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Tayberry pruning

CollareddoveCollareddove Posts: 162
in Fruit & veg
I've had a row of tayberries for four years now and after the first year they have been wonderfully prolific, this year the same.

However, I am never sure how/when to prune them correctly.  There are always long shoots which get in the way (very prickly) whilst picking the fruit, this year there are even more;  l guess these are new shoots for next year's crop? I don't want to compromise next year'scrop but l have had to cut some of these down while trying, with difficulty to tuck some inside the trellis wires. I leave the long ones waving vertically, alone, as they leave me alone!
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  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,444
    You keep and train the new shoots and can cut down the ones that have fruited this year. Shame you didn't pick a thornless variety, lovely fruit. Miss the one I had in my previous garden, had to do with a loganberry which is also thornless but probably not as tasty. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • CollareddoveCollareddove Posts: 162
    Yes, that's what l do in the autumn/winter, after fruiting is over.  Just wondering if the plant will make new shoots between now and then, to replace the ones l have to cut off?
    I was given the bare root plants so l'm afraid l had no choice whether thornless or not.  However, generally happy to manage the prickly one as the fruit makes such fragrantly delicious jam. Much easier to deal with than raspberries which l have given up on.
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,444
    No, the new ones that are getting in the way will be the ones fruiting next year. Like a loganberry, you overwinter the new canes for next year's fruit. A bit annoying, but I suppose if you don't want to nurture canes, you can switch to autumn fruiting raspberries who can be cut down once a year and they make fruit in the fresh growth. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,634
    It's really very simple.  You need a good support system such as tensioned wires or trellis on which to train your tayberry stems.   Each year, they fruit on old stems grown the previous year and fanned out over the support. 

    New stems are gathered in a loose vertical bundle up a central support so they grow well but don't impede light or access to the current fruiting canes.  As you harvest your fruit you remove the old canes at the base and then you can release and tie in the new canes for next year's crop.

    Eaay peasy.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • CollareddoveCollareddove Posts: 162
    Despite Obelixx's helpful advice l find the prunng of tayberries far from easy peasy.
    Due to health problems l was not able to get to the pruning at the preferred time, only managing it a week ago.  Consequently some of the new growth is yards long - way too long to tie in successfully to the supports.
    My question really is can l cut off some of this excessive growth without compromising next year's crop?  Or should l try to weave it back and forth in and around the supports?  I always get a very good crop of tayberries and the excellent jam keeps us going until the following year's crop.
  • CollareddoveCollareddove Posts: 162
    Update on tayberry pruning 2022.  Well @Obelixx, I got on top of the pruning much better this year.  All done!  My problem was knowing what to do with the old, fruited canes which were now showing young growth up their stems.  Brutal - choped down to near ground level.
    Bought some thornless canes last autumn, but still keeping the originals for another season, just in case.  Then its the compete chop for the terrible thorny ones - (although the fruit is delicious)
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,417
    edited July 2022
    You can tie very long canes into a gentle downward curve if they are too long for the width of your supports. This will stimulate even more fruiting, and it looks good too. 👍 


    AB Still learning

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,634
    Well done @Collareddove.  I hope the new variety is as tasty.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • CollareddoveCollareddove Posts: 162
    My worry is @Obelixx that the flavour may not be as good on the thorness ones.  There was a small amount of fruit on them this year and the flavour was not as good.  Of course the canes had nowhere near fully grown so there is still hope.  Hence why I'm keeping my options open with the old ones.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,634
    Let's hope that when the new plants get their roots down and start picking up minerals from the soil they'll improve in flavour.   You could try giving them a feed of liquid seaweed as that has minerals and then a mulch of well-rotted compost in autumn after you've had some good rains.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
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