Plant growth and development

• Plants deacclimate quickly
• Bud differentiation (additional flowers formed)
• Bud break
• Flowering
• Primocane emergence

Pruning and trellising

• Finish pruning and make sure all canes are tied to the trellis before budbreak.

Weed control

• Weed growth can be very vigorous at the same time the bramble crop peaks, don’t let weeds get out of control.
• Weed control is best done earlier in the season before harvest commences.
• Hand weed perennial weeds in and around plots.

Insect and disease scouting

The period of time in the spring when the plant is flowering is the most important season for monitoring and control of insects and diseases. Know what your pests are and how to control them. Check the Southeast Regional Brambles Integrated Management Guide for recommendations.

Insects

• Spotted wing dropsophila (See Dr. Hannah Burrack’s blog – http://ncsmallfruitsipm.blogspot.com/ – for up-to-date information)
• Brown marmorated stink bug
• Raspberry crown borer
• Rednecked cane borer adults
• Raspberry cane borer adults
• Thrips
• Tarninshed plant bug
• Japanese beetle
• Blackberry psyllid
• Two spotted spider mites
• Aphids
• Whiteflies

Diseases

• Spur blight
• Cane blight
• Septoria leaf spot
• Leaf and cane rust
• Powdery mildew
• Viruses

Water management

• Bramble plants need about 1 to 2 inches of water each week; this amount is especially critical during harvest.
• Consider installing an overhead system for evaporative cooling. Turn on once or twice a day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for short periods of time (approx. 15 minutes) until mid-afternoon.

Nutrient management

• Apply second half of nutrients if doing split application.

Marketing and Miscellaneous

• Service and clean coolers.
• Make sure you have enough containers for fruit next season.
• Prepare advertising and signage for your stand.
• Contact buyers to finalize orders.
• Hire pickers.
• Prepare signage for field orientation; it is easier to tell pickers where to go if rows are numbered.

Plant growth and development

• Plant is “dormant.”
• Some differentiation is occurring in the flower buds.

Pruning and trellising

• Pruning should occur in late winter. However, in some areas winter ice storms can do tremendous damage to plants and trellis systems. If you produce blackberries in one of these areas, pruning can take place early in winter to help avoid severe damage.
• Make trellis repairs after plants have defoliated but before pruning and training.

Erect types

• Prune out the spent floricanes.
• Tie canes to wires in a fan shape.
• Cut lateral branches back to 8 to 12-inches.
• Thin canes to 6 to 8 canes/hill (4 ft. spacing).

Trailing types

• Prune out spent floricanes.
• Tie or weave canes to wire so that they do not overlap.
• Prune side laterals to 12 to 18-inches.
• Thin canes to 6 to 8/hill (6 to 8 ft. spacing)

Primocane fruiting berries

• Prune (mow) to ground level.

Weed control

• Many summer weed problems can be best managed in the fall and winter using preemergent herbicides. Determine what weeds have been or could be a problem in your area. Check the 2011 N.C. Agricultural Chemicals Manual and your local extension center for the best-labeled chemicals to control these weeds.
• Establishing new plants in rows of black plastic or landscape cloth can reduce weed problems significantly.

Insect and disease scouting

• Scout fields for for insect and disease damage and remove those canes.
• Remove wild brambles within 600 ft. of your plantings during the winter.
• Apply liquid lime sulfur or Bordreaux for disease control before new buds are 1/8-inch.
• Check the Southeast Regional Brambles Integrated Management Guide for recommendation as well as www.smallfruits.org.
• Dr. Hannah Burracks Blog includes timely information on insects of interest.

Planting

• Growers in warmer areas (e.g. extreme southeastern North Carolina) can plant in December.
• Take soil tests to determine fertility needs for spring plantings.
• Prepare list of cultivars for next year’s new plantings. Find lists of nurseries in the Nurseries for Brambles section.

Nutrient management

Establishment

• Broadcast any recommended lime, P2O5 and K2O along with 30 lb. nitrogen per acre before plowing. Do not add additional fertilizer when plants are set out. In July, topdress with additional nitrogen at the rate of 30 lb. per acre.

