Heather or anyone?

[Dee]

As most of you know I have lots of berry bushes. I cleaned them out a bit last year but not near enough. I have blackberries, blackcaps and red raspberries.

Do I have to stake up the canes or just let them twine around my lilacs? They are all (but the raspberries) by the lilacs.

My blackberries, oh my the canes are already over 8' tall and they hardly have any leaves on them yet! :eek:

The raspberries are off on thier own in another area and are short, maybe 3' tall, but looking better this year than last year already.

I am taking out all the dead canes from last year, (I know I should have done it in the fall, what can I say?) and raking leaves away from them. But should I be pruning them? Especially the blackberries! I'm not too worried about abundant crops this year as I still have tons in the freezer from last year.

I'll take any and all suggestions. TIA

[homemaker carol]

I'm not Heather. Blackberries don't grow in my area and I don't think they do in Heather's area either.

Here is a link that might help:

http://www.gardening-guides.com/article%20pages/vegetable-gardening/fruits/berries/growing-blackberries.htm

http://www.backyardgardener.com/plants/gblackberry.html

Raspberries
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8204.html

http://www.uga.edu/fruit/rubus.htm

For raspberries I always cut the dead branches away both in the fall and in the spring if there is any I missed. They also like lots of sun and water.

I'm sure heather will have even more info for you.

[Dee]

Thanks CJ! :)