what to do with blackberry chester?

[salome2001]

I have a relatively new blackberry which I understand is a Chester variety (was a "pay postage" offer). This is the first year it has fruited. I understand that blackberries fruit on last year's wood: it seems however that this bush is exploding with growth and the fruits are being borne on the ends of the canes. Is this a primocane? (I didn't think so)
any knowledgable response appreciated!

[rustylady]

This is what I found on the net, don't know if it helps or not Blackberry Chester

[rustylady]

Found this as well Planting & Pruning Primocane Berries - Growing with Stark Bro's

[rustylady]

Blackberries are considered to be biennial fruiting plants. Primocanes are actively growing vegetative shoots that are produced in the first year, and the floricanes are normally the fruit-producing canes. Some erect blackberry varieties (e.g., Prime Jim, Prime Jan) produce fruit on primocanes in the fall. Primocanes, left un-tipped, can grow several feet in length. In the following year, primocanes mature into floricanes. Once the fruit has been harvested, the floricanes will eventually die. All spent floricanes should be removed from the blackberry planting. By removing the spent floricanes, more room will be available for new primocanes to grow the following year. The following steps will help you to keep your blackberry planting in good condition.

Take time to observe the planting and determine what canes need to be pruned.
During the growing season, tip back each developing primocane to 48 inches in late June and July.
Lateral shoots will develop throughout the growing season.
Tip lateral shoots back to 18 inches in the spring of the following year to avoid winter injury.
Do not prune floricanes before the fruiting season unless damaged or diseased.
When the fruiting season is over, use loppers to cut out spent floricanes at the root crown.
Discard all pruned plant material.

From this site Pruning Erect Blackberries in the Home Garden, HYG-1431-05

[salome2001]

thanks rustylady, good links. So if I have it right, Chester is not one of the primocane varieties and so the fruiting canes are the floricanes and I *should* have tip pruned them in June/July to encourage lateral shooting??
(I also *should* have trained them on wires but I haven't got round to that yet )

Now they are fruiting I should just harvest away and when they stop, cut out the fruited canes and tie in next years canes? (once I sort out the tangle of growth I hope I'll be able to work out which is which)