Maintenance

• If you limed and fertilized the crop at setting according to soil test recommendations, follow this fertilization schedule. In March, broadcast 40 lb. N, 40 lb. P2O5 and 80 lb. K2O per acre. In July, topdress with additional N at the rate of 60 to 80 lb. per acre.
• If you did NOT lime and fertilize the crop at setting according to soil test recommendations, follow this fertilization schedule:
  • Have the soil tested.
  • Broadcast any recommended lime as soon as possible.
  • In March, apply the recommended rates of P2O5 and K2O along with 40 lb. N per acre.
  • In July, topdress with N at the rate of 60 to 80 lb. per acre.
  • The following year, use the maintenance schedule outlined above as if you did lime fertilize at setting.
  • Have the soil tested at least once every three years.

Water management

• Make repairs to irrigation system (check pumps, lines, etc.).
• Plants generally do not need supplemental water in winter.

Marketing and Miscellaneous

• Order containers for next season.
• Make contacts for selling fruit next season.

Make plans to attend grower meetings! There is a caneberry session at the 2012 SE Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Savannah, Ga., January 5-8, 2012. The 2012 North American Raspberry and Blackberry Conference will be held January 16-18, 2012 in Sandusky, Ohio, in association with the Ohio Produce Growers and Marketers Association. The North Carolina Commercial Blackberry and Raspberry Growers Association meeting is February 6, 2011, in Shelby, N.C. For more information, contact Daniel Shires, N.C. State University, or Josh Beam, SunnyRidge Farm.

Plant growth and development

• Primocanes continue to grow, but slow down.
• Flower buds start to form.
• Primocane leaves senesce in late fall.

Harvest

• Primocane harvest continues until frost.

Pruning and trellising

• Spent floricanes should be removed ASAP.
• Optimal time to prune is after the coldest part of the season is over. However, pruning can start in late fall if plantings are large (late winter for smaller plantings).
• Start trellis repairs after plants have defoliated.

Weed management

• Many summer weed problems can be best managed in the fall and winter using preemergent herbicides. Determine what weeds have been or could be a problem in your area. Check the 2011 N.C. Agricultural Chemicals Manual and your local extension center for the best-labeled chemicals to control these weeds.

Insect and disease scouting

• Continue scouting for insects and diseases.
• Remove damaged canes as soon as possible to lessen the impact of the pest.
• Check the Southeast Regional Brambles Integrated Management Guide for recommendation as well as www.smallfruits.org.
• Dr. Hannah Burracks Blog includes timely information on insects of interest.

Planting

• Growers in warmer areas (e.g. extreme southeastern North Carolina) can plant in December.
• Preparations for winter planting should have already been made. If you have questions about winter planting, please contact me at the above email address.
• Prepare list of cultivars for next year’s new plantings.
• Find lists of nurseries in the Nurseries for Brambles section.

Fertilizer

• Take soil tests to determine fertility needs for spring plantings.
• Non-nitrogenous fertilizers are best applied in the fall to established plantings.
• If soil is bare, plant an overwintering cover crop (rye, for example) to build organic matter and slow soil erosion.

Marketing and Miscellaneous

• Order containers for next season.
• Make contacts for selling fruit next season.

Make plans to attend grower meetings! The 2012 North American Raspberry and Blackberry Conference will be held January 16-18, 2012 in Sandusky, Ohio, in association with the Ohio Produce Growers and Marketers Association. There is a caneberry session at the 2012 SE Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Savannah, Ga.,  January 5-8, 2012.

Plant growth and development

• Fruit development
• Rapid primocane growth
• Floricanes senesce after harvest
  
• Primocane fruiting types produce fruit
  

Pruning and trellising

Erect types:

• Hedge (tip) the new primocanes when they are about 6 to 12 inches below the top wire of the trellis to encourage lateral branching.
• Continue hedging at monthly intervals to maintain desired branching and height of canopy (laterals should reach top wire).
• Prune out spent floricanes after they have produced fruit; do not thin out primocanes until mid to late winter.
  
