{"id":611973005638,"date":"2025-10-16T16:41:47","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T16:41:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/blogs\/uncategorized\/how-train-prune-blackberry-bushes\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T08:41:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T08:41:08","slug":"how-train-prune-blackberry-bushes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/blogs\/fruit\/how-train-prune-blackberry-bushes\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Train & Prune Blackberry Bushes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Blackberry bushes<\/a> are easy to cut back, this page is not here to overcomplicate things.<\/p>

It\u2019s just a matter of choosing what works for your garden: a bushy, natural style, a quite tidy trellis, or a very tidy trellis!<\/p>

How Blackberry Canes Grow<\/h3>

The base of a blackberry is a woody crown just above ground level that produces long stems called canes. <\/p>

Most blackberry varieties are floricane types: their canes grow for one year, then fruit in their second year.<\/p>

Second year canes are usually cut out in Winter after fruiting.
On new, establishing<\/strong> plants, some growers leave canes on for a third year to encourage root development, and produce a smaller second crop while the plant\u2019s vigour is still building up.<\/p>

Do I Really Have to Train Blackberry Bushes?<\/h3>

Training blackberries is not essential, plenty of gardeners let their bushes sprawl freely, perhaps casually tying the canes to the top of a fence, or maybe draped over established fruit trees in a mixed orchard. <\/p>

Supporting & Trimming Canes Gives the Best Crops<\/h3>

To get the best crop from the least space, either :<\/p>

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  • Use a support system<\/strong> for long canes, separating the year-old fruiting stems from the current year\u2019s new growth. <\/li>\n
  • Or, use a summer pruning system<\/strong> and cut first year canes at a manageable size that bush out at the top.<\/li>\n<\/ul>

    The supports could be tidy wires on posts, or casually on a back fence like Papa Richards demonstrates here with a thorny beast:<\/p>

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