Market Farming

[Willie McKemie <mf AT austinfarm.org>]

On Mon, Jan 17, 2005 at 05:06:14PM -0600, TxBeeFarmer wrote:
> I've heard that commercial growers of blackberries, mow their plants after
> harvest.  Anyone here have experience with this?
> 
Well, hello again.

Yes.  I try to mow half my berries every year, so that any one row gets 
mowed once every two years.  Alternately, you can try to prune out dead 
canes after harvest.  Un-mowed and un-pruned berries make for a disease 
prone mess.  It is advisable to disk in or remove the prunings.  Mow 
immediately after harvest so that next year's harvest is minimally 
affected.  The year after mowing, the hedge will be about 1/2 the size 
of un-mowed hedges.  So, the mowing does reduce the harvest.  I use 
both a bush-hog type shredder and a sickle bar, depending on what is 
working or hooked up at the time.

You should tip-prune/pinch back prima canes every week or so while they 
are growing.  To make as dense a hedge as possible.  This increases the 
size of the crop, makes the hedge more stable, and encourages 
easier-to-pick berries on the surface of the hedge.

I'm talking about "erect", un-trellised berries.

-- 
Willie, ONWARD!  Through the fog!
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