The blackberry bramble in the wild is an important food and shelter plant for many birds and mammals. In the garden however, a wild blackberry plant may be viewed with horror, due to the fact that it can be quite invasive. Even so, growing wild blackberries is becoming quite popular due to their delicious flavor of course but also their high antioxidant content. 

Wild Blackberry that is Invasive

More than 2,000 blackberry varieties can be found growing throughout the Northern hemisphere. In California alone there are 11 species of wild blackberry plant (Rubus fruticosus), four of which are considered weeds. Two of these are non-native: cutleaf blackberry (R. laciniatus) and Himalaya blackberry (R. discolor) and two are native to the region. 

Of the native species, Western thimbleberry (R. parviflorus) competes with evergreen establishment in reforested regions while Pacific blackberry (R. ursinus) infiltrates streambeds and ditches. Both wild blackberry invasives can be found throughout California with few exceptions. 

Of the wild blackberry invasives, the most bothersome is Himalaya blackberry. 

Wild Blackberry Identification

Wild blackberry plants thrive throughout the U.S. but are especially prevalent in the welcoming conditions of the Pacific Northwest. Of the four invasive wild blackberry brambles, thimbleberry is the only non-vining species which also lacks the prickly stems of the others. 

Himalaya and cutleaf both have five-angled stems, although Himalaya can be distinguished by its five leaflets, each serrated and oval. Cutleaf in comparison has five deeply lobed leaflets. 

All four wild blackberry plants bloom in white to pink, with staggered bloom times beginning with Western thimbleberry and Pacific in March to Himalaya and cutleaf blooming in May.

The resulting fruit is a collection of tiny, fleshy one seeded fruit that are blue/black/ to deep purple in color.

Growing Wild Blackberries

Despite their reputation for taking over, blackberries are becoming a popular commercial crop, grown for not only their delicious flavor but also their health benefits. Until recently with the development of new varieties, growing wild blackberries was impractical. Wild blackberries had two problems to overcome: they do not produce fruit in their first year, and unless heavily protected, the canes tend to die during the winter. 

Blackberries thrive in USDA zones 5-10. Today, the home gardener can obtain newer cultivars of wild blackberry to grow or propagate from wild stock. The problem with growing from wild plants is that they tend to carry bacteria and fungal diseases which can affect other plants. 

If you wish to grow blackberries from cultivated stock, choose an area with full sun, well-draining soil and a pH ranging from 6.0-6.5. 

How to Grow Wild Blackberry Bramble

If you want to grow uncultivated (wild) blackberries, start with a stem cutting from a healthy plan and propagate it indoors. Take the cutting with sharp pruning shears that have been sterilized in a bleach solution; one part bleach to nine parts water, soaked for 10 minutes and then allowed to air dry. 

Make a 45 degree angle cut a 4-10 inch (10-25cm.) cutting of young, malleable wood from the tip of a side branch. Put the cutting in water immediately. If taking additional cuttings, be sure to wipe the pruner blades off with rubbing alcohol prior to the next cut. 

Remove the cutting(s) from the water and shake off any excess. Dip the cut end into rooting hormone. Position the cut end in moist, prepared medium made up of sterilized loam, sphagnum moss, and sterile horticultural sand, and fill in around the cutting. Cover the pot with an opaque plastic bag secured with a rubber band. 

 Place the potted cutting in a window that gets at least 6-8 hours of full sun per day in a room that is 60-70 F (16-21 C). Keep the cuttings moist for 2-3 weeks until roots form. 

Work compost into the top 6 inches (15 cm). Remove the cutting from the container, loosen up the roots, plant and water the cutting in. Mulch around the new wild blackberry plant to retain moisture and retard weeds. Provide an inch (2.5 cm.) of water per week depending upon weather conditions. 

Blackberries are a sometimes overlooked berry. In some areas of the country, they grow unbidden and as vigorous as weeds. In other regions, the sweet nectar of the berry is sought after, cultivated and the fruit eagerly anticipated. While easy to grow, the succulent qualities of the berries are reliant on knowing when to water blackberry vines.

Watering blackberries sufficiently will yield the largest, juiciest fruit. So when it comes to blackberry irrigation, how much water do blackberries need?

When to Water Blackberry Vines

If you live in an area with average rainfall, you probably won’t need to water blackberries after the first growing year once they have been established. The first year of growth, however, is another matter.

When watering blackberries, always water during the day and water at the base of the plants to minimize fungal disease. During the growing season, blackberry plants should be kept consistently moist from mid-May through October.

How Much Water do Blackberries Need?

When it comes to blackberry irrigation, plants need to be kept consistently moist after the first 2-3 weeks from planting. This means that the top inch or so (2.5 cm.) of soil should be kept moist for the first few weeks.

Thereafter, give the plants 1-2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm.) of water per week during the growing season and up to 4 inches (10 cm.) per week during harvest season. Keep in mind that blackberry plants are shallow-rooted so the root system isn’t diving down into the soil for moisture; it all needs to be at the surface.

That said, while the plants should be kept consistently moist, do not allow the soil to become sodden which can result in fungal root diseases.

Blackberries have been utilized in Europe for over 2,000 years for culinary and medicinal purposes as well as protective hedgerows. It's no wonder that blackberry history dates so far back. They are part of a widely adapted group of more than 375 species native throughout the temperate northern hemisphere and into South America.

