Apache thornless blackberry

[billthib]

I bought and planted 2 of these about 4 months ago. They seem to be thriving as the canes are between 8'-12' long and are tied to a fence. I'm unsure about whether to prune them or just leave them alone. I live in south Louisiana (zone 9) Any advice would be appreciated.

[bugpicker]

If memory serves, blackberries produce fruit on last years new canes. The canes growing this year will produce fruit next year and the canes that grow next year will give you fruit that year after that. After fruiting, the cane dies and then can be removed entirely. I would not prune the canes at all.

And welcome to Idig!

[BalconyFarmer]

Originally Posted by billthib

I bought and planted 2 of these about 4 months ago. They seem to be thriving as the canes are between 8'-12' long and are tied to a fence. I'm unsure about whether to prune them or just leave them alone. I live in south Louisiana (zone 9) Any advice would be appreciated.

You'll want to head them back to about 6', and tie them to a trellis or support in an arch. Fruiting lateral branches will form at the leaf junctions of the main stem next spring. After the canes have fruited, cut them back all the way to the ground, they're done.

Blackberries fruit on second year canes, so the canes that come up next summer should be headed back and trained the same way. You can head them back to 8' the second year.

Some blackberries produce "suckers" that come up from lateral roots underground. Suckers should be pulled out of the ground. On some thornless blackberries, suckers revert to thorned sports, so you definitely want to remove them.

[billthib]

BallconyFarmer I appreciate the info about my blackberries. I also read your comment about bending the canes into hoops or arcs. I'll give that a whirl too. Thanks again.

[LeafThief]

I also have these blackberries. I planted them two springs ago. Someone told me to cut them to the ground (now I know not to do that). I let them grow last summer and trellised them. This year, they had tons of blooms, but never produced berries - I'm baffled. Anyone have an explanation?

[BalconyFarmer]

Blackberries need a lot of water when they're flowering and setting fruit. If they don't get it, no fruit, or substandard fruit. Especially if you're growing them in sandy soil.

Some of the best blackberries I've eaten grew in a man-made rock pile on a bank in the Russian River in northern California. 15 feet up from the river, they had the heat of the rocks to warm them through the cool summer nights, but they tapped the river for plenty of water. Big, plump, juicy, and sweet!

[chilzany]

I'm glad the question came up. My one thornless blackberry just put on a few fruits for first time this year, the new canes have really extended long long, I'd been wondering how to handle. same with the thorny red raspberry bush which also produced for first time this year. next years canes really extended long long. I will try the same with them.