How Do You Prune Blackberries and Hybrid Berries After Fruiting?

Blackberries and hybrid berries — loganberries, tayberries, boysenberries, and their relatives — are pruned on the same biennial cane cycle as raspberries. Each cane grows in its first year, fruits in its second, then dies. The pruning job is to remove the old fruited canes and train the new replacement canes into a manageable system. With vigorous varieties that can produce canes three or four metres long, doing this in an organised way from the start saves enormous amounts of time and effort later.

When to Prune Blackberries

Cut out the old canes as soon as fruiting is complete — typically in September or October for most varieties. Do not wait until winter: leaving old canes in place over winter allows disease to spread to the new canes, and thorny old growth becomes harder to untangle from the new canes as the season progresses. Wearing thick leather gloves is essential with most blackberry varieties.

The Two-Bundle Training System

The most effective approach for managing blackberries is to train old and new canes in separate directions along the support wires. Train the current season's fruiting canes along one side or along the top wires. As new canes emerge from the base through the season, tie them together as a central bundle or train them along the lower or opposite wires. After harvest, cut out all the old fruited canes completely, then spread the new canes out to fill the space. This system means the two generations of canes never become tangled together, which makes the whole job far quicker and less painful.

How Many New Canes to Keep

After removing old canes, select six to eight of the strongest new canes to keep for next year. Cut the rest away at ground level. More canes than this creates overcrowding, reduces air circulation, and increases disease risk without proportionally increasing yield. Shorten the retained canes if they are very long — anything beyond about 2.5 metres can be tipped back to a strong bud.

Managing Vigorous Hybrid Berries

Some hybrid berries, particularly loganberries and tayberries, are remarkably vigorous and can overwhelm a small garden if not controlled. The same pruning principles apply but may need to be applied more decisively. Keep the planting to a restricted number of canes, remove any that are growing out of bounds, and do not allow the plant to spread laterally along a fence or wall beyond its designated space. Consistent annual pruning is far easier than attempting renovation of a plant that has been left to its own devices for several years.