Brambles have the same general requirements as strawberries--well-drained soil and full sun. If your soil is heavier or not well drained, we recommend planting on raised beds.

Plant Spacing for Brambles For summer and fall-bearing raspberries, we suggest you set plants 28-30 inches apart in the row and allow a minimum of 8-10 feet between rows. Black raspberries can be set at 20-24" apart in the row with 8-10 feet between rows. Set blackberries 3-4 feet apart in the row and allow at least 8-10 feet between rows. Hint: When planting bare root plants, use a hoe to make a trench 2" deep the length of the bed. Spread roots along the bottom of the trench and cover immediately. Larger bare root canes can be pushed down to proper depth trying to keep extra roots at the 2" level. This will promote suckers to develop from the roots.

Set nursery mature and bare root plants 1-2 inches deeper than they were in the nursery. The soil line around the stem will indicate their nursery depth. Care should be taken that the hole is large enough to allow the entire root system to be covered. Spread the roots out in the trench and set at about 2 inches deep. Caution should be taken to prevent the roots from being planted too deep. The fine root system should not be allowed to dry during the planting process. This can happen very quickly on a warm, spring day. We suggest soaking the plants for up to 2 hours prior to planting and keep the plants in a pail of water as you plant. We also suggest the use of a product such as Agri-gel to prevent roots from drying. Special Note: New growth on raspberries may not appear for 4-6 weeks. The cane portion of the plant may never leaf out. Check for root development by gently digging 2-3 inches out from the cane of the plant. During this establishment period maintain good soil moisture until plants are growing well.

Weed Control
During the growing season, cultivate regularly around plants, but not more than 1 inch deep, because the root system of raspberries and blackberries is quite shallow. A tool called a scuffle hoe is helpful for this purpose. It is also helpful to mulch plants during the establishment year. Straw or plastic mulch helps to conserve soil moisture and cuts down on weed competition. Do not mulch after establishment year. Please consult your State Cooperative Extension service for recommendations on chemical control.

Fertilization
For optimum growth and production, thoroughly incorporate light amounts of fertilizer prior to planting. Home gardeners should incorporate 1/2 - 3/4 lb. per 100 square feet of 10-10-10 fertilizer. Commercial growers should use 500 lbs. per acre of 10-10-10 or make applications according to soil and tissue tests. Additional applications may be necessary according to weather and/or leaching conditions.

Trellises
Training and Pruning
We suggest that all brambles be supported by a trellis. We have been successful using a T-bar trellis for raspberries that supports 2 wires 12 inches apart at 3.0 feet above the ground. See the accompanying Diagram 1. Some varieties which are taller such as Canby, Taylor, and Lauren might benefit from a T-trellis with two wires--one at 3 feet and one at 4 feet. Blackberries and black raspberries are best trained to a four-wire trellis (Diagram 2). A trellis keeps canes upright and fruit off the ground, makes picking much easier, and maintains good aeration throughout the planting which helps with disease control. The laterals are wrapped on the wires.

Pruning
Summer Bearing Raspberries
These varieties carry one crop of berries on the overwintering canes during the summer months. For best yields, prune out the canes that carried fruit directly after harvest. Thin remaining new growth to 6-8 strong, healthy canes per running foot of row.

Fall-Bearing
(Primocane-bearing, Everbearing)
These varieties will have two crops. The largest is borne in the fall on the tips of canes which grew throughout the summer. A second crop is then carried lower on those same canes early the next summer. To have two crops, the planting must be pruned as a summer bearer (follow the instructions).

Most everbearers will produce an even better fall crop if not allowed to fruit in early summer. To treat these plants as fallbearers, mow off all the canes after the canes have lost their leaves in very late fall, or wait until early spring in colder areas. Be sure to cut the canes as closely as possible to the soil surface, leaving as little stub as possible above the ground. The new, strong canes which grow again that summer will bear an abundant fall crop.

Black Raspberries and Purple Raspberries
Black raspberries and purple raspberries break buds from their crown region in the hill and send out few, if any, suckers. Prune plants to 4-6 canes per hill. Both of these types of raspberry plants respond well to a process called tipping, whereby the 1-year old canes are pinched back as they reach a height of 5-6 feet. This practice encourages fruiting lateral branches to break from the main cane and keeps plant height in check. Laterals, in turn, can also be headed back in the spring to 10-15 inches. Pinching back laterals prunes away winter damaged buds and can help increase berry size.

Blackberries
(Thornless and Semi-Erect)
Some type of trellis support is recommended (see diagram #2). A 3-4 wire trellis works best for this type of plant. Tip 1st year canes when they reach 5 feet high in midsummer. Canes that fruited can be removed anytime after they have been harvested. Thin the remaining canes to 8 canes per running yard of row. If grown in a hedgerow, thin canes to 6-8 canes per hill. Wrap the laterals around the wires before Mid-September, before canes become woody and brittle.

Sometimes thornless blackberries are managed by tying them to a stake. In the staked-hill system, the canes are wrapped around a stake 2 inches in diameter, tied in 2 to 3 places, and cut off to the height of the stake at 5-6 feet above ground level. The plants are set 5-8 feet apart in every direction and restricted to a clump. This is an easy to maintain system and can be an attractive addition to the home garden landscape. A trellis or staking is highly recommended for the semi-erect, trailing blackberries in order to keep the fruit clean and minimize canes breaking.

Care and Handling of Tissue Culture Bramble Plants
Our tissue culture plug plants will be either green (right from the greenhouse) or dormant (green TC plants that have been put through a chilling period or hardening off period and have since been stored in our cooler at 28 degrees F).

Green TC Plants

Upon receiving your plants:
1) Open the box and open the plastic liner.
2) Check the moisture: cells should be moist before planting.
3) Take care not to overwater, the plastic liner may hold in moisture.

If not planted immediately:
a) Cut the box top off, making a flat out of the container.
b) Check the moisture - maintain good moisture but don't overwater.
c) Hold in a bright, well-lit, cool area.
d) Do not store in refrigeration at 28 degrees as other dormant plants are stored.

IMPORTANT: Plant green tissue culture plants only after danger of frost has passed. Water regularly once planted until a new root system has formed or the plant is well established. A new root system will develop in 4-6 weeks.

Dormant TC Plants
These are not sensitive to frost damage and can be planted at the same time as dormant bare root stock. In addition, they are much less sensitive to water stress. Dormant TC plants can be held at 30-32 degrees F until planted.

Planting All Tissue Culture Plants

1. Plant so that the soil plug is well-covered with soil using the same spacing as used for bare root plants.
2. Use care when applying herbicide on TC plants. We have had good results using 4 lbs. per acre of Devrinol 50W. In our experience, other herbicides will damage these plants.
3. Fertilize TC plants the same as bare rooted plants, using 1/2 to 3/4 lb. 10-10-10 per 100 square feet incorporated prior to planting. Once well established, side dress with 10-10-10 to maintain good vigorous growth.
4. Maintain good moisture levels until the plants are well established or for 4-6 weeks.
5. If you have any questions in regard to handling, planting or caring for TC plants, please contact us.
   

Please Note
Foliar applications of soluble fertilizer have proven successful in establishing green plug plants. Two to three applications every 3-4 days using 5-7 pounds per acre of actual N will provide enough nutrients to establish the plants quickly. You may use any soluble fertilizer (such as Calcium Nitrate or Miracle-Gro™) that you would use on your house plants. Once plants are established, side dress as usual.

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