What Am I Going To Do?

[BilletHead]

Got a problem, well not a bad thing but some unruly blackberry canes. We are limited in space for our blackberries. Have three rows about ten foot long. Planted a year ago this Spring. Have had a super harvest this year but the new vines without fruit that will produce next season have went bonkers. Growing tall with bases and lower stems like saplings. Right now it is like picking in a tunnel. So what do I do with the big stalks? I realize if I get some to turn down into the ground to re root for more plants in the future. They will not bend downward in to much of and angle without breaking. I have turned some kind of and wound them back into the cattle panels.

Here is my idea. I think at the season end when they loose some leaves I will attach posts on each row end up higher from existing metal fence posts. Again I will attach panels, shorter 3 foot tall on top of existing panels. Keep the shoots growing upward and onward. Can you imagine picking blackberries off of a ladder? I can!

Some of the vines are ten foot long,

BilletHead

[Flysmallie]

Just tell me when they are ready to pick.

[fishinwrench]

They aren't looking so good around here.(yet?)

Can't tell if it's early or if conditions just aren't right for a decent wild harvest this year.

[Feathers and Fins]

Marty, use a string and light weight to start bending them downward

[BilletHead]

Good idea Scott. May try it on a few. I let them get out of hand before I knew it. The stems are so large they will not give. I will get a photo of cane diameter,

BilletHead

[DoveTail]

Cattle panels are a great for berries or making tomato rings.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Cattle panels are a great for berries or making tomato rings.

I agree. you can bend them into an arc and then let the canes grow over the top toward each other. You can pick from below.

[BilletHead]

Did as some of you suggested and carefully bent canes back to the rows and tied down. The long ones right into the leaves and soil to re root. Some of the ones that re rooted away from the rows while we were on vacation had to dig up and move. Here is a row completed and one still to do,

Hope I can still find and figure out the ones that produced to be trimmed out in this miss,

BilletHead

[Dutch]

Do you prune your canes or just let them grow?

[BilletHead]

Dutch I know nothing about berry growing except to cut/prune the canes that have produced. Am I supposed to prune new growth? Looking for tips and answers.

BilletHead