How do I tell which canes to prune, and when is the best time to prune blackberries?

I just started growing them last year, never grew them before. I now know that they're biennial so I know that I need to prune them for optimal fruit production. Any obvious/easy hints on which ones to prune off and when?





And to those that answered my previous question re:flowers on the berries, thank you very much. The funniest part is that they started flowering a couple days after I posted the question.

How do I tell which canes to prune, and when is the best time to prune blackberries?
Blackberries will grow next year on this year`s canes, the new ones that aren`t bearing fruit. The canes that bear fruit this year will usually die, but sometimes they will sprout new growth from the near-bottom of an old cane. I always just cut out the dead canes next spring, after foilage appears.
Reply:Follow these pruning techniques to keep your roses healthy, beautiful, and under control.


Pruning intimidates some gardeners. When you understand the reasons for making the cuts, pruning becomes less daunting. Here are the reasons to prune.





Health: The dead or damaged canes of any rose should be cut back to green wood in late winter or early spring, before the plant resumes growth. Remove diseased canes when you notice them. Improve air circulation by removing canes that grow into the center of the plant.


Appearance: Bushy modern roses need help to maintain their compact, open form. Heirloom roses require less pruning, because their lax, twiggy look is part of their charm. Deadheading, or cutting off spent flowers, encourages plants to rebloom.


Control: Some roses grow with wild abandon. Keep them within bounds by pruning their tips or entire canes any time.


Prune canes that appear weak or broken. Healthy canes appear green or reddish, while old and dying canes turn brown. Prune out diseased, weak, broken, or dead canes whenever you see them. Cut them back to green wood or close to the bud union, a swelling at the base of the plant where the canes join the roots. On grafted roses, prune away suckers, the canes that arise from the rootstock, rather than from the plant budded or grafted onto the rootstock.





Aim for a vase-shape bush with an open center. Cut out canes that cross, saving the better of the two. Prune to keep the plant symmetrical and balanced.





Arching and climbing roses require little pruning, in general. Train them to fulfill their purpose, whether growing on a fence, an arbor or a pillar, by pruning them after they bloom. Remove their old and weak canes.





Cut canes at a 45-degree angle just above a leaf bud (swelling on the cane). Slant the cut away from the bud to encourage growth outward. Clean pruners after every use to prevent the spread of disease. Keep pruners sharp to make clean cuts.





Prune your roses throughout the growing season, too. Every time you cut a rose bloom to bring it indoors or deadhead a fading flower, prune the stem down to shape the plant at the same time. This is mild compared with the pruning done at the beginning of the season. Roses grow from the point where they are cut, so consider the overall shape of the plant as you snip.





Prunning blackberries, everything is here:


http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/14...