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How to Cut Back Blackberries
To cut back blackberries, you need to know whether your plant is a primocane or floricane variety and then prune at the right time of year.
Blackberries grow on canes, and how you cut them back depends entirely on which type you have.
If you’ve been wondering how to cut back blackberries without killing the plant, you’re in the right place.
In this post, we’ll walk through exactly how to cut back blackberries step by step, including when to prune, what tools you need, and the mistakes to avoid.
Let’s dig in.
Why You Should Cut Back Blackberries
Cutting back blackberries isn’t just about keeping your patch tidy.
It’s essential for the health and productivity of your plants.
Here’s why you should cut back blackberries every year.
1. It Promotes Better Fruit Production
When you cut back blackberries, you redirect the plant’s energy into producing fruit instead of maintaining old, unproductive canes.
Blackberry canes only produce fruit once or twice depending on the variety.
After that, they’re just taking up space and nutrients.
Cutting them back means more energy goes into the new canes that will actually give you berries.
2. It Improves Airflow and Sunlight
A thick, tangled blackberry patch is a breeding ground for disease.
When you cut back blackberries, you open up the canopy so air can circulate and sunlight can reach the inner canes.
This reduces the risk of fungal infections like rust and anthracnose.
It also helps your berries ripen more evenly.
3. It Keeps the Patch Manageable
Blackberries spread aggressively if you let them.
Regularly cutting back blackberries keeps them from taking over your garden or yard.
You control the size and shape of the patch instead of letting it control you.
When to Cut Back Blackberries
Timing is everything when you cut back blackberries.
If you prune at the wrong time, you could accidentally remove the canes that would have given you fruit that year.
Here’s how to get the timing right.
1. For Floricane Blackberries
Floricane blackberries produce fruit on second-year canes.
The best time to cut back blackberries of this type is right after harvest, usually in late summer.
Cut the old fruiting canes down to the ground and leave the new primocanes to grow for next year’s crop.
2. For Primocane Blackberries
Primocane blackberries fruit on first-year canes.
You should cut back blackberries of this type in late winter or early spring before new growth begins.
Cut all canes down to about knee height or even to the ground depending on your climate.
3. For Everbearing Varieties
Everbearing blackberries produce fruit twice a year.
To cut back blackberries that are everbearing, prune after the first harvest to encourage a second round.
Then do a heavier cut back in late winter to reset the plant for spring.
How to Cut Back Blackberries Step by Step
Now let’s get into the actual process of cutting back blackberries.
Grab a pair of sharp bypass pruners and some thick gloves because those thorns are no joke.
Here’s how to cut back blackberries properly.
1. Remove Dead and Diseased Canes First
Start by cutting out any canes that are dead, damaged, or showing signs of disease.
These canes are usually gray or brown and snap easily.
Cutting back blackberries that are already struggling starts with removing the problem wood.
2. Cut Back Old Fruiting Canes
After harvest, cut the canes that produced fruit down to the ground.
You can tell them apart because they’re usually darker and thicker than the new canes.
This is the most important step when you cut back blackberries for better yields next season.
3. Thin Out the New Canes
If your blackberry patch is crowded, thin the new canes so they’re about 4 to 6 inches apart.
This gives each cane room to grow and produce fruit.
When you cut back blackberries this way, you end up with stronger, healthier plants.
4. Tip Prune for Better Branching
For erect varieties, tip prune the new canes when they reach about 3 to 4 feet tall.
Cutting back blackberries at the tip encourages side branches, which means more fruit-bearing wood.
5. Dispose of the Cuttings Properly
Don’t just leave the cuttings on the ground.
Diseased canes can spread problems to the rest of your patch.
Bag them up or burn them, especially if you noticed any signs of disease.
6. Water and Mulch After Pruning
After you cut back blackberries, give the plants a good drink and add a layer of mulch.
This helps them recover from the stress of pruning and keeps moisture in the soil.
7. Train the Remaining Canes
If you’re growing blackberries on a trellis, weave the remaining canes through the wires after cutting back blackberries.
This keeps them supported and makes harvesting easier next season.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When You Cut Back Blackberries
Even experienced gardeners make mistakes when they cut back blackberries.
Here are a few to watch out for.
1. Pruning at the Wrong Time
If you cut back blackberries in spring before they fruit, you might remove the canes that would have produced berries.
Always know your variety before you start cutting.
2. Cutting Too Much at Once
Cutting back blackberries too aggressively can shock the plant.
Take off no more than a third of the growth at one time unless you’re doing a full renewal prune.
3. Leaving Diseased Canes in the Patch
Diseased canes left on the ground can reinfect your plants.
Always remove them completely when you cut back blackberries.
4. Not Wearing Gloves
Blackberry thorns can tear through thin gloves and scratch your hands.
Wear thick leather gloves when you cut back blackberries to protect yourself.
So, How Do You Cut Back Blackberries?
You cut back blackberries by identifying your variety, pruning at the right time of year, and removing old fruiting canes while thinning the new ones.
Whether you’re dealing with floricane, primocane, or everbearing types, cutting back blackberries regularly keeps your patch healthy and productive.
Just remember to wear gloves, use sharp tools, and clean up your cuttings afterward.
Do this every year and you’ll be rewarded with bigger, sweeter harvests season after season.
Happy pruning.