[mikegm]

I planted a couple of young blackberry plants approx 1yr ago. One of the stems has shot skywards and is now about 3ft high. Should I cut this back? There are no flowers on it.

[arugula]

That sounds like a sucker and will only sap energy from the plants fruit forming activity. I'd cut it off.

[savbo]

NOOO!
reluctant to disagree with the esteemed argyllie but surely that's one of this year's canes that will bear fruit next year. Tie it to a post or something to keep it out of the way. Then at end of season, cut down the old canes and fan or train this cane (and hopefully half a dozen others that will appear soon) into position

sav

[arugula]

NOOO!
reluctant to disagree with the esteemed argyllie
sav

  I don't know everything  That's why its a good idea for more than one person to answer.

[Kleftiwallah]

Will it be a sucker only if the plant has been grafted?    So if mikegm follows the branch down to where it emerges from the plant, this should clarify the situation.

My lad bought me a bramble 'twig' a couple of years ago and all it has done is sulk.

Cheers,     Tony.

[realfood]

Leave it!!!! It may even flower this year as some blackberries flower in the autumn on this year's growth.

[SG6]

Leave it alone  .

That is this years growth, blackberry's flower on second year canes, so if you keep cutting off anything this year there will be nothing that will be a year old next year so no blackberrys.

It may flower a bit this year and give a few, it should flower well next year and give a crop, and you can then either cut it back at ground level or leave it for a third year when again a few flowers and a few berry's. What I find is that after that the canes basically die, so easy to identify and cut back.

[mikegm]

Thanks to all. I think the general census is to leave it, so that is what I will do.