| How do I stake these plants. How do I know what branches to prune back. Do these plants follow the same rule for all thornless blackberries? What else can you tell me about these plants. I bought them at a nursery in pots last July and planted them. They had a handfull of berries on them last year. This year they have tons of blooms. |
| These are described in some references as semi- erect, in others as semi-trailing so I suppose it is really just depending on how you like to think of it. They can be grown in a row planted about five feet apart and pruned aggressively, or trained on a trellis if you feel you need more control. Using a support system such as trellis or wire will also help keep them upright, prevent the tips from rooting, and help keep the berries clean so that is what I would recommend. The following article includes good directions and illustrations for support systems. Keep in mind that pruning is basically done to remove old canes that have already fruited, then to thin the plant to keep it more manageable and also allow air and sun to reach into it. The plants need evenly moist yet well drained soil, so water deeply during dry spells. Also maintain a layer of organic mulch year round, it will help keep down weeds, maintain soil moisture and also help feed the soil as it breaks down slowly over time. You may need to cut and paste the complete url into your browser ot make it work correctly. http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs... Enjoy your berries! |
