Dr. Bernadine Strik, Oregon State University 11

Canes are slightly topped and then are trained and tied to adjacent plant or tying wire. This is done in late winter to minimize risk of cold injury

Arc Cane system

Primocanes just prior to trainingSummer-bearing red raspberry

Primocanes topped and bundle trained

Bundle (topped) system

Top canes to about 6 ft

Fruiting laterals on floricanes

Floricane developmentnext spring

Typical trellis system has 1 or 2 top wire(s) and 2 lower wires (in some cases moveable) but there are many variations

Trellis – floricane-fruiting raspberry

• Two moveable lower wires

Trellis – floricane-fruiting cultivars

Dr. Bernadine Strik, Oregon State University 12

• Trellis should have a “T” piece of some kind to hold up primocanes and short floricanes if double cropping

Maintain hedgerow to 1 to 1.5 ft wide using tillage or hoeing

Trellis – primocane-fruiting cultivars Primocane-fruiting raspberry

A. Single crop (only produce fruit on primocane)

B. Double crop (early crop on floricane; later crop on primocane)

Primocane-fruiting raspberries

Single cropBefore pruning

Single crop• Prune by cutting

off primocanes in late winter

• Use pruners or weed wacker with blade

After pruning in late winter

Primocane-fruiting raspberry

• Primocanes start to grow repeating production cycle by fruiting in late summer through autumn

Early spring

Single crop

Primocane-fruiting raspberry

Double crop

Late summer

• Primocanes fruit and a portion of this cane is left to produce a floricanecrop

Primocane-fruiting raspberry

Dr. Bernadine Strik, Oregon State University 13

• Tip portion flowers and fruits• Fruiting stops when gets too cold in autumn

First year

Second yearShould have been pruned in late winter

Floricane

Double cropPrimocane-fruiting raspberry

February

Double crop

• In late winter, prune off top portion of the canes that fruited in autumn (these are dead)

Primocane-fruiting raspberry

SpringFloricane crop in early summer

Raspberries in containers• Primocane-fruiting is best• Choose a well-drained potting soil

mix• One plant per 12 to 25 gallon

container (drain holes in bottom)• Plant (2 ft apart) in good soil in

raised bed that is 2 ft deep. Need good drainage (below bed also)

• Double crop• Remove dead floricanes after fruiting• Remove dead primocane tips in winter• Thin primocanes to best 3 in the pot in early summer

Floricane crop, June 27

Primocanes will fruit in late summer - fall

Black Raspberries Jewel(only cultivar recommended for good

production & flavor)

Dr. Bernadine Strik, Oregon State University 14

Purple Raspberries

Brandywine

Royalty

Hybrids of red and black raspberry (grow and prune like black raspberry)

• Plant 3 ft in the row on raised beds or flat ground

• Install trellis in planting year (T post at about 4 ft high)

• Train canes onto wires for harvest the following year

Black raspberryPlanting year (plant in spring)

Black raspberry

Black and purple raspberriesdo not produce suckers

Black raspberry

Primocane tipped (pruned during growing season)

• Primocanes have strong apical dominance

• Tip to about 3 ft tall (removing about 6 inches) during the growing season to get branching

Black raspberry• Primocanes tipped on the left (in summer)• Primocanes branching on the right (in summer)

Black raspberry• In late winter, shorten branches on primocanes to about 1.5 to 2 ft long• Before pruning on left; after on the right

Dr. Bernadine Strik, Oregon State University 15

Black raspberry• After pruning in winter

Black raspberry• In early spring• Floricanes breaking bud

(producing fruiting laterals)• Primocanes emerge only

from the base of the plant (the crown)

Black raspberry• Fruiting on floricane in early summer

Arcing primocane branches (Aug.)Dying floricanes (after fruiting)

Black raspberry• In winter• Floricanes are dead• Remove these by

pruning at the base• Shorten primocane

branches

Pruning and Training Raspberries Module

• 1.25 hours of video in 4 mini lectures • Module includes:

• types of raspberries grown and regional adaptation• the basics of plant growth and understanding the differences between

raspberry types• how to prune and train floricane-fruiting red raspberries• how to prune and train floricane-fruiting black raspberries• how to prune and train primocane-fruiting raspberries.