Origin of Blackberries

It is difficult to exactly trace the origin of blackberries, but they probably first originated in Asia, North or South America or in Europe. That doesn't really narrow it down much, but this diverse species of the genus Rubus is difficult to label, as it is the most taxonomically complex of any fruit crop. The original species that existed centuries ago naturally crossbred multiple times with the resulting fruit we see today and is so complex that its origins and lineage can't be traced by genetically backtracking. Blackberries also have the most widespread geographic origin or any fruit crop.

History of Blackberries

Also known as bramble, brummel, and brambleberry, evidence of blackberry consumption can be found all the way back to the Iron Age, some 2,500 years ago, so it is logical to assume that blackberry history dates back over thousands of years. The ancient Romans used blackberries medicinally and Native Americans used them as not only a food source, but medicinally and to dye animal skins. Native Americans also used the canes to make twine. 'Brymbyl' in old English and 'brombeere' in German, ancient Anglo-Saxons used the fruit in primitive pies to celebrate the first fruit feast of Lughnasadh at the end of the summer. Brambles were often planted around European villages to thwart marauders or large animals. Blackberries were also thought to protect against incantations and curses when gathered at a certain phase of the moon. By passing beneath the brambles, children were said to be cured of hernias. Those suffering from boils were also encouraged to crawl through the brambles, although in this case, the "cure" was most likely that the thorns lanced the boils. The ancient Greek physician Galen prescribed a decoction of blackberries for ailments and Palladius writes of a recipe for blackberry syrup made with two parts juice to one part honey. Ancient Greeks also used blackberries to treat symptoms of gout, leading it to be called "goutberry" well into the 18th century.

Additional Blackberry History Information

Until fairly recently, blackberries were considered wild and uncultivated. Then Judge Logan began to crossbreed the berry in 1880 and introduced loganberries, a relative of blackberries. Luther Burbank took a stab at developing a thornless variety in 1921, but the flavor was lacking. Today, the Triple Crown is an excellent flavored thornless berry. Mexico is the leading producer of blackberries. In the United States, Oregon is the leading blackberry, or rather marionberry producer. In the mid-40's, George F. Waldo developed the marionberry, a hybrid of two different varieties of blackberry, and released it commercially as 'Marion' in 1956. While blackberries have been used as a food source and medicine for centuries, today it is primarily used to make sweets such as pies or preserves. It has also historically been used to make wine and cordials as documented by the 1696 London Pharmacopoeia. Lastly, a 10th Arab physician identified the berries as being an aphrodisiac, and I must say I sure do love a plate of blackberry crumble!

Blackberry anthracnose is a common fungal disease plaguing many home gardeners who enjoy growing brambles for their tasty summer berries. In additional to finding blackberries with anthracnose, the disease can also infect dewberries, loganberries, and red, black, or purple raspberries. Anthracnose can cause poor fruit quality and production, and in severe infections, weaken or even kill canes. Dieback, cane spot, and gray bark are other names commonly used for blackberries with anthracnose.

Symptoms of Blackberries with Anthracnose

The first signs of a blackberry anthracnose infection will be in the spring, usually on the shoots of the new canes. Small purple spots will appear, which will increase in size, become oval-shaped, and eventually turn a gray or buff color. You may also find small spots with light gray centers and purple margins on the leaves. In heavy infections, the spots on the canes and stems can grow in numbers and merge together, covering the canes and appearing as large cankers with cracks. This can girdle the cane, causing dieback.

Causes of Anthracnose of Blackberries

This disease is caused by the fungus Elsinoe veneta. It overwinters in diseased canes and then releases spores during rainy periods the following spring and summer. The greatest risk of it infecting blackberries is between bud break and pre-harvest, as the fungus targets mainly the new growth.

How to Treat Blackberries with Anthracnose

The recommended blackberry anthracnose treatment is quite easy.

• If you are planting a new blackberry patch, make sure to properly space and prune your plants. Erect varieties of berries are less susceptible to anthracnose than spreading types.
• Remove any wild brambles in the area, which can harbor the disease. Remove weeds in your berry patch and prune back blackberry bushes to promote good air circulation and light penetration. This will allow faster drying of foliage and canes.
• After harvesting blackberries, and during the dormant season, remove and destroy any canes that have been infected.

These cultural practices may be sufficient to control blackberries with anthracnose but using a delayed dormant spray may also be necessary. Before growth starts and while temperatures are still cold, apply a lime, sulfur, copper hydroxide, or a foliar fungicide. The recommended type may vary depending on your area, so check with your county extension office for the latest information.

What would summer be without berries? Blackberries are one of the easiest to grow and volunteer as wild plants in many parts of North America. They are quite stoic and hardy and not given to many pest or disease issues, with the exception of fungal problems. Blackberry Penicillium fruit rot is a fungal disease that primarily occurs on post-harvest fruit. Rotting blackberries in their crates occurs due to heavy handling during harvest and storage. Some blackberry fruit rot also occurs on the canes but not in usual circumstances. There are not many more disappointing things than finding fruit rot of blackberries. It may occur in already picked fruit or it may be seen on the plant. In either case, it makes the fruit soft, moldy, and inedible. A few tips can help you preserve your harvest and prevent Penicillium fruit rot on blackberry.

Signs of Blackberry Penicillium Fruit Rot

Penicillium is not the only fungus that produces rot on berries. Botrytis produces the gray mold type of rot while Penicillium develops into the green variety of mold with whitish tones. There are also fungi that produce white, pink, black, and even rusty mold. Penicillium affects the surface of the fruit initially. Small spots will appear which eventually grow together into larger areas of rot. The white fuzzy growth appears towards the end of the infection. The whole berry becomes excessively mushy. This is considered the secondary infection cycle, where fungal spores are ripe and can infect nearby plants and fruit. In fact, once infection occurs in one area, the fungus spreads rapidly in ideal conditions.

