Summer Tipping Erect Blackberry Primocanes With Bypass Hand Pruners: Top at 36 to 40 Inches, Then Shorten Laterals in Late Winter

Bypass hand pruners tipping a green blackberry cane in a summer berry row

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Erect blackberry canes left alone shoot past head height, flop over, and fruit only at the tips. Two short pruning visits, one in summer and one in late winter, turn each cane into a stiff, branched bush that fruits at picking height.

When and where do you tip erect blackberry canes?

Tip new primocanes in summer once they reach about 36 to 40 inches, or 48 to 60 inches on vigorous varieties, removing just the soft tip. Go back through the row several times as canes reach height. In late winter, shorten the side branches to about 12 to 18 inches.

University of Missouri Extension's guide to pruning raspberries, blackberries, and gooseberries says to summer tip erect blackberries at 36 to 40 inches. It says tipping encourages branching and increases fruit set, and that winter laterals go back to 12 to 15 inches.

University of Tennessee Extension's home garden bramble pruning fact sheet says vigorous erect blackberries should be topped at 48 to 60 inches. It says to cut laterals to about 18 inches on strong canes and 12 inches on moderate ones, and to remove laterals within 12 to 18 inches of the ground.

Two-Visit Pruning Calendar

Visit Cut Figure Source
Summer Tip primocanes 36 to 40 in. MU
Summer, vigorous types Tip primocanes 48 to 60 in. UT
Late winter Strong-cane laterals About 18 in. UT
Late winter Moderate-cane laterals About 12 in. UT
Late winter Low laterals Remove within 12 to 18 in. of ground UT
Late winter Thin canes 4 to 6 per foot of row UT

Why Tip Early

UT says heading primocanes while they are still succulent and small means the cuts heal faster, lowering the chance of cane blight. Late tipping on a thick, woody cane leaves a bigger wound.

Because canes start and grow at different rates, MU says to tip several times during the summer. A quick walk down the row every week or two keeps up.

Why Shorten Laterals in Winter

UT notes that most fruit is borne near the base of each lateral, so heading them does not cut yield and tends to increase berry size. Shorter laterals also keep fruit off the ground and inside the row.

Removing the lowest laterals clears the base of the canes for air and easier picking.

Materials and Tools

Pruning Steps

  1. Mark the height. Put a tape mark on a post at 36 to 40 inches, or higher for vigorous varieties.
  2. Tip in summer. Snip off the soft top inch or two of each primocane that reaches the mark.
  3. Repeat. Walk the row every week or two until all canes are tipped.
  4. Remove spent floricanes. After harvest, cut the canes that fruited down at the soil.
  5. Wait for late winter. Let the tipped canes branch and harden over the season.
  6. Thin canes. Keep about 4 to 6 strong canes per foot of row.
  7. Clear low laterals. Remove side branches within 12 to 18 inches of the ground.
  8. Shorten laterals. Cut the rest to about 12 to 18 inches, longer on strong canes.

Mistakes and Hazards

  • Tipping red or yellow raspberries, which UT says should not be topped
  • Waiting until fall, when canes are thick and woody
  • Cutting just before a rain, when wounds stay wet
  • Leaving laterals several feet long
  • Pruning thorny canes without long gloves and eye protection

For support on trailing or thornless types, see building a two-wire thornless blackberry trellis. Summer raspberries use a different method, shown in caning out a 20-foot summer-bearing raspberry row.

Rabbits chew young canes at the base in winter. The hardware cloth mesh size and gauge guide covers mesh for a low barrier along the row.

FAQ

How much do I take off when tipping?

MU says to remove about 1 to 2 inches when tipping black raspberries, and the same soft-tip approach works on blackberries.

Do black raspberries get tipped at the same height?

No. MU gives 30 inches for black raspberries and 36 to 40 inches for purple raspberries and erect blackberries.

Should old canes stay over winter?

MU says to remove old floricanes at the soil surface during the winter if they were not removed after harvest.

Location: 4RC6W8Q8+59

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