Berry bushes round off the planting plan in the orchard. Regular fertilization and watering are not enough for a bountiful harvest. Only expert pruning care guarantees a rich crop of berries. This tutorial is packed with practical instructions for the perfect pruning of berry bushes.
When and how do I cut berry bushes correctly?
Cutting berry bushes is essential for a productive harvest and he althy growth. The best time is usually the end of February to the beginning of March, although it varies depending on the species and variety. Remove old and worn shoots, thin out new and he althy canes and cut them back to promote abundant fruit production.
Cutting berry bushes – dates at a glance
After reading this tutorial, abundant berry bushes are no longer just the preserve of neighbors who seem to be blessed with a green thumb. The following instructions explained clearly how you can skillfully train your own green thumb for the perfect pruning of opulent berry bushes. The right time is just as important as the cutting itself. The following table summarizes popular species with ideal cutting dates:
| berry bush | best time to cut | alternative editing date |
|---|---|---|
| Red currants and gooseberries | February to March | after harvest |
| Blackberries | February to March | after harvest |
| Summer raspberries | in the summer after the harvest | End of February to beginning of March |
| Autumn raspberries | in the fall after the harvest | End of February to beginning of March |
| Blueberries | February to March | no alternative date |
Numerous berry bushes are cut in early spring between late February and early March. For the specific date, please select a day withfrost-free and overcast weatherAfter cutting in temperatures below zero, there is a risk that pruned shoots will freeze back.
Cutting currants and gooseberries
When it comes to pruning care, red currants and gooseberries work together, so the following instructions apply to both berry bushes. The longed-for fruits grow on annual side shoots, which sprout from perennial canes. Annual maintenance pruning aims at a shrub with 2 x annual, 2 x biennial, 2 x three-year-old and 2 x four-year-old ground shoots. You can find out how to do this here:
- The best time is the end of February to the beginning of March
- Beginning in the fourth year, cut off all four-year-old and older rods at ground level
- In exchange, leave an appropriate number of previous year's shoots standing
- Remove excess annual (unbranched, green bark) shoots
- Tails that are too long or overhanging can be slimmed down using a derivation cut to a deeper side shoot
The figure below illustrates all the phases of pruning currants and gooseberries. After you have removed the oldest canes and slimmed down the remaining tendrils if necessary, finally turn your attention to the base of the shrub. Remove all side branches close to the ground up to a height of 30 centimeters. There should be young side shoots 10 centimeters apart along the 8 scaffold shoots. Cut excess side branches back to a 2 centimeter short peg.
Currants and gooseberries benefit from maintenance pruning in combination with continuous rejuvenation. Remove three of the oldest scaffold shoots in exchange for young, unbranched ground shoots. Strongly branched or overhanging scaffold shoots can be directed to lower-lying young shoots.
How to cut blackberries correctly
Blackberry bushes carry the tart-sweet fruity delight on one-year-old side branches that grow on two-year-old canes up to 2 meters long. If a tendril has spoiled us with delicious blackberries, it is cut off. The rigorous pruning clears the way for new canes that will flower and fruit in the second year after a year of growth. How to cut blackberries correctly:
- The best time is in early spring between the end of February and the beginning of March
- Worn rodsof the previous year at ground levelcut off
- Young, juicy greenLeave annual vines standing and tie them loosely to the trellis
- Theside shootsannual tendrilscut back to 2 to 3 eyes, or 3 to 4 cm
It is important to note the correct pruning technique on buds when pruning the side shoots along annual canes. Place the scissors 0.5 to 1 centimeter above one eye. Do not cut into the bud or leave a long stub. At the beginning of spring, valuable fruit canes sprout from these shortened side shoots, giving you a rich berry harvest in autumn.
Tip
Measure the cutting circumference of berry bushes according to the rule of thumb: the fewer fruit canes, the better the fruit quality and larger the berries.
