We have a thornless variety that sounds very similar to what you are planting. We like them very much. Very easy to care for.
These are not the sprawling plants others are talking about. These have an underground, shallow crown, where the canes come from. New canes grow every year, but the crown never really spreads out very much (about 2 feet in diameter). If allowed, the canes will grow, reach the ground, and take root, forming another underground crown. Seeds will also fall, and create plants. Both are easy to deal with. I dig them up and start another row, or give them away. I now have 2 1/2 rows of them. Grass grows up to 2 of the rows, while the third row I started is in the garden, which I rototill. I prefer the garden rows, and I am going to start tilling the grass around the other 2 rows starting this year. In 20 years, I have probably given away about 150 plants or so. I could have easily mowed them, or tilled them, but I still see them and go out of my way to save them to give to someone else.
They are a 2-year cane. Year 1 produces a long cane. You will want to trim that cane when it gets about 4 feet tall. Simply make 1 snip, taking off the tip. The piece you take off can vary, based on how late you are. I have taken a couple inches off, all the way up to 1- 2 feet to get the cane to sit about 3 1/2 feet tall (the cane arches, so its length will be about 4 feet). It will thicken and concentrate the energy on creating side shoots on that cane, which is where the berries will grow. That cane will then produce berries the second year. Some years a lot, others not so much. You will get a pretty good idea of next years yield based on the size and condition of the 1 year canes toward the end of summer.
As the first year canes grow, you will start to see last years canes flower. Those will be the berries. They will turn from green, to red, to black. When they first turn black, they are still very sour. Birds and bugs leave them alone until they turn sweet. It is always a bit of a dance.... sweet berries are often covered in bugs(lady beetles and small black bugs mostly). They still taste good, but the cells the bugs were eating do have a bit of an "old fruit" taste. We have developed a taste for the sour fruit. We actually prefer the taste, and are usually bug free. We have never had a bird problem. I have no idea why (SE Wisconsin). They freeze very well, and I have pulled out 4 year old frozen berries and made great jelly. Made a pretty good wine once, but you need an ice cream pail full for 1 gallon of wine.
When the second year cane is done producing, cut it at the base in fall. After the first freeze it is easier to tell the 2nd year cane (about to be dead), with the first year cane (next years producer). While there is still foliage it is sometimes hard to tell the difference. We have ran out of time and done it in late winter/early spring, also with good results. One bit of advice: never trim them up while there is foliage. The first year shoots are what greens first in spring, and they are VERY delicate. You will destroy next years yield if you are trimming out old cane while breaking off first year canes. You will also destroy the flower buds very easily if you brush up against them, knocking them off and destroying this years fruit.
Have fun and enjoy!