Causes of Blackberry Fruit Rot

The fungus favors warm, wet conditions in temperatures between 65 and 85 (18 to 29 C.) degrees Fahrenheit. Penicillium rarely affects immature berries but is more common in ripe fruit. It enters the fruit from any type of injury, whether it is mechanical, insect, or another type of damage. Quite often it is the result of picking and packing which turns once-perfect fruit into rotting fruit in their crates. One item that encourages spore formation is crowded canes. Canes should be spaced at 3 to 5 canes per foot (0.5 m.) in rows 2 feet (0.5 m.) apart. This will help provide adequate airflow to dry canes and prevent fruit rot of blackberries.

Preventing Penicillium Fruit Rot on Blackberry

Good overall plant health can help diminish the effects of any fruit rot. Avoid excess nitrogen which fuels spore production and produces more leafy growth, slowing the ability of the canopy to dry. Managing insects that attack the fruit is crucial to preventing injury that will invite infection. Use floating covers to protect fruit as they are ripening and spray with neem oil several times during the growing season. Pick ripe fruit gently and store them carefully. Some professional growers recommend using fungicide during the ripening process. A fairly safe product to use two weeks prior to harvest is liquid copper fungicide. As a rule, plenty of air space between plants, good cultural practices, and gentle handling of berries will prevent most instances of post-harvest infection.

In many cases, blackberries with algal spots will still produce a good crop of berries, but in the right conditions and when severe, the infection can really take a toll on canes. It’s especially important to look for signs of algal spot if you are growing blackberries in a warm and humid climate. A bad infection could kill your plants.

Cephaleuros of Blackberry

Very few species of algae infect plants, but one, Cephaleuros virescens, infects and causes damage in blackberry canes. When the infection is mild, it doesn’t cause much damage and the canes will still produce good fruit in abundance. However, when the infection spreads, it can girdle the canes or even cause splitting that allows other infections to set in, and ultimately this can damage the canes enough to kill them and severely limit the crop.

Signs of Blackberry Algal Spot

The infection causes light green to yellow or orange velvety spots to form on canes, which is why the disease is also called orange felt or orange cane blotch. The spots begin near the base of canes and will be more prevalent there than higher up. The spots get more orange in color and fuzzier as the infection continues. When the conditions are right—warm and wet—the spots will merge and ultimately cover or girdle the cane. To distinguish between algal spots and a rust disease, rub the orange spots. If the color comes off on your fingers, it is a rust disease. If it stays put, it is more likely Cephaleuros of blackberry. The spots typically begin appearing in early summer and grow larger and merge in the fall.

Treating Blackberry Spots

There are many methods of cultural control you can try to manage algal spots on blackberries before turning to chemical interventions. To prevent spreading the infection to new canes, for instance, trim back old canes after harvesting berries and destroy them. Use drip irrigation instead of overhead to reduce standing moisture on the canes. Keep them well trimmed and keep the area underneath weed-free to promote air flow. Make sure your canes are planted in a spot that drains well. You can also help your blackberry canes fight off the infection by providing them with the appropriate soil amendments and fertilizer, as well as adequate water without overwatering. If the infection gets severe, you can try a copper fungicide spray.

Blackberry cane and leaf rust (Kuehneola uredinis) occurs on some blackberry cultivars, specifically ‘Chehalem’ and ‘Evergreen’ blackberries. In addition to blackberries, it may also affect raspberry plants. Rust in blackberries is first observed in the late spring and is favored by wet weather. While this fungal disease is not usually severe, it can affect the vigor of the plant and while it doesn’t infect the fruit, spores drifting onto the berries can make them unsightly and, for the commercial grower, unmarketable.

Symptoms of Blackberry Cane and Leaf Rust

As mentioned, the first sign of blackberries with rust occurs in the late spring and appears as large yellow pustules (uredinia) that split the bark of fruiting canes (floricanes). The canes become brittle and break easily. From these pustules, spores burst forth, infecting leaves and producing smaller yellow uredinia on the underside of the foliage in the early summer. If the infection is severe, defoliation of the entire plant may occur. Buff colored pustules (telia) develop among the uredinia in the fall. These, in turn, produce spores which infect leaves on primocanes. The fungus that causes rust in blackberries overwinters on canes or lingering uredinia. Spores are spread via wind. Blackberry Kuehneola uredinis is not to be confused with the more damaging orange rust. Orange rust results in orange pustules on foliage only rather than yellow pustules on both canes and foliage, and orange rust in blackberries also causes small, frail shoots to grow from the base of the plant.

How to Manage Blackberries with Rust

A combination of cultural controls combined with the use of fungicides is the best course of action to control blackberry Kuehneoloa uredinis. Remove and dispose of fruit canes as soon as possible after harvest. Organic control after removal of the canes involves sprays of lime sulfur or fixed copper. Apply lime sulfur in the winter followed by an application of fixed copper at the green tip stage and again just before the plants bloom. For susceptible blackberry cultivars, apply protective fungicides prior to any sign of the disease.

To those of us in the Pacific Northwest, blackberries may seem beyond resilient, more pest than welcome guest in the garden, popping up unbidden. Resilient the canes may be, but even so, they are susceptible to diseases, including several agrobacterium diseases of blackberries that result in galls. Why do blackberries with agrobacterium diseases have galls and how can blackberry agrobacterium diseases be managed?

