[cissie]

Hi,i have some 2yr old Ruben blackberry on my allotment, i want to do a frame for them. I have some steel spring loaded tent poles would these do with plastic line worked between them. How tall would the frame have to be? some of the stems are quite long and look new am i right in thinking these should be cut out next year? Thanks in advance Cissie 

[boldondig]

Cissie

I inherited some Blackberry bushes on my Allotment which form one of the fence lines . They are big and vicious... To support them I used some old  7ft lengths of steel 2" by 2 " angle hammered into the ground about 2 foot deep with a sledge hammer - then tensioned heavy duty galvanised wire - thick fencing stuff - in two rows between them - I tie off the stems each year as they grow. Every winter I cut them back to a manageable size so I can walk past them - but they always come back - - get loads of fruit off of them. The lesson learned for me - use STRONG supports - prune back branches / ground growth  hard that are in the way or in the wrong place - they always come back.

[mumofstig]

canes that have fruited are cut out immediately after fruiting - the same as for Autumn raspberries.
So the frame needn't be too big.

http://www.blackmoor.co.uk/products/1001519

[cissie]

Thank's peeps i didn't prune after last yrs fruit won't make that mistake again, thank's for help Cissie

[sunshineband]

Some blackberries grow very long canes.

One of mine throws out ones about 2.5 - 3m long, while another stops at 1.5-2m

[mumofstig]

The OP says Reuben variety, which is primocane, so shouldn't grow huge.

[sunshineband]

The OP says Reuben variety, which is primocane, so shouldn't grow huge.

Oh

I didn't know these were smaller. I have looked it up now and apparently they can be planted as close as 0.5m apart, or grown in large pots
 

[cissie]

Thinking about it i'm sure i have two varieties because some of my stems are a good 6ft long (sorry still use old money) but i will be sure to prune this year.