process of decay, especially during the winter state of dormancy.

After the winter period, the bushes should be carefully opened from the shelter, and also inspected to see which shoots and branches have survived, and which, unfortunately, were lost after wintering. If a part of the blackberry is healthy, then it gradually warms up in the sun, becomes elastic to the touch, shines, which also speaks of the health and vitality of the branches.

If the wood is frozen, then the first thing that indicates this is the color of the shoots, as it becomes dark, almost black. In addition, the branches can be quite loose and fragile, it is immediately clear to the touch that something is wrong with the plant, and it needs that the gardener also cut these parts after wintering.

If, after frost, about six shoots and branches survived, then this is an excellent indicator, but if less than three, then the yield can be expected much lower than what was originally expected. But there is a plus in this - the resulting berries will be richer and much larger than if there were a lot of them, but they would be smaller and more mediocre.

Do not be afraid that the gardener will remove something unnecessary from the bush, since the plant can recover well and shows abundant growth, its strength. So even if the grower cuts out a few extra branches, in general, you can expect that the growth will recover, and the bush will return to its usual size.

Correct pruning, on the contrary, strengthens the blackberries, makes the harvest more abundant and tasty, so pruning is considered an obligatory part of the care and agricultural practices that are prescribed by gardeners in relation to fruit and berry bushes.

In order to make the autumn manipulations carried out with shrubs much easier to carry out, it is worth forming a blackberry bush in a special way. Everything will depend on what shape this bush is.

Blackberries can be of two forms - erect or creeping, this is mainly due to the varietal affiliation of the shrub. Even despite the fact that erect forms tolerate winter frosts better, it will still not be superfluous to remove this bush under the snow in order to 100% protect it from freezing or other negative influences. The whole trouble is that the shoots of blackberries practically do not bend, and it is easier to break them than to fix them in this way, so that they can easily be covered for the winter.

Fan forming and pruning of blackberry bushes in autumn

You can use the so-called fan formation, which will solve this problem. It is carried out in accordance with a certain algorithm, you should definitely pay attention to it:

• in the spring, the trellis should be raised, and those shoots that have successfully survived the frost are installed on it. They rise in a vertical direction, they are also placed in the middle of the trellis, right above the root system of the shrub itself, so that everything is even and symmetrical;
• all young shoots in a state of active growth should be divided into both sides of the growing point. And from below they are tied up with wires or fixed with special clamps. They will grow almost parallel to the ground. It is also an important prerequisite for successful fan formation of the shrub;
• in the fall, it will be easiest to cut out everything that is unnecessary, weak or completely unpromising, if we talk specifically about growth. But the removal should be carried out very carefully so as not to accidentally remove the necessary shoots, which are still able to grow excellently and bear fruit successfully. It is best not to touch the side lashes that spread, since the future growth of the planting will also depend on them;
• if the shoots bend very badly, and if they have not taken a horizontal shape during the summer period, then there is a way out. Among them, it is worth choosing from eight to ten of the strongest shoots, and the rest is best removed with the help of a very well-sharpened and disinfected tool - scissors, a knife or a pruner;
• wintering lashes should be shortened. After that, they are even more pressed against the top layer of the soil. For the winter, they are covered with agrofibre, spruce branches, straw or dry leaves of corn;
• in spring, the branches rise gently, returning to an upright position. But it is also worth remembering that the lashes should be outlived a little and warm up. Then they will not be so brittle, and it will be possible to preserve their external characteristics, shape and health.

Pruning creeping blackberries in autumn

If we are dealing with creeping varieties, then we form them a little differently. They are not at all resistant to the winter period. But at the same time, these varieties and this variety are flexible. But you must admit that coping with ten-meter lashes alone is not at all an easy task.In addition, you can run into thorns, which also complicate the conditions for caring for the plant.

Sometimes you can leave from eight to ten shoots, and not wait until they become incredibly long twigs, with which there will be even more trouble and difficulty in leaving. But in this case, this method has some positive characteristics. So the gardener will be able to save on nutrients and minerals and components that are so necessary for blackberries in order for the crop to finally ripen and be very tasty and healthy. But in the summer, the gardener still has to fight with new shoots, which will constantly crawl out and make themselves felt.

The formation of the creeping shape should also be carried out in accordance with the rules and algorithm so that the cropping is as competent and high-quality as possible:

• lashes that have wintered are wound on the trellis, as if it were a coil. Then we let them on the right hand from the point of growth, but it is also possible on the left. It all depends only on which direction the blackberry mainly grows;
• to the left it will be better to wind young shoots, or vice versa - if the previous shoots were wound to the left, then young shoots are wound to the right;
• if excess shoots are not removed in the summer, then this should be done with the onset of autumn. Before the blackberry bush is pruned for winter, it should be removed from the trellis, deployed on the ground so that the vine does not get confused. We leave about eight of the strongest and healthiest vines, and carefully cut the rest. Since they will rather burden the plant than give it any benefit.

The right side, which has borne fruit, must be removed under the very spine. Do not forget about the selection of tools, and be sure to disinfect it after each use. It is also worth folding the whips, laying them in trenches so that they are stored right there throughout the winter. In the trenches, the lashes will feel great after hiding. Chances are high that they will all survive this period. And this is really very important for the blackberry, so that in the next season it gives an excellent fruiting result.

If you follow all the rules and requirements, as well as with such methods, the thorns will not be at all such a difficult and insurmountable obstacle, so that they can be dealt with. As a last resort, you can use gloves to prevent the thorns from damaging your skin. You do not need to pull out old branches, you should carefully use the pruner.

If you are engaged in the formation of a bush from the very beginning, then he will gradually get used to the fact that it will acquire the correct shape, and you will only need to maintain it in the process of caring for blackberry bushes.

Outcome

As we can see, pruning blackberries in the fall is an important step in plant care. And depending on the variety of blackberries, forming a bush can be both a difficult task and quite simple.

There are also studless varieties, and they are generally very easy to handle in the care process. Separately, it should be said about the remontant varieties of garden blackberries. Pruning it is a very simple activity that even a gardener who has absolutely no experience and skills in this matter can cope with.

The gardener should root out all the wood that has grown over the summer, and cover only the remaining root system by winter. In the future, the lashes will grow, in the next season they will give active growth, they will bloom remarkably, they will also give a lot of tasty and bright, large fruits (here the characteristics of the crop depend directly on the variety and variety of the plant).

In principle, as we can see, the plant can be a little whimsical when it comes to care and pruning, but if you follow all the rules, then these procedures will not become an obstacle even for an inexperienced gardener.