Blackberry Agrobacterium Diseases

There are a few agrobacterium diseases of blackberries: cane gall, crown gall, and hairy root. All are bacterial infections that enter the plant through wounds and create galls or tumors on either the canes, crowns, or roots. Cane gall is caused by the bacteria Agrobacterium rubi, crown gall by A. tumefaciens, and hairy root by A. rhizogenes. Both cane and crown galls may afflict other bramble species. Cane galls occur most commonly in the late spring or early summer on fruiting canes. They are long swellings that split the cane lengthwise. Crown galls are warty growths found at the base of the cane or on the roots. Both cane and crown galls on blackberries become hard and woody and dark in color as they age. Hairy root appears as small, wiry roots that grow either alone or in groups from the main root or the base of the stem. While the galls look unsightly, it is what they do that makes them disastrous. Galls interfere with water and nutritional flow in the vascular system of plants, seriously weakening or stunting the brambles and rendering them unproductive.

Managing Blackberries with Agrobacterium Diseases

Galls are the result of bacteria entering into wounds on the blackberry. The bacteria are carried either by infected stock or is already present in the soil. Symptoms may not appear for over a year if the infection occurs when temperatures are below 59 degrees F. (15 C.). There are no chemical controls for the eradication of agrobacteria. It is important to examine canes prior to planting for any evidence of galls or hairy root. Only plant nursery stock that is free of galls and do not plant in an area of the garden where crown gall has occurred unless a non-host crop has been grown in the area for two plus years. Solarization may help kill bacteria in soil. Place clear plastic on tilled, watered soil from late summer to early fall. Also, be gentle with the canes when training, pruning, or working around them to avoid any injury that will act as a portal to bacteria. Only prune the canes during dry weather and sanitize pruning equipment both before and after use. If only a few plants are affected, remove them immediately and destroy them. Commercial growers use a non-pathogenetic bacterium, Agrobacterium radiobacter strain 84, to biologically control crown gall. It is applied to the roots of healthy plants just before they are planted. Once planted, the control becomes established in the soil surrounding the root system, protecting the plant from the bacteria.

Why are my blackberries rotting? Blackberries are vigorous and easy to grow, but the plants may be afflicted by fruit rot, a common fungal disease that affects various fruits and ornamental plants in moist, humid environments. Fruit rot of blackberry is difficult to control once the disease is established. Read on to learn about blackberry fruit rot causes and steps you can take to prevent this pervasive disease from occurring in your garden.

Reasons for Rotten Blackberries

Blackberry fruit rot is caused by Botrytis cinerea, a fungus that can affect nearly every part of the plant. Fruit rot favors humid environments. It is especially prevalent when weather is wet before and during blooming, and again when berries ripen. The fungus overwinters on plant debris and weeds. In spring, the spores spread via wind and water, including moisture from dew, fog, rain, irrigation water, or by direct contact with plants. Once fruit rot of blackberry finds its way into your garden, it can be treated and reduced but not eradicated.

Recognizing Blackberry Fruit Rot

If your blackberries are rotting from botrytis, the blackberry fruit rot displays as a watery rot followed by a hairy, gray, or brown fungal growth. Flowers will appear brown and shriveled. Blackberry canes may look bleached with whitish brown lesions. Small, black patches may appear on any part of the plant. Unharvested berries left on the vine become mummified.

Preventing and Treating Fruit Rot of Blackberry

Site blackberries where the plants are exposed to direct sunlight. Ensure the soil is well drained. Never plant blackberries in low areas where water pools. Spread a layer of straw or other organic mulch around blackberry plants to prevent fruit from direct contact with the soil. Space plants far enough apart to provide ample air circulation. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, especially in spring. The fertilizer produces dense foliage and shade, thus preventing rapid drying. Adjust your irrigation schedule, if needed. Water blackberries with a soaker hose or drip system and avoid overhead watering. Keep the plants as dry as possible. Practice good weed control; weeds limit air movement and slow drying time of blooms and fruit. Keep the area clean. Pick blackberries frequently and don’t allow fruit to overripen. Harvest in the morning as soon as the plant is dry. Refrigerate berries as soon as possible. Discard rotten blackberries carefully. Never leave them in the garden and don’t place them on the compost pile. Chemical fungicides may be effective when used in conjunction with the above techniques. Check with your local cooperative extension office to determine which product is suitable for your area. Don’t overuse fungicides. Strains are already resistant to certain fungicides in several regions, including the Pacific northwest.

Delicious, ripe, juicy blackberries are the taste of late summer, but if you have unripe blackberry fruit on your vines when you should be harvesting, it can be a major disappointment. Blackberries aren’t the pickiest plants, but not watering them adequately can lead to unripe fruit. A particular pest may also be the culprit.

Blackberry Care and Conditions

If your blackberries won’t ripen, a simple answer may be that your vines haven’t been given the right conditions or proper care. Blackberry vines need some organic material in the soil, space to grow, and a trellis or something else to climb for the best possible results. They also need a lot of sun, light, well-drained soil, and plenty of water. Blackberries especially need a lot of water while the fruits are developing. Without enough water, they may develop as hard, unripe berries.

Why Won’t Blackberries Ripen?

