If you cut the wrong cane with scissors, you may end up with nothing at the next harvest. This is the danger that exists with all fruit-bearing shrubs. If cutting this relatively new berry plant is unfamiliar territory for you, read on now.
How do I cut my tayberry correctly?
Pruning a tayberry requires removing excess shoots after planting, cutting off worn-out vines in summer and shortening shoots in spring. Gloves are recommended for thorny varieties. The cutting rules also apply to potted plants.
Training planted tayberries
It is enough if only 5-6 strong shoots remain on a plant and continue to grow. They are tied to a scaffold in a fan shape. This means that every tendril gets enough support and enough light. No thickets form. You should remove all remaining shoots close to the ground immediately after planting.
Tip
Depending on which Tayberry variety you have chosen, cutting can be a painful affair. If it is a thorny specimen, you should protect your hands with gloves (€9.00 on Amazon) before reaching for the scissors.
Cutting worn vines in summer
Cutting is an essential part of care even in summer. Because the Tayberry only bears on annual shoots. This means that a harvested shoot will no longer bear fruit the following year. From this point of view, it is worthless to its owner. As soon as there are no more fruits hanging on it, it is cut off close to the ground.
In a good location, the Tayberry has already sprouted enough replacements over the course of the growing season. Leave the strongest new shoots for the following year so that they bear berries. Also cut weak rods close to the ground.
Tip
In late summer you can cut 20 cm long cuttings from the shoots to propagate the tayberry. The cuttings are stripped of their leaves and inserted completely into the soil except for 2-3 cm, where they take root until spring.
Shortening in spring
Both the annual shoots and their side shoots must be shortened in spring. The annual shoots of the Tayberry can grow up to 4 m. This is way too long!
- shorten long shoots to 2 m, max. 2.5 m
- They shouldn't be higher than the scaffolding
- cut all side shoots back to 20 cm long cones
Tayberry in the bucket
A tayberry in a bucket is rather the exception, but it does exist. The previously described cutting rules can be transferred 1:1 for them. If there is not enough space in the pot or on the balcony, you can also grow the berry plant with fewer shoots.
