How to prune chester blackberry

Late summer to autumn after harvest (August–October); tip new canes in late winter. Cut fruited floricanes to ground level immediately after cropping. Select 6–8 vigorous primocanes and tie them to wires, removing the rest. In late winter, tip each retained cane just above a bud at 1.5–1.8 m to encourage fruiting laterals.

Annually, two-stage (post-harvest + late winter tip pruning). Chester is a floricane blackberry — fruited canes must be removed each year after harvest and replaced with new ones. Pruning drives the whole fruiting cycle: year-one canes (primocanes) grow and are trained; year-two canes (floricanes) fruit, then are cut out. Consistent annual pruning is essential for good yields.

Cut fruited floricanes to ground level immediately after cropping. Select 6–8 vigorous primocanes and tie them to wires, removing the rest. In late winter, tip each retained cane just above a bud at 1.5–1.8 m to encourage fruiting laterals.