• Train primocanes to trellis to minimize interference with harvest. Shift trellises or V trellises make this relatively easy.
  

Trailing types:

• Train new primocanes to middle of trellis, on ground in a weed free area or temporarily to trellis outside of fruiting area (depends on trellis type).
• Cut back side shoots to 18 inches.
• Remove spent floricanes after harvest.

Weed management

• Mow along side of row to maintain the width of the bed at 3 to 4 feet.
• Mow middles regularly to allow pickers to easily move through rows.
• Weed growth can be vigorous at the same time the bramble crop peaks.
• Weed control is best done earlier in the season before harvest commences.

Insect and disease scouting

Listed are some of the insects and diseases that you may find this summer in your plants. Check the Southeast Regional Brambles Integrated Management Guide for recommendations, as well as www.smallfruits.org and Dr. Hannah Burracks Blog. She is working with Extension agents and growers to monitor the Spotted Wing Drosophila incidence in 2011.

Insects to look for this summer:

• Spotted wing dropsophila
• Raspberry crown borer
• Psyllid
• June beetle
• Two spotted spider mite

Diseases:

• Botrytis (gray mold)
• Cane blight
• Late rust
• Sooty blotch
• Orange rust
• Powdery mildew

Water management

• Bramble plants need about one to two inches of water each week. Ample watering is especially critical during harvest.
• Consider installing an overhead system for evaporative cooling. Turn on once or twice each day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for short periods (about 15 minutes).
• Give plants a deep irrigation after harvest.

Nutrient Management

• Take leaf samples after harvest and send to a clinic for nutrient analysis and recommendations for next season. For information on how to sample and where to send samples visit the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services’ Agronomic Division website.

Harvest and Marketing

• Blackberries are fully ripe when they are dull black (PYO only).
• Pick shiny black fruit for shipping.
• Pick directly into clamshells with absorbent pads or use soft drink flats for PYO.
  
• Keep harvested fruit in the shade and move into coolers as soon as possible to lengthen the shelf life of the fruit.
• Forced air precoolers are best for removal of field heat.
• Store at 32 to 34 degrees F and 95 percent RH.
• Freeze excess fruit for jam, juice or wine.

Plant growth and development

• Plants quickly deacclimate.
  
• Bud differentiation (additional flowers formed).
• Bud break.
• Flowering.
• Primocane emergence.
  

Pruning and trellising

• Finish pruning and make sure all canes are tied to the trellis before bud break.
• Rotate shift trellises to horizontal position before bud break; rotate to upright position immediately after flowering.
  

Weed management

• Weed growth can be very vigorous at the same time the bramble crop is peaking; don’t let weeds get out of control.
• Weed control is best done earlier in the season before harvest commences.
• Hand-weed perennial weeds in and around plants.
• Check the N.C. Agricultural Chemicals Manual and contact your local Extension agent for the best labeled chemicals to control certain weeds.

Insect and disease scouting

The period of time in the spring when the plant is flowering is the most important season for monitoring and controlling insects and diseases. Know what your pests are and how to control them. Check the Southeast Regional Brambles Integrated Management Guide for recommendations.

Insects to look for this spring and summer:

• Spotted wing dropsophila
• Brown marmorated stink bug
• Raspberry crown borer
• Rednecked cane borer adults
• Raspberry cane borer adults
• Thrips
• Tarnished plant bug
• Japanese beetle
• Raspberry fruit worm
• Midge
• Raspberry sawfly
• Blackberry psyllid
• Two spotted spider mites
• Aphids
• Whiteflies

Diseases:

• Anthracnose
• Botrytis (gray mold)
• Spur blight
• Cane blight
• Septoria leaf spot
• Leaf and cane rust
• Powdery mildew
• Viruses
  

Water management

• Bramble plants need about one to two inches of water each week. Ample watering is especially critical during harvest.
• Consider installing an overhead system for evaporative cooling. Turn on once or twice each day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for short periods (about 15 minutes).