Summer raspberries – instructions for cutting
Summer raspberries are characterized by the growth of very long canes that bloom and fruit on their side shoots in the second year. When cutting, this requires selecting worn and young tendrils. How to do it right:
- The best time is after the harvest in summer
- Immediately cut off every cane that is picked empty at ground level
- Tie this year's green tendrils to the trellis wire
- Remove weak, surplus shoots this year too
- In February/March of the following year, cut the canes back to 150 to 180 centimeters
- Place scissors at a short distance from an outward-facing bud
The figure below demonstrates that summer raspberries are ideally trained on a frame about 180 centimeters high with three cross wires. For each meter of wire you tie the10 strongest rodsthis year. Beforehand, cut off the harvested tendrils so that you have a good overview of the trellis and can select the most promising canes for next year's harvest. All other ground shoots from the current season must go.
After the summer harvest, cut off all worn tendrils. Tie this year's ten best rods to the trellis. In March of the following year, cut these rods back to 150 to 180 centimeters.
Cut autumn raspberries rigorously
Raspberry varieties with an autumn harvest make life easy for the gardener. Box office hits like 'Aroma Queen' or 'Autumn Bliss' are blooming and fruiting onthis year's rods The image below illustrates the easy pruning care. After harvest or in the following February/March, cut off all canes at the base. A wire mesh approximately 120 centimeters high serves as a support aid and simplifies harvesting. You are free to leave the tendrils in the bed after harvest until the next early summer because they will bear a few raspberries. Of course, you can achieve the optimal harvest yield by radically pruning in autumn or spring.
Autumn-bearing raspberries are cut at ground level after harvest or the following spring. This creates space for this year's rich-bearing rods.
Blend blueberries every year
Blueberries are the ideal berry bushes for gardeners who are short on time. The delicious fruits thrive even if you don't prune the tree extensively every year. It is completely sufficient if you thin out theoldest scaffolding shoot every spring, in the sense of continuous rejuvenation.
If after a few years the fruit quality no longer meets expectations, extend the pruning care. At the end of February to the beginning of March, cut back heavily branched canes as part of a derivation cut. To do this, look for a short, strong side shoot in the lower part of the rod that is directed outwards. Make the cut at the fork of both shoots. Take this opportunity to cut off dead or hopelessly branched scaffold shoots at ground level. As a replacement, leave young, green canes from the previous year in the berry bush.
Frequently asked questions
Last October I planted 3 berry bushes that grew very well. I underestimated the strong growth, so there is already a lack of space at the location. Can I transplant the bushes? When would be the best time to do this?
It is easily possible to transplant berry bushes to another location within the first five years. The ideal time window opens after the leaves have fallen in October/November. At the new location, prepare planting holes with fresh compost and then water regularly and abundantly. Pruning the shoots should compensate for the lost root volume.
Our three-year-old blueberry bush has hardly bloomed so far and has only produced a few berries. Is it because we have never pruned the berry bush?
Regular cutting and thinning promotes the growth of flowering branches, which then significantly improves the yield. In addition, it is advisable to plant at least one other blueberry bush. Most berry bushes benefit from having several conspecifics in close proximity, regardless of whether they are self-fertile or not.
In your pruning instructions you can read that autumn raspberries should be pruned close to the ground every year. Conversely, does this mean that the berry bushes will not fruit if they are not cut back?
Annual pruning optimizes the harvest yield. Of course, the cut is not absolutely necessary. The instructions only serve as a recommendation for perfect pruning care if you want to achieve a rich berry harvest.
The 3 most common cutting mistakes
When berry bushes degenerate into impenetrable undergrowth, bloom little and bear sparse fruit, the plants suffer from a classic pruning error. The following table summarizes the three most common mistakes in pruning care and provides practical tips for prevention:
| Cutting errors | malicious image | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| never cut | dense undergrowth, few berries | blend at least once a year |
| wrong cut | no shoots below the interface | Prune canes just above a bud |
| cut in frost | frozen rods, low yield or total failure | Do not prune berry bushes when there is frost |
Tip
The perfect cut of berry bushes requires the gardener to differentiate between old and young shoots. Basically, the older the wood, the darker the bark becomes. If you don't want to rely on the visual feature alone, equip the tendrils with different colored rings.
