Hi, my boysenberry and blackberry bushes are running rampant. Should I cut them back in autumn?

Hi Lyn, 

For both your boysenberry and blackberry bushes, it's best to prune them after they've finished fruiting. 

Boysenberries fruit on two-year-old canes, so after the harvest, remove the old fruiting canes as they will die off. Leave the new canes that have grown in the current season, as these will produce fruit next year. To encourage better fruit production, you can also trim the tips of the new canes to promote lateral growth.

Blackberries also fruit on two-year-old wood. After the harvest, remove any old, fruiting canes, as well as any weak or dead canes. Like boysenberries, trimming the growing tips of the new season’s growth will help encourage lateral branching and can lead to more fruit.

Pruning your bushes in autumn will help keep them healthy and productive for next season.