If you did everything you have always done for your blackberries and you still have issues with unripe blackberry fruit, you could have a pest problem. Redberry mite is a microscopic pest that you won’t see without a magnifying glass, but that could be the root cause of blackberries not ripening on your vines. Blackberries not turning black is a typical sign of a redberry mite infestation. These tiny creatures inject a toxic material into the fruit, which prevents ripening. Instead of turning black, the fruits, or at least some of the druplets on each fruit, will turn a bright red and fail to ripen properly. Just a few affected druplets on one fruit make the entire berry inedible. Redberry mite will stick around on the plant through the winter and infest more vines the next year, so it is a problem to tackle immediately. Two of the most effective treatments are sulfur and horticultural oils. Apply a sulfur treatment before buds break dormancy and then again, several times, a few weeks apart, up to two weeks before harvest. You can apply a horticultural oil after you first see the green fruit develop and continue every two to three weeks, for a total of four applications. Talk to someone at your local nursery about which application is best and how to use it. The oil will probably cause less damage to the plants but may be less effective against the mites. Another option, of course, is to tear out your blackberry vines and start over next year.

Blackberries are excellent plants to have around. Since blackberries don’t ripen after they’ve been picked, they have to be picked when they’re dead ripe. As a result, the berries you buy in the store tend to be bred more for durability during transportation than for flavor. If you grow your own berries, however, the farthest they have to travel is from your garden to your kitchen (or even just from the garden to your mouth). This way, you can have perfectly ripe berries bred to have the best flavor, for a fraction of the cost. You do have to know what you’re doing when you’re picking blackberries though. Keep reading to learn more about when and how to pick blackberries.

Picking Blackberries

When to harvest blackberries depends very drastically upon what kind of climate they’re growing in. Blackberries are very heat and frost tolerant, and as a result, they can be grown virtually all over. Their ripening time varies based on their location.

• In the southern United States, prime blackberry harvesting time is usually in spring or early summer.
• In the Pacific Northwest, it’s late in the summer through the first frost of autumn.
• Throughout most of the rest of the United States, however, prime blackberry season is July and August.

Some varieties of blackberry are also known as ever bearing and they produce one crop on their old growth canes in the summer and a second crop on their new growth canes in the fall.

Blackberry Harvesting

Blackberry harvesting needs to be done by hand. The berries must be picked when they’re ripe (when the color has changed from red to black). The fruit will only last about a day after it is picked, so either refrigerate or eat it as soon as possible. Never pick wet blackberries, as this will encourage them to mold or squish. The season for harvesting blackberry plants usually lasts about three weeks, during which time they should be picked two to three times per week. Depending upon the variety, a single plant can produce between 4 and 55 pounds (2-25 kg.) of fruit.

Most gardeners can grow blackberries, but those in colder areas will have to think about blackberry bush winter care. All blackberry bushes require pruning during the cold season and, if your temperatures dip below freezing, you’ll also want to learn how to protect blackberry plants in winter. For more information about care for blackberry bushes in winter, read on.

Pruning Blackberries in Winter

You can’t just forget about blackberry bushes in winter. They require care. You need to cut back your blackberries during the cold season. Pruning blackberries in winter is part of blackberry bush winter care. Before you begin snipping blackberry bushes in winter, you need to identify which canes on your plants are first year canes (primocanes). These are the canes that have not yet borne fruit. If you have erect canes (canes that stand up on their own), prune your canes in late winter. Remove all of the weaker canes of each plant, leaving only the three or four strongest canes standing. When you are pruning blackberries in winter, cut back long, trailing branches on your erect canes to 12 to 18 inches (31-46 cm.). Follow the same pruning procedure if you have trailing canes. These are the brambles that lie on the ground unless you tie them to a stake. Prune trailing blackberries in winter in the same way as the erect canes. Only act in the very beginning of winter, not the very end.

Winterizing Blackberries

Generally, blackberry plants thrive in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 10. However, each cultivar is able to survive to different low temperatures. Frost tender blackberry varieties can survive temperatures that dip from 0 to 10 degrees F. (-18 to -12 C.), but hardy cultivars survive temperatures down to -10 degrees F. (-23 C.). It is important to figure out what level of cold your brambles can tolerate in order to know when you need to think about winterizing blackberries. If you expect the cold season to get colder than your berries can tolerate, it’s best to learn how to protect blackberry plants from the cold. Winterizing blackberries is different for trailing types and erect types of berry bushes. For trailing canes, remove them from their stakes after you have pruned them. Lay them on the ground and tuck them in for the winter with a thick layer of mulch. Erect canes are hardier (survive cold better) than trailing ones and require less protection. If you expect chill winds, construct a windbreak to protect them.

Not every gardener gets around to planting near blackberries. Some leave the rows to grow in neatly on their own for maximum sun and easy harvesting. However, companion plants for blackberry bushes can help those brambles thrive, if you choose the right ones. Read on for information about what to plant with blackberry bushes. Each of the best blackberry companion plants makes your berry patch prettier, healthier, or more productive.

Companions for Blackberries

Blackberries are not picky plants. They grow well in a fairly wide range of climates and tolerate different soil conditions as long as their planting site drains well, and the soil contains sufficient nitrogen. This tolerance gives gardeners flexibility in picking companion plants for blackberry bushes. Some gardeners use blackberries as understory plants. 

Although blackberries produce best in full sun, they also grow in shade. If you are thinking of tree planting near blackberries, consider white oak (Quercus alba) or Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii). Both of these species work well as blackberry companion plants, thanks to the moisture they store in their leaves. Fallen leaves from these trees also produce nutrient-rich mulch that helps keep the blackberries strong.