Nutrient Management

• Apply second half of nutrients if doing split applications.
• Take leaf samples after harvest and send to a clinic for nutrient analysis and recommendations for next season.

Marketing and miscellaneous

• Service and clean coolers.
• Make sure you have enough fruit containers for next season.
• Prepare advertising and signage for your stand(s).
• Contact buyers to finalize orders.
• Hire pickers.
• Prepare signage for field orientation; it’s easier to tell pickers where to go if rows are numbered.
  

Plant growth and development

• Plant is “dormant.”
• Some differentiation is occurring in the flower buds.
  

Pruning and trellising

• Pruning should occur in late winter. In some areas winter storms can do tremendous damage to plants and trellis systems. If you produce blackberries in one of these areas, pruning can take place in early winter to help avoid damage.
  
• Make trellis repairs after plants have defoliated but before pruning and training.
  

Erect Types

• Prune out the spent floricanes.
• Tie canes to wires in a fan shape.
• Cut back lateral branches to 8 to 12 inches.
• Thin canes to 6 to 8 canes/hill (4 ft. spacing)

Trailing types

• Prune out spent floricanes.
• Tie or weave canes to wire so they don’t overlap.
• Prune side laterals to 12 to 18 inches.
• Thin canes to 6 to 8 canes/hill (6 to 8 ft. spacing)

Primocane fruiting raspberries and blackberries

• Prune (mow) to ground level.

Weed management

• Many summer weed problems can be best managed in the fall and winter using preemergent herbicides. Determine what weeds have been or could be a problem in your area. Check the N.C. Agricultural Chemicals Manual and contact your local Extension agent for the best labeled chemicals to control these weeds.

Insect and disease scouting

• Check the Southeast Regional Brambles Integrated Management Guide for recommendations.
• Learn more about the Spotted Wind Drosophila (SWD) at Dr. Hannah Burrack’s N.C. Small Fruit & Specialty Crop IPM blog.
• Scout fields for insect and disease damage and remove those canes.
• Remove wild brambles within 6oo ft. of your planting.
• Apply liquid lime sulfur or Bordeaux for disease control before new buds are 1/8 in.
  

Planting

• Growers in warmer areas (e.g. extreme southeastern N.C.) can plant in December.
  
• Take soil tests to determine fertility needs for spring plantings.
• Prepare a list of cultivars for next years new plantings. Find a list of nurseries here.
  

Nutrient management

Place nitrogenous fertilizers in rows before new canes emerge in spring.

• Raspberries: Apply 500 to 800 lbs. of 10-10-10 per acre in split applications. Apply row or side dress with half on each side of row in a 3 ft. wide band.
• Blackberries: In established plantings, apply 60 to 80 lbs. of Nitrogen per acre. Nitrogen can be applied in split or single applications. If using a split application, apply the first portion at bud break and the remainder just after harvest. Ammonium nitrate is the most common form of Nitrogen used on blackberries.

Water management

• Make repairs to irrigation system (check pumps, lines, etc.).
• Plants generally do not seed supplemental water in winter.

Marketing and miscellaneous

• Order containers for next season.
  
• Make contacts for selling fruit next season.
• Attend grower meetings, like the 2011 North American Raspberry & Blackberry Conference and the N.C. Commercial Blackberry & Raspberry Growers Association Meeting!
• Upcoming Blackberry & Raspberry Events

Plant growth and development

• Primocanes continue to grow, but slow down.
• Flower buds start to form.
• Primocane leaves senesce in late-fall.

Pruning and trellising

• Spent floricanes should be removed ASAP.
• Optimal time to prune is after the coldest part of the season is over. However, pruning can start in late-fall if plantings are large (late-winter for smaller plantings).
• Start trellis repairs after plants have defoliated.

Weed Management

Many summer weed problems can be best managed in the fall and winter using preemergent herbicides. Determine what weeds have been or could be a problem in your area. Check with your states agricultural chemical manual and local Extension agent for the best labeled chemicals to control these weeds.

Insect and disease scouting

• Continue scouting for insects and diseases. Remove damaged canes as soon as possible.
  
