Market Farming

["TxBeeFarmer" <TxBeeFarmer AT HotPop.com>]

I understand the tip pruning on prima canes, but still a little fuzzy on the
floricanes during the years when you don't mow them down.  I think what I
hear you saying is, after harvest is over, you cut the whole berry plant,
flori and prima canes together, to around 4 or 5 ft. with a hedge trimmer or
sickle bar.  Is that right?  Then the next year, after harvest, you mow the
whole plant to the ground.  Right?

(West Texas) Mark
----- Original Message -----
From: "Willie McKemie" <mf AT austinfarm.org>

> On Tue, Jan 18, 2005 at 01:35:13AM -0600, TxBeeFarmer wrote:
> > Willie,
> >
> > For those you didn't mow, what did you do?  Did you just cut the whole
thing
> > like a hedge at 3'?
>
> As I mentioned earlier: tip prune weekly.  Every place you pinch out a
> growing tip, you will force several branches.  Those branches will
> intertwine and make the hedge denser and more stable.  That's the GOAL;
> we always fall behind in pruning.  Then, we have to take pruning shears
> to them and cut off longer canes.  4' is more like it.  Maybe 5'.  You
> don't want your pickers bending over all the time.
>
> I have a sickle bar that can be operated vertically, but I have been
> disappointed in the pruning it does.
>
> The mowed berries also need pruning, both in the season of the mowing
> and the next season.  Though, the mowed rows don't need pruning for
> about two months after the mowing.  I don't omit pruning on rows I
> expect to mow.  Only primacanes (not canes that have buds, blooms or
> fruit) should be pruned.
>
> --
> Willie, ONWARD!  Through the fog!
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