Food Crop Planting Near Blackberries

Turn your blackberry patch into a mixed-produce garden by adding other edible-producing plants. Blueberry shrubs work well for planting near blackberries. They won’t find themselves shaded out since they are about the same height as blackberries. 

Like blackberries, they prefer a sunny location. You could also plant lower shrubs that will tolerate the shade of higher brambles. Hazelnut bushes, serviceberry bushes, and thimbleberry shrubs are great companions for blackberries. Although, roses that bear hips, which are rich in vitamin C, can offer more color.

What to Plant with Blackberry Bushes for Pest Protection

If you pick the right blackberry companion plants, they will help you fight insect pests that can damage blackberry bushes. Hyssop (Hysoppus officinalis) prevents attacks by cabbage moths and flea beetles. Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) and rue (Ruta spp.) keep fruit and foliage predators, like Japanese beetles and mice, away from your plants. Tansy also repels striped cucumber beetles, ants, and flies.

Blackberry Companions for Pollinators

Other companions for blackberries attract pollinators that increase your blackberry crop. Plants like bee balm (Monarda spp.) and borage (Borago officinalis) are honeybee magnets. Low, groundcover crops can repel insect pests, attract bees, and look pretty at the same time. Consider mint (Mentha spp.), lemon balm (Melissa Officinalis), or chives (Allium schoenoprasum) as companion plants for blackberry bushes.

If you want to grow your own fruit, a great place to start is by growing blackberries. Fertilizing your blackberry plants will give you the highest yield and the largest juiciest fruit, but how do you fertilize your blackberry bushes? Read on to find out when to fertilize blackberry bushes and other specific blackberry feeding requirements.

How to Fertilize Blackberries

Berries, in general, are nutritious, and blackberries have been shown to help fight cancer and cardiovascular disease as well as slow down the aging of the brain. Today’s new cultivars can even be found thornless, erasing those memories of torn clothing and scratched skin while harvesting their wild brethren. 

Easier to harvest, they may be, but to get that bumper crop, you need fertilizer for blackberries. First things first, though. Plant your berries in full sun, allowing plenty of room to grow. The soil should be well-draining, sandy loam rich in organic matter. Decide if you want trailing, semi-trailing, or erect berries and thorny or thornless. 

All blackberries benefit from a trellis or support so have that in place as well. How many plants should you get? Well, a single, healthy blackberry plant can supply up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg.) of berries per year!

When to Fertilize Blackberries

Now that you have planted your selections, what are the feeding requirements for your new blackberries? You don’t begin fertilizing blackberry plants until three to four weeks after the setting of new plants. 

Fertilize after growth starts. Use a complete fertilizer, like 10-10-10, in the amount of 5 pounds (2.5 kg.) per 100 linear feet (30.5 m.) or 3 to 4 ounces (85-113 g.) around the base of each blackberry. Use either a complete 10-10-10 food as fertilizer for your blackberries or use compost, manure, or another organic fertilizer. 

Apply 50 pounds (23 kg.) of organic fertilizer per 100 feet (30.5 m.) in the late fall prior to the first frost. As growth starts to appear in early spring, spread inorganic fertilizer over the top of the soil in each row in the same amount as above of 5 pounds (2.5 kg.) of 10-10-10 per 100 feet (30.5 m.). 

Some folks say to fertilize three times a year and some say once in the spring and once in the late fall before the first frost. The blackberries will let you know if you need supplemental feeding. Look at their leaves and determine if the plant is fruiting and growing well. If so, no fertilizing of the blackberry plants is necessary.

Where I live, blackberries abound. For some people, the darn things are a pain in the neck and, if left unchecked, can take over a property. I love them, however, and because they grow so easily in any green space, choose not to include them in my landscape but rather go picking them in the surrounding country. 

I guess I’m afraid they will be a little too enthusiastic in the garden, and maybe you are too, but a great way to corral them is by growing blackberries in containers. Keep reading to find out how to grow blackberries in a container.

How to Grow Blackberries in a Container

Blackberries are quite easy to grow in USDA zones 6 to 8 but, as mentioned, once established can grow out of hand. A great way to contain their rather rapid growth is by growing blackberries in containers. Blackberries grown in a pot cannot escape into surrounding garden spaces. 

First things first, selecting the right cultivar for container grown blackberries. Really, any variety of blackberries can be grown in a pot, but thornless varieties are especially suited for small spaces and patios. Some of these include:

• “Chester”
• “Natchez”
• “Triple Crown”

Also, the erect varieties of berry that do not require trellising are ideal for container grown blackberries. Amongst these are:

• “Arapaho”
• “Kiowa”
• “Ouachita”

Next, you need to select your container. For blackberries grown in a pot, choose containers that are 5 gallons (19 L.) or larger with room for at least 6 inches (15 cm.) of soil. Blackberry roots spread out rather than down, so you can get away with a shallow container as long as you have room for the plant to develop canes. 

Plant your blackberry in either potting soil or a topsoil blend. Check to see what variety you purchased and whether it needs a trellis or not. If so, at planting attach the structure to a wall or fence to allow the plant to clamber up.

Caring for Blackberries in Pots

Keep in mind that with blackberries in pots, anything in pots for that matter, requires more water than if they were planted in the garden. Water the plants when the top inch (2.5 cm.) of soil is dry, which might even be daily. Use a complete balanced fertilizer to the feed the berries to promote fruiting. 