• Check the Southeast Regional Brambles Integrated Management Guide for recommendations.

Planting

• Growers in warmer areas (e.g. extreme southeastern N.C.) can plant in December.
  
• Preparations for winter planting should have already been made.
• Prepare list of cultivars for next years new plantings.
• If you have questions about winter planting, please contact Dr. Gina Fernandez, N.C. State raspberry and blackberry breeder.

Fertilizer

Take soil tests to determine fertility needs for spring plantings.

Marketing and miscellaneous

• Order containers for next season.
  
• Make contacts for selling fruit next season.

Make plans to attend upcoming grower meetings, like the 2011 North American Blackberry Conference and the Southeast Vegetable & Fruit Expo!

Upcoming Events

Plant growth and development

• Fruit development
• Rapid primocane growth
• Floricanes senesce
• Primocane fruiting types produce fruit

Pruning and trellising

Erect types:

• Hedge (tip) the new primocanes when they are about 6″ to 12″ below the top wire of the trellis to encourage lateral branching.
• Continue hedging at monthly intervals to maintain desired branching and height of canopy (laterals should reach top wire).
• Prune out the spent floricanes after they have produced fruit – do not thin out primocanes until mid- to late-winter.
• Train primocanes to trellis to minimize interference with harvest. Shift trellises or V trellises make this relatively easy.

Trailing types:

• Train new primocanes to middle of trellis on the ground in a weed-free area or temporarily to trellis outside of fruiting area (depends on trellis type).
• Cut back side shoots to 18 inches.
• Remove spent floricanes after harvest.

Weeds

• Mow along side of row to maintain the width of the bed around  3 to 4 feet.
• Weed growth can be very vigorous at the same time as the bramble crop peaks.
• Weed control is best done earlier in the season before harvest commences.
• Mow middles regularly to allow pickers to move thorugh rows easily.

Insect and disease scouting
Know what your pests are and how to control them. Check the Southeast Regional Brambles Integrated Management Guide for recommendations.

Insects

• June beetle
• Psyllid
• Raspberry crown borer (canes girdled and wilt)
• Two spotted spider mite

Diseases

• Botrytis (gray mold)
• Late rust
• Orange rust
• Powdery mildew
• Sooty blotch

Water management

• Bramble plants need about 1 to 2 inches of water each week – this amount is especially critical during harvest.
• Consider installing an overhead system for evaporative cooling to reduce sunscald. Turn on once or twice a day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for short periods of time (approx. 15 minutes).
• Give plants a deep irrigation after harvest.

Nutrient management

Take leaf samples after harvest and send to a clinic for nutrient analysis. For information on how to sample and where to send samples in N.C. go to: http://www.ncagr.com/agronomi/pwshome.htm.

Harvest and Marketing

• Blackberries are fully ripe when they are dull black – Pick-Your-Own (PYO) only.
• Pick shiny black fruit for shipping.
• Pick directly into clamshells with absorbent pads OR for PYO use soft drink flats.
• Keep harvested fruit in shade and move into coolers as soon as possible to lengthen the shelf life of the fruit.
• Forced-air precooling is best for removal of field heat.
• Store at 32 to 34° F and 95% RH.
• Freeze excess fruit for jam, juice or wine.

Plant growth and development

• Plants deacclimate quickly.
• Bud differentiation (additional flowers formed)
• Budbreak
• Flowering
• Primocane emergence

Pruning and trellising

• Finish pruning and make sure all canes are tied to the trellis before budbreak.
• Rotate shift trellises to horizontal position before budbreak, rotate to upright position immediately after flowering.

Weeds

• Weed growth can be very vigorous at the same time as the bramble crop peaks; don’t let weeds get out of control.
• Weed control is best done earlier in the season before harvest commences.
• Handweed perennial weeds in and around plots.

Insect and disease scouting
The period of time in the spring when the plant is flowering is the most important season for chemical control of insects and diseases. Know what your pests are and how to control them. Check the Southeast Regional Brambles Integrated Management Guide for recommendations.

