pruning blackberries

Is this the time to prune blackberries once I've taken the fruit off? Our blackberry plant has been allowed to take over and I thought that if I cut it back it might do better next year. How far can I prune it back and if I do it this month will I loose all the fruit next year?

 

I have just cut back all my blackberry bushes. I have been told that if done now, there is a good chance it will still fruit next year.

Even if it doesn't fruit next year, it still needed pruning!

Maybe some other members have more experience than me on this subject!!

 

If it's a new or fairly small plant then that's a good idea, the old shoots may well branch. Just make sure there's room for the new growth.
With an established bush the problem is usually keeping it within bounds!

 

On our large plants we remove all the fruited canes back to ground level and tie in the new ones. They do fruit better on new growth than old.

 

Right I shall go out this afternoon with thick gloves and pruning shears. Look out blackberry here I come!

 

I have moved mine out of the allotment and made room for other fruits, now I get my berries from plants growing wild alongside the allotments.

In this way I get the best of both worlds.

This is the way I treated mine when I did grow them;

http://tinyurl.com/y5easm

 

I prune mine to 6 inches below ground level, they s till come up each year!