A slow release fertilizer should be applied once in the spring, or a regular balanced fertilizer for fruiting trees and shrubs can be used each month during the growing season. Otherwise, caring for blackberries in pots is more a matter of maintenance.

 Blackberries yield their best crops on one year old canes, so as soon as you have harvested, cut down the old canes to ground level. Tie up new canes that have grown during the summer. If the plants appear to be outgrowing the container, divide them every two to four years during winter when they are dormant. 

Also, in the winter, container grown blackberries need some protection. Mulch around the base of the plants or heel the pots into the soil and then mulch over top. A little TLC and your container grown blackberries will give you years of blackberry pies and crumbles, all the jam you can eat, and smoothies galore.

In my neck of the woods, blackberry bushes can be found everywhere from the forests to the suburbs to empty urban lots. Blackberry picking has become one of our favorite and free late summer pastimes. With as many berry bushes, I have seen my share of witches’ broom in blackberries. What are the symptoms of witches’ broom fungus, and is there a method for treating witches’ broom disease? Read on to learn more.

What are the Symptoms of Witches’ Broom Fungus?

Witches’ broom dates to the Middle Ages and aptly refers to tangled mats of twigs protruding from many woody plants. Since each broom is unique, how do you go about identifying witches’ broom fungus? Generally, witches’ broom in blackberries is seen as a dense cluster of twigs and/or branches protruding out from the center of the plant. As you may guess, the protuberance looks much akin to a stereotypical “witches’ broom.” The broom may be small to several feet (1 m.) wide. So why are blackberries sometimes afflicted with witches’ broom? Witches’ broom may be caused by a number of factors, but the root cause is simply stress. Stress may be caused by an infestation of mites or aphids, genetic mutation, fungal infection, environmental conditions, or phytoplasmas (single celled organism with a disorganized nucleus). Parasitic plants such as mistletoe also engender witches’ broom. On other woody plants, such as the common hackberry, the root cause is thought to be powdery mildew fungus in conjunction with an eriophyid mite. The results in all cases are multiple shoots arising from a central point on a stem terminating in a mass that resembles a broom. Basically, all the shoots develop equally. In the case of blackberries (and cherry trees) with witches’ broom, the anomaly is caused by a fungus or possibly a bacterial infection carried by insects from elm or ash trees.

Treating Witches’ Broom Disease

There is no known treatment for witches’ broom on blackberries, or any other plant really. While the deformity is unsightly, it generally does not cause any long-term damage to berry plants. Many of the twigs in a broom will die back in the winter and the plant will emerge in the spring with renewed vigor. The presence of a witches broom will not affect the productivity or the health of the plant. If, however, they are bothering you, simply prune them out of the plant. In fact, the appearance of witches’ broom in some plants may result in desirable traits such as dwarfism and increased branching. For instance, many of the most popular and highly recommended dwarf evergreen shrubs are the result of witches’ broom. Both ‘Montgomery Dwarf Blue Spruce’ and ‘Globosum,’ a rounded Japanese black pine, owe their desirability to the presence of witches’ broom.

Cultivated species of blackberry are well-behaved plants that need only a little pruning to keep them manageable, but invasive species are a terrible menace that can be very difficult to control. They form impenetrable thickets that overrun more desirable native plants and block access by livestock, wildlife, and humans. Invasive blackberries are very difficult to eradicate. Even a small piece of stem or rhizome left in the soil can result in a new plant and, over time, a new thicket.

What Blackberries are Invasive?

Of all the species of blackberry (Rubus), cutleaf blackberry (R. laciniatus) and Himalaya blackberry (R. discolor) are the most destructive. Fortunately, these invasive blackberry plants are easy to distinguish from other blackberries. While most blackberries have round stems, cutleaf and Himalayan blackberries have ridged stems with five angles. The leaves of Himalayan and cutleaf blackberries have five leaflets where most other types have only three leaflets. Weedy blackberries spread underground and take root wherever the long, arching vines touch the ground. Animals eat the berries and spread the seeds to distant locations through their digestive tract. One seedling can eventually form a massive thicket.

How to Control Blackberry Plants

The first step in controlling invasive blackberries is to cut down the canes to a point just above the ground. Next, you can either dig up and dispose of the rhizomes or spot treat the tips of the canes with herbicide. Most of us would like to take the organic approach, but digging up a large thicket can be overwhelming. After digging out what you can, rototill the area several times during the season to make you have destroyed any bits of rhizome and crown left in the ground. If you decide to use herbicides, apply the chemicals directly to the cut parts of the canes. Read the herbicide label completely, and mix and apply the product as instructed. Avoid using herbicides near plants that wildlife might eat. Store any remaining herbicide in the original container, or dispose of it according to the label instructions.

Berries, specifically blackberries, are the herald of summer and great for using in smoothies, pies, jams, and fresh off the vine. A newer blackberry variety is in town: the silvanberry fruit or sylvan blackberry. So what are they and how do you grow silvanberries? Read on to learn more.

What are Silvanberries?

Hybridized in Australia, this berry is a cross between Marion berry and a seedling cross of Pacific and Boysenberries. Categorized in the blackberry family, silvanberry plants have a number of traits commonly found among other blackberry varieties. These plants are long-living (15 to 20 years) perennials, hardy and cold-tolerant, easy to grow, and prolific spreaders. As with any blackberry type, you will want to contain your silvanberry fruit plants in a pot or planter box with a trellis or up against a fence to restrain its enthusiastic spread. Silvanberry fruits are very large, dark red, glossy blackberries that are extremely high in vitamin C borne off of thorny vines. Silvanberry plants are vociferous producers but don't panic, all that surplus fruit freezes beautifully.