Insects

• Raspberry crown borer burrows into cambium
• Stink bugs (white drupelets in summer)
• Rednecked cane borer adults (starting at bloom)
• Raspberry cane borer adults
• Thrips
• Tarnished plant bug
• Japanese beetle
• Raspberry fruit worm
• Midge
• Raspberry sawfly
• Blackberry psyllid
• Two spotted spider mites
• Aphids
• Whiteflies

Diseases

• Anthracnose
• Botrytis (gray mold)
• Spur blight
• Cane blight
• Septoria leaf spot
• Leaf and cane rust
• Powdery mildew
• Viruses

Water management

• Bramble plants need about 1 to 2 inches of water/week, and this is amount is especially critical during harvest.
• Consider installing an overhead system for evaporative cooling. Turn on once or twice a day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for short periods of time (approx. 15 minutes) until mid-afternoon.

Nutrient management

• Apply second half of nutrients if doing split application.
• Take leaf samples after harvest and send to a clinic for nutrient analysis for recommendations for next year.

Marketing and miscellaneous

• Service and clean coolers.
• Make sure you have enough containers for fruit next season.
• Prepare advertising and signage for your stand.
• Contact buyers to finalize orders.
• Hire pickers.
• Prepare signage for field orientation; it is easier to tell pickers where to go if rows are numbered.

North Carolina State University

Plant growth and development

√ Plant is “dormant.”

√ Some differentiation is occurring in the flower buds.

Pruning and trellising

√ Pruning should occur in late winter. However, in some areas winter ice storms can do tremendous damage to plants and trellis systems. If you produce blackberries in one of these areas, pruning can take place in early winter to help avoid severe damage.

√ Make trellis repairs after plants have defoliated but before pruning and training.

Erect types

√ Prune out the spent floricanes.

√ Tie canes to wires in a fan shape.

√ Cut lateral branches back to 8″-12″.

√ Thin canes to 6-8 canes/ hill (4 feet of spacing).

Trailing types

√ Prune out spent floricanes.

√ Tie or weave canes to wire so that they do not overlap.

√ Prune side laterals to 12″-18″.

√ Thin canes to 6-8 / hill (6-8 feet of spacing).

Primocane fruiting raspberries

√ Prune (mow) primocane fruiting types to ground level.

Weed control

√ Many summer weed problems can be best managed in the fall and winter using preemergent herbicides. Determine what weeds have been or could be a problem in your area. Check with local Extension agents for cultural or chemical means to control these weeds.

√ Establishing new plants into rows of black plastic or landscape cloth can reduce weed problems significantly.

Insect and disease scouting

Listed are insects and diseases that are present during this season. Control of these pests may occur at this time or in another season. Check the Southeast Regional Brambles Integrated Management Guide for recommendations.

√ Scout fields for insect and disease damage and remove those canes.

√ Remove wild brambles within 600 feet of your planting during the winter.

√ Apply liquid lime sulphur or Bordeaux for disease control.

Planting

√ Growers in warmer regions can plant in December.

√ Take soil tests to determine fertility needs for spring plantings.

√ Prepare a list of cultivars for next year’s new plantings. Click here for the 2009 Nursery Guide for Berry & Small Crops.

Nutrient management

√ Place nitrogenous fertilizers in row before new canes emerge in spring.

√ Raspberries: Apply 500-800 pounds of 10-10-10 per acre in split applications. Apply half in February/March and the remainder in April/May. Spread uniformly across the row or side dress with half on each side of row in a 3 feet wide band.

√ Blackberries: In established plantings apply 60 to 80 pounds of nitrogen per acre. Nitrogen can be applied in split or single applications. If using a split application, apply the first portion at bud break and the remainder just after harvest. Ammonium nitrate is the most common form of nitrogen used on blackberries.

Water management

√ Make repairs to irrigation system (check pumps, lines, etc.).

√ Plants generally do not need supplemental water in winter.

Marketing and miscellaneous

√ Order containers for next season.

√ Make contacts for selling fruit next season.

√ Attend grower meetings!