• https://workspace.oregonstate.edu/course/pruning-raspberries

Dr. Bernadine Strik, Oregon State University 16

• Primocanes die in mid-season• Floricanes collapse• Plant resistant cultivars• Plant on well-drained soil or

raised beds

Common ProblemsPhytophthora root rot

Raspberry Bushy Dwarf Virus (RBDV)

• Pollen borne virus (transferred by bees at bloom)• Cultivars differ in susceptibility• Infected plants produce crumbly fruit; not all produce leaf

symptoms (below)• No control for infected plants• Remove plants once disease runs through plot

Herbicide DamagePhytotoxicity from glyphosate

Leaves are chlorotic and strap-like

Heat/U.V. DamageRed raspberries, in particular, are sensitive to damage

from intense u.v. light

Symptoms are whitedrupelets on the sunside of fruit

• Shading reduces problem• Symptoms do not occur in all years

Spotted Wing Drosophila

Courtesy, WSU

Blackberries

Dr. Bernadine Strik, Oregon State University 17

“Wild” BlackberriesRubus ursinus

The only true PNW native

Rubus laciniatus

‘Evergreen’Introduced in 1800’s

Rubus armeniacus

‘Himalaya’Introduced in 1800’s

Male plant female plant

The receptacle ispart of the “berry” fruit we eat

Sliced blackberry fruit

Aggregate fruit of manydrupelets

drupelet

calyx

Three “types” of blackberriesTrailing (zone 6-9)e.g. ‘Columbia Star’

‘Boysen’‘Halls Beauty’

Erect (zones 6-9)e.g. ‘Navaho’

‘Ouachita’Primocane fruiting:‘PrimeArk Freedom’

Semi-erect (zone 5-9)e.g. ‘Triple Crown’

‘Galaxy’‘Twilight’

Ouachita

Columbia Star

Triple Crown

Modern breeding programs have led to

hybrids that have intermediate growth habits

‘Columbia Star’

• Very good flavor• Consistent large berry size• Small seeds• Great for jam and freezing• Fruiting season: Early

Trailing blackberry cultivar – ThornlessFloricane-fruiting

‘Hall’s Beauty’(USPPAF)

Trailing blackberry – Thornless

• Beautiful ornamental (big double flowers)• Good flavor• Small seeds, great for jam and freezing• Fruiting season: Early

Floricane-fruiting

Trailing blackberry

Dr. Bernadine Strik, Oregon State University 18

During harvest (generally July)Trailing blackberry

• Floricanessenesce (die) after harvest

• Prune out the dead canes

• Cut them to near the crown

• Do not cut or damage the primocanes

Pruning and training

Prune off floricane bundle near crown

Trailing BlackberriesTraining primocanes

Divide primocanes into two bundles

Train half one way on trellis and the other in the opposite direction

Trailing BlackberriesTraining primocanes

Loop bundles around the two upper training wires

Cultivars primocane-fruiting erect:Baby CakesTM PrimeArk®Freedom

Primocane-fruiting blackberry Tip primocanes (at 3 ft)

Dr. Bernadine Strik, Oregon State University 19

Bring plants inside if frost is forecast during bloom or fruiting

Primocane-fruiting blackberry Fruiting on primocane branches Primocane-fruiting blackberry

• Fruiting on floricanes• Tip new primocanes to 3 ft

In winter prune primocanes(remove parts that fruited last fall)

After pruning

Pruning and Training Blackberries Module

• 1.75 hours of video in 6 mini lectures• Module includes:

• types of blackberries grown and regional adaptation• the basics of plant growth and understanding the differences between types• how to prune and train floricane-fruiting trailing blackberries• how to prune & train floricane-fruiting semi-erect and erect blackberries• how to prune & train primocane-fruiting blackberries for single or double crop

• https://workspace.oregonstate.edu/course/pruning-blackberries

Heat/u.v. DamageSunburn to semi-erect blackberry

Heat damage to atrailing type

Cane Diseases • Cane & leaf spot (Septoria)

• Purple blotch

Blueberries Vaccinium corymbosum

Dr. Bernadine Strik, Oregon State University 20

Native Blueberries:(also called “huckleberries”)

Vaccinium membranaceum (big huckleberry)V. scoparium (grouseberry)V. cespitosum (dwarf huckleberry)V. occidentale (western bog blueberry)V. deliciosum (Cascade blueberry)

V. ovalifolium (Oval-leafed blueberry)V. ovatum (evergreen huckleberry)V. parvifolium (red huckleberry)

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/Free Resources

PACE Pruning Module (2.25 hours long with videos)

Specific needs to blueberry

Acid soil (pH 4.5 to 5.5)

Good organic matter in soil

Need very good drainage

Symptoms of soil pH being too high“lime induced iron deficiency”

Before Planting:

• Test soil – 6 months prior to planting (previous fall typically) Test for soil pH and nutrient levels

• In the fall, incorporate elemental S to achieve target pH of about 5.5 prior to planting

• In spring, incorporate Douglas fir bark mulch or sawdust (~ 4 inches deep tilled in). Do NOT use animal-based or plant-based composts which have a very high pH (7 to 8)

• Form or build raised beds, if possible

Growing in containers• Works well• Good option if soil cannot

be made to suit blueberry• Choose a potting mix that is

about 50% fine bark, 40% peat moss, and 10% perlite. Make sure no lime has been added

• One plant per 12 to 25 gallon container (drain holes in bottom)

• Or plant in similar made “potting mix” in raised bed that is 2 ft deep (plant 3 to 4 ft apart). Need good drainage (below bed also)