Pruning My Black Raspberry Bushes
Pruning chores are in full swing at my Bedford, New York farm.
I love growing berries and have been growing them for many years. I have several large patches of red raspberries, golden raspberries, black raspberries, gooseberries, and currants. Many berries are best eaten raw, but they can be used in a variety of ways - as ingredients in jams and jellies, pies and tarts, and delicious summer juices. For the best yields from these plants, it's crucial that berry bushes be pruned properly and regularly. Pruning produces larger berries in greater volumes - it also helps to control diseases that might otherwise spread through the berry patches.
Wilmer took on the task of pruning the black raspberries lat week. Here are some photos - enjoy.
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- Every morning, Wilmer begins his day sharpening his pruners. A sharp pair of hand pruners makes cleaner cuts that heal more efficiently resulting in healthier plants that can fight disease, insect infestation, and other natural stresses.
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- One big chore we always do during these colder months, oftentimes in between other farm projects, is prune the berry bushes that grow in the gardens around my main greenhouse.
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- The black raspberries, which are identifiable by their purple canes, need a good, thorough trimming. Raspberries are unique because their roots and crowns are perennial, while their stems or canes are biennial. A raspberry bush can produce fruit for many years, but pruning is essential.
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- Black raspberries are a bit more challenging to prune because their canes are quite long. Here they are before they are pruned.
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- Raspberry plants spread by suckers and will spread out far and wide if allowed. Unpruned raspberry bushes will still grow, but won’t yield more berries. Leaving them unpruned also makes them more prone to disease.
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- It’s good to keep the base of the bushes within a 12 to 18-inch footprint by pruning out any suckers that poke up outside those parameters.
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- Canes that produced berries in the previous year will be dead, so Wilmer cuts them back to the ground.
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- Older canes are gray in color. Here you can see both old and young canes.
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- This is an old branch that was just cut.
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- Raspberries bear fruit on two-year old canes, the canes that sprouted last season – if you’re thinking of planting black raspberries, be sure they are at least two feet apart in a row, and that you have ample access to both sides.
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- Wilmer removes all of the small, weak canes, leaving about four or five of the largest, most vigorous canes per plant.
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- The canes are heavily intertwined, so Wilmer follows them to make sure he is only cutting those needed.
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- All of the trimmed branches are taken to the compost yard and added to the pile. Pruning the berries takes some time, which is why we do it over a course of days in between other more time sensitive tasks.
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- The upright posts are made of granite and they have heavy gauge copper wire laced through them to support the berry bushes.
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- The wire can be tightened or loosened depending on the need.
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- Black raspberries, because their canes are so long, are also tied.
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- We use the same natural jute twine we use for so many of our gardening projects. Jute twine can be ordered online or purchased in specialty garden supply stores.
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- Wilmer secures the canes to the wire, to give the bush shape, and to train the cane to go in the horizontal direction – this makes picking the berries so much easier.
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- Forcing the canes to grow horizontally, encourages new lateral growth, which produces more fruit.
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- He also ties them horizontally, so they look tidy and secure.
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- And then cuts the ends close to the knot.
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- Wilmer stops frequently to check the work he has done and to make sure he hasn’t missed anything.
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- Wilmer ties some canes to each other to add support. Black raspberry canes are filled with tiny sharp thorns, so it is always best to work with a good pair of gloves when doing this job.
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- Keeping these rows neat and tidy and making sure the canes are well-secured also helps to keep walkways clear of thorns, so it’s easier to harvest all those berries come summer.
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- The finished canes look so good when finished. In summer, these canes will be laden with delicious black raspberries.
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