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I bought a black berry bush last year from Hewitt’s East Greenbush (my favorite store)- it only had about 6-8 berries last year. Solid Year 1 performance. It did grow a TON. I followed directions for winterizing- prune the vines, fertilize, and add mulch, I also added a lean to so that heavy snow would not break the bush. Year 2- We have uncovered the bush to find the half of the plant looks healthy in color with new growths (purples and greens), but the middle looks dead. (brown and stiff) Any suggestions on how to move forward? I’m worried about losing the whole bush.

Blackberries produce berries on the canes (shoots) that are in their second year.  After they do that, they die.  So, each year’s growth will have fresh canes that will not flower and make berries until next year and the canes that will flower and make berries.  In the fall, you’ll cut away all the canes that made berries but DO NOT CUT AWAY all the ones that grew but did not produce berries.  Probably the dead stuff you’re seeing are the old canes that made berries last year.  they are done and will never grow so they should be cut away.  Repeat this every year.

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