DON'T NEGLECT THIS! ~ BLACKBERRY SUMMER MAINTENANCE

[@monkeymommy778]

Thanks for the tip on that tying tool!

[@BIGALTX]

You bet!

[@thelmaavila3685]

I just got educated on blackberries. Thank you! I'm enjoying your videos. I'm way South in the Texas Valley.

[@BIGALTX]

Welcome... glad to have you!

[@saltyacresnc]

Would love to sponsor a video for people to have a place to buy Prime Ark Freedoms! We supply them and ship them!

[@BIGALTX]

Lots of folks are looking for the PAF's. Let's talk. [e-mail]

[@ShortbusMooner]

I'll have to come back to this vid- this is my first year & I'm still praying over them! LOL! Thanks for the tips! 👍

[@BIGALTX]

Hahaha... I know the feeling!

[@mastersparkeeone]

Thanks for posting. I planted mine last year and this year the vines exploded! I didn't know if I should prune them yet or not.

[@BIGALTX]

Glad to help!

[@AmzBackyardOrchardandVineyard]

Hi from Arizona Zone 9b. We are going to be planting several different varieties of blackberries and raspberries including Primark freedom and Primark traveler this fall! Thanks for all of your tips and tricks.

[@BIGALTX]

Glad to help, Thanks for watching!

[@TheCajunHomestead]

Great video and info. It’s hot but my sweet potatoes are loving it.

[@BIGALTX]

Good to hear!

[@jeffkimble8857]

I’ve got one of those tapeners but I quit using it. It never would hold the heavy canes, the wind wreaks havoc with them and I got tired of picking up tiny pieces of plastic. I went with a true trellis clip. And I thought you didn’t know what what drupe was and there you are taking about around 10:00😃. I’m seriously thinking about trying the rotating cross arm trellis. It should be a real help in hot places like here in CLT or there in Tx. Good video!

[@BIGALTX]

My tape holds really well. I had to cut them off this year when I pruned out the old canes

[@texasbob5836]

Birds have been feasting on my Prime Arks this year, finally had to cover them with netting. Getting good berries now!

[@BIGALTX]

Great. They get some of mine too, but not too many

[@hardstylzz5024]

Thats a time saving tool, might need to get one. Thanks for the tips.

[@BIGALTX]

No problem 👍 Link is below the video

[@AmzBackyardOrchardandVineyard]

When you start lateral pruning your blackberries, what do you look for? How many leaves or inches do you start pruning for lateral growth?

[@BIGALTX]

Usually 16" or so, but on the Primocane varieties, they will produce summer berries on the laterals. So I let them grow longer

[@rogerscheuermann4409]

Perfect video, perfect timing. I was going to ask when to cut the canes and laterals. Mine are going crazy and all over the place. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience. God Bless You!! Hoping to have a better crop of berries on year 2. I have no blooms at this time and no berries. I am jealous!!

[@BIGALTX]

Glad I could help!

[@davidward1259]

Alan, I bought a tape tool after seeing yours this summer. Love it! I've started taking 4' bamboo stakes and cutting them in half and using them with the tape tool to keep young plants erect until they get larger. I find the 2' staking is usually enough for most plants like peppers, broccoli, etc... One tip to some one who buys a tape tool I would give is mine had thick oil on the tape pickup arm. It was sluggish and would sometimes miss the tape pickup. I cleaned the thick oil off and re-oiled with a thinner oil and it's worked fine ever since. I guess the original was more for protection in packing and storage prior to sale to the end user. I need to get me some Freedom blackberries started in my extra wicking-tubs. Thanks for your videos!

[@BIGALTX]

That tool is the bomb!

[@cynthiafisher9907]

Good tutorial! I need to get out and get mine in shape. I don’t have primocane varieties, though. I sure wish I could find some of those mineral buckets. I’ve asked around and everyone seems to want to keep theirs.

[@BIGALTX]

Good luck!

[@happytomeetyou.3027]

Love the video., thanks. What is your favorite tasting variety?

[@BIGALTX]

Ponca probably tastes the best, but Prime Ark Freedom is hard to beat too

[@sn232]

What is a lateral? How do you know which is a lateral vs the cane? I have blackberry plants but have no idea what type other than thornless.

[@cynthiafisher9907]

A cane grows up from the ground. A lateral grows sideways off of a cane.

[@BIGALTX]

Well said... I was just about to write the same thing :)

[@bettycrunk206]

Watching you with a tool to tie laterals,a no d canes up, what is it called ,where can we get one?

[@BIGALTX]

Thanks for reminding me... I forgot to link to it. Here is is: amzn.to/3p5gGbl

[@clarkwheeler8764]

How are those Ponca blackberries doing after you pruned them? Lots of new canes come up yet?

[@BIGALTX]

Not very many... I'm still a little concerned. Some tubs have NONE.. others are beginning to grow.

[@brandonwhite5955]

In the video, It looks like your first tip of the primocanes are higher around the top of trellis. Is your first primocane tip normally at 12” or higher near top of trellis?

[@BIGALTX]

I tip just above the top wire of the trellis... about 3 or 4' tall

[@brandonwhite5955]

@@BIGALTX in the past video of you teaching a class, I thought you recommended tip at 12” and then 30” then at top of trellis. Does it seem to work better to only top at 3 or 4 feet rather than 12 and 30?

[@BIGALTX]

I want the canes to get to the top of the trellis before I nip them off. Otherwise, if they are tipped at only 12"... there's no reason to have a trellis.

[@shaneott7660]

Do you also grow yours in ground?

[@BIGALTX]

No... I did for several years, but I'm 100% containers now

[@bettycrunk206]

Hello, I'm in E. Tex. Trying to grow black berries not having much luck . What do you feed them ? I've been using rabbit and chicken but they are not growing.

[@BIGALTX]

I do this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6i9lGZ4e9-EoaM And this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3ivqYt4jLqKr5o Where in ETX are you?

[@bettycrunk206]

@@BIGALTX I'm in Woodville Tx 50 miles N. Of. Beaumont.

[@gregrobertson9957]

Is it the same with raspberries?

[@DoubleTap40]

My question also.

[@BIGALTX]

I think so. I've never grown rasps, but I think the growth pattern is the same EXCEPT... these are Primocane berries. Not sure if there are any Primocane raspberries

[@BIGALTX]

I think so. I've never grown rasps, but I think the growth pattern is the same EXCEPT... these are Primocane berries. Not sure if there are any Primocane raspberries

[@TorahFirma]

So question- since this was my first year for starting my Prime-Ark vines in containers and they were fairly small to begin with, could they still produce on the laterals later this summer? I did prune them a couple months ago like you recommended, and they are growing like crazy. I have some pretty long laterals but I'm afraid to prune them back in case they are going to bloom. I haven't noticed any bloom buds starting yet, but I'm sure there's still time, even in Ohio. Also, one of my canes- just ONE on one of my plants, the leaves are yellowing- definitely not as green as the rest of it. Any idea what could cause that? Maybe that container didn't get fertilized as well? I'm bout to go check my drip irrigation, but we've had rain lately, so I wouldn't think it would be a watering issue, and I use a fertilizer injector and try to fertilize about once a month or so. Thanks!

[@BIGALTX]

I water every DAY. BUT... this is TX and not Ohio. Could be a water issue

[@TorahFirma]

@@BIGALTX hmm, yeah, only thing I can figure too. Thanks!

[@tambrasmith9707]

Better than 106 and we got a little shower

[@BIGALTX]

Nice!