What are some ways to keep blackberries and raspberries at bay?

[AZ Athena]

I lined my back wall with blackberry and raspberry plants. They were itty bitty babies when I did that, so I was able to use a stake/ rope method to keep them in line. Now they're doing pretty well and have gone a bit crazy in some areas. What are the best methods for keeping them in line?

 

[Chuck]

I lined my back wall with blackberry and raspberry plants. They were itty bitty babies when I did that, so I was able to use a stake/ rope method to keep them in line. Now they're doing pretty well and have gone a bit crazy in some areas. What are the best methods for keeping them in line?

Cut the old canes and trim. Berries produce on new wood

 

[Gardener]

I would just recommend a lot of rope. I wouldn't recommend using sticks of any sort, because they are usually too big and don't give the berries enough room to latch on to. Just get 100 feet of rope and keep going back and forth between two rods around the area that has your berries. The same thing happened to me, and it was neat and organized in no time. However, if you need to walk around in that area, don't expect to be doing any of that any time soon. Good luck

 

[Shellyann36]

It is best to trim the canes in order for them to produce more. At the farm where I pick black/blue/raspberries they have the raspberry and blackberries staked out. They put large 5 or 6 foot stakes in the ground and run coated wires at three heights. Bottom, middle and top are covered and these wires help stabilize each cane. They have rows and rows of both raspberries and blackberries and these stakes are placed in the ground every 3 or 4 canes depending upon how large the canes are.

 

[AZ Athena]

Cut the old canes and trim. Berries produce on new wood

Haha. My 16 year old mowed them down last fall to nothing and they're crazy again already, but I'll keep trimming. Thanks.

 

[AZ Athena]

I would just recommend a lot of rope. I wouldn't recommend using sticks of any sort, because they are usually too big and don't give the berries enough room to latch on to. Just get 100 feet of rope and keep going back and forth between two rods around the area that has your berries. The same thing happened to me, and it was neat and organized in no time. However, if you need to walk around in that area, don't expect to be doing any of that any time soon. Good luck

I will try that. Thank you. Did you use any special kind of rope? With our dry heat in AZ, I think I'll be replacing mine yearly and that would be exhausting. Is that normal?

 

[AZ Athena]

It is best to trim the canes in order for them to produce more. At the farm where I pick black/blue/raspberries they have the raspberry and blackberries staked out. They put large 5 or 6 foot stakes in the ground and run coated wires at three heights. Bottom, middle and top are covered and these wires help stabilize each cane. They have rows and rows of both raspberries and blackberries and these stakes are placed in the ground every 3 or 4 canes depending upon how large the canes are.

Ooh. Now that, I can do. It's kind of what I have going on already, but I had them tethered to individual stakes as they grew. Thanks!

 

[Shellyann36]

Ooh. Now that, I can do. It's kind of what I have going on already, but I had them tethered to individual stakes as they grew. Thanks!

You are very welcome. This is by far the best system I have seen for holding up the canes.

I am so excited because I plan to go blackberry and blueberry picking on Saturday. I wish I could afford to get all that I want! I am still super excited even if I can't bring home an entire truck load!

 

[Rosyrain]

Oh wow, where I live people don't try to buy blackberry bushes, they try to get rid of them. Up in WA they grow like crazy everywhere! I agree with the others, just trim them back. The berries only grow on the outermost layers anyway. Watch out for spiders and bees too as they love these bushes. During late August I go to my mother in laws and pick off of her bushes. A couple hours work and I have enough for 5 pies for free. The funny part is that they sell for like $4 a pound at the store! Nobody needs to actually buy them here!

 

[Serendipity]

A good idea is for you to trim the leaves and line them up in a bigger facility. Black berries can grow crazy if you don't trim them often. Have fun gardening!

 

[MindyT]

My blackberries are all done for this year! Boo! They were really good and juicy this year too.