To grow blackberries successfully, follow these key steps:
Site Selection and Soil Preparation
- Choose a sunny, sheltered location for the best fruit production, though blackberries tolerate light shade
- They prefer moisture-retentive but free-draining soil. If your soil is chalky, sandy, or heavy clay, enrich it with plenty of organic matter like garden compost or well-rotted manure (about two buckets per square meter)
- Ensure good drainage as blackberries do not thrive with wet feet
Planting
- Plant bare-root blackberries in winter or container-grown plants almost any time except during hot, dry weather
- Dig holes large enough to cover roots fully but avoid planting too deep; roots should be no more than 5-8 cm below soil surface
- Space plants 1.5 to 4.5 meters apart depending on the variety's vigor; erect cultivars can be spaced closer (about 3 feet), semi-erect 5-6 feet apart
- After planting, prune canes back to 20-25 cm (8-10 inches) to encourage vigorous new shoots
Support and Training
- Install a support system of horizontal wires before planting. Space wires about 45 cm (18 inches) apart, with the lowest wire 30-45 cm (1-1.5 feet) from the ground
- Train new canes onto the support as they grow, tying them regularly to keep plants tidy and manageable
Watering and Feeding
- Water new plants regularly during their first growing season, about every 7-10 days in dry spells. Mature plants usually do not require extra watering but watering every 10-14 days in dry summers improves fruit size
- Apply a high potassium fertilizer (such as blood, fish, and bone or Vitax Q4) in mid-spring, about 100g per square meter
- Mulch annually with a 7 cm (3 inch) layer of organic mulch like garden compost, leaving a 5 cm gap around canes to prevent rot
Pruning
- Blackberries fruit on two-year-old canes. After fruiting, prune out old, fruited canes at the base to stimulate new growth for the next season
- In the first winter after planting, cut back side shoots on new canes to 5-8 cm (2-3 inches) to promote fruiting spurs
- Keep new and old canes separated on the support to reduce disease and ease harvesting
Propagation and Protection
- Propagate new plants by layering stem tips into the ground during spring and summer
- Protect fruit from birds by using netting raised on frames or fruit cages
By following these guidelines, you can cultivate healthy blackberry plants that produce abundant, sweet, and juicy berries year after year
