How to grow giant blackberry: rules of fertilizing and pruning

Blackberry bushes are quite unpretentious in their care. They grow quickly, but for a better harvest and appearance, it is worth forming the crown correctly. Pruning is a prerequisite for plant development.

The fact is that old branches after fruiting only take away useful components and juices from the plant. Read the article to learn how to grow a large and tasty blackberry in the garden and when to prune it.

Blackberry care

The root system of the bush is well developed but is at a shallow depth. Therefore, blackberries need thorough watering. Insufficient moisture will cause the leaves to dry out, and you'll have to forget about the harvest.

An important step in caring for the bush is its regular pruning. When removing excess and dry shoots, young and strong branches will quickly grow.

Blackberries grow quickly, which leads to poor air circulation between the shoots. The bush simply will not receive enough sunlight for the berries to ripen.

Pruning rules

Blackberries should be pruned immediately after planting. The shoots should be shortened to 30 cm above the ground and the bush should be cleared of frail, thin and weak branches.

Spring pruning is necessary to improve fruiting. You can leave up to ten annual branches in the center, shortening them to 1.5 m. Instead, gardeners recommend cutting off the side shoots to three buds.

Early June is the best time for the next pruning. The tops should be shortened by 5 cm, and side shoots that are more than 70 cm high should be shortened by 25 cm. This is necessary for the correct formulation of the "skeleton" of the branches for their proportional placement.

Favorable days

Gardeners and vegetable growers often use the lunar calendar to help determine favorable days for gardening.

It is best to prune fruit trees and other shrubs on May 6, 7-8, 15-16, and 18.

Subscribe to OBOZ.UA channels on Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events.