Pruning Soft Fruit

With thanks to Kurt Berger

Back to Grow, Eat, Enjoy

Raspberries

They fruit on last year’s wood. After fruiting all canes are cut out at ground level, and the new growth tied in. However any weak new growth should be removed. In the winter the top few inches should be cut off.

Autumn fruiting varieties are treated differently: fruit is produced an the current year’s growth in October; the canes are cut out in February.

 Blackberries and Hybrids, Loganberries

All fruit is on last year’s wood. As the season progresses, vigorous new shoots develop from the base (they will fruit next year) and must be tied to the wires separately from the fruiting canes. One method is to have three horizontal wires at say 2.5, 4, and 5.5 feet up. The fruiting canes are tied to the lower two wires; the new canes are taken straight up to the top wire, and are lowered in place after the old fruited wood has been removed in the late autumn. Any weak growth is removed at ground level.

Blackberries are the easiest soft fruit and very productive, but they must be kept under control, else they take over the plot. Being a native they are very vigorous. When removing long growth it is best to cut it out in 2 - 3 ft lengths which can be removed without injury!

Gooseberries

The best fruit is on last year’s new growth. Bushes should be growing on a single stem with six to eight strong main shoots. All suckers should be removed. All side shoots should be cut back to 1 - 2 inches. Weak side shoots should be removed. Some main shoots should be cut back by half each year. Weak shoots should be removed and the centre of the bush should be kept open; branches should not cross over each other.

 One book suggests training gooseberries as an espalier, to make the fruit easier to pick. This is true, and the birds soon find out! I have to net my espalier if 1 want any fruit, while my bush protects itself.

 Red and White Currants

They fruit on old wood, generally at the base of side shoots. Ideally the bush should grow an a single stem with eight or so main branches. The side shoots are pruned back to a bud 1 or 2 inches from the main branch. Main branches are shortened about a quarter; a tired-looking main branch may be replaced by a strong young growth from low down. All suckers from the base should be removed.

Blackcurrants

Most of the fruit is produced on one year old wood. Pruning can start as soon as the fruit is picked, but is easier after the leaves have fallen. It involves removing some of the oldest wood from low down, just above a  strong side shoot, even though this means losing some of the new shoots higher up. As much as possible of the new wood should come from low down, and suckers should be encouraged.

 

 

Whole books have been written an this subject. This short note will deal only with the treatment of established plants. The purpose of pruning is to maintain healthy productive plants. What you do depends on how the fruit is produced, which varies with different types. It is best to start with the simplest.