How to Grow Silvanberries

As mentioned above, you will want to have some type of support, such as a trellis or the like, when planting silvanberries as they have a trailing habit. Silvanberry plants are early producers (late June through August) that thrive in cooler climates. Oh so unparticular about where it is planted, nonetheless, the ideal location for planting silvanberries is in full sun, out of the wind. The plant prefers slightly acidic, well-drained soil with lots of organic matter mixed in. Silvanberry plants need regular applications of liquid fertilizer during the growing season to a top dressing of mulch. In the winter months when the plant is dormant, train the canes along the fence or trellis and prune out any weak or old canes or those that have already produced fruit. Keep the canes off the ground as much as possible so the berries don't rot. You may want to cover the plants with bird netting to deter the birds from eating your potential harvest. Apply copper spray during the winter to combat fungal diseases and when planting silvanberries; plant in an open area with lots of airflow to prevent any disease from taking hold.

Marion blackberries, sometimes referred to as the “Cabernet of Blackberries,” are the premier blackberry cultivated and used in everything from yogurt, jam, baked goods, and juices. They have a complex, rich flavor, deep reddish-purple color, superior texture and size over other blackberry varietals, and that's not all. Read on for further information regarding, “What are marionberries?”.

What are Marionberries?

Marionberry plants are crossbreeds made up of two previous hybrids -- the small but delicious Chehalem and the larger heavily productive Ollalie. Development of this berry began in 1945 through the efforts of George F. Waldo of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and was tested in the Willamette Valley. Subsequently released for cultivation under its name of Marionberry in 1956, it is named after Marion County in Oregon.

Additional Marionberry Information

Marionberries are called caneberries, meaning a type of blackberry with a limited number of long (up to 20 feet (6 m.)), but prolific in production canes. This vigorous grower can produce up to 6 tons (5443 kg.) of fruit per acre. The Willamette Valley in Oregon is the Caneberry Capital of the World with perfect climatic conditions for marionberry growing. Marionberry growing conditions are optimal with moist spring rains and summers, which are warm during the day and cool at night to produce sweet, plump fruit. 90 percent of the world's marionberries are grown near Salem, Oregon. The hybrid captures the very best of the two crossed varieties with an intense berry flavor, plump juiciness, and high levels of Vitamin C, gallic acid, and rutin - antioxidants that are purported to be cancer fighters and aid in circulation. Other health benefits include the berries' high fiber content and low-calorie count, just 65-80 calories per cup! Additionally, the berries of marionberry plants freeze beautifully and, when thawed, maintain their shape and texture.

How to Grow Marionberries

I've got you now. I know you are chompin' at the bit to know how to grow your own marionberries. First of all, marionberries ripen through spring and early summer, reaching peak production during July and ending in early August. The berries must be hand-picked, ideally in early in the morning. Choose a full sun exposure site for growing marionberries. The soil should have a pH of 5.5 or greater; if it is less than this you need to then amend it with lime. Dig in 4-5 inches (10-12.5 cm.) of good compost or manure into the top foot (30.5 cm.) of the soil the autumn prior to planting. Plant the marionberry in the early spring, to an inch (2.5 cm.) up from the base but not covering the crown of the plant. Tamp the soil around the plant firmly and water it in well. Multiple plants should be 5-6 feet (1.5 to 2 m.) apart and rows around them 8-10 feet (2.5 to 3 m.) apart. The marionberry plant should be supported with stakes and wire trellises with each pair of stakes positioned 4-5 feet (1 to 1.5 m.) apart with 2 wires strung between. One wire should hang at 5 feet (1.5 m.) high and the other 18 inches (45.5 cm.) lower than the first. Use this trellis to train the first emergent canes or primocanes while leaving the new canes that grow up over the summer to trail at ground level. Harvest the marionberries from mid to late summer and on into the fall. Remove canes that produced berries from the base of the plant in late autumn and train the primocanes around the wire trellis. Winterize your berries by covering them with burlap or straw to protect them from frost damage. Marionberry plants are susceptible to leaf and cane spot, which should be treated with fungicide. Otherwise, this plant is easy to grow and, as mentioned, prolific in production. So get some ice cream or simply eat them fresh from the vine and try not to stain that white shirt.

Memories of wild blackberry picking can hang with a gardener for a lifetime. In rural areas, blackberry picking is a yearly tradition that leaves participants with scratches, sticky, black hands, and smiles as wide as the creeks that still run through farms and fields. Increasingly, though, home gardeners are adding blackberries to the landscape and creating blackberry-picking traditions of their own. When caring for home stands, it's important to familiarize yourself with the diseases of blackberries and their remedies. A very common problem in certain cultivars is blackberry calico virus (BCV) - a carlavirus, sometimes known as blackberry calico disease. It affects thornless cultivars, as well as wild and standard commercial canes.

What is Blackberry Calico Virus?

BCV is a widespread virus belonging to the carlavirus group. It seems to be nearly universally present in older plantings of blackberries throughout the Pacific Northwest. Blackberry calico virus-infected plants have a striking appearance, with yellow lines and mottling running through leaves and crossing veins. These yellow areas are especially prevalent on fruiting canes. As the disease progresses, leaves may turn reddish, bleach, or die completely.

Treatment for Blackberry Calico Virus

Although the symptoms can be disturbing for a gardener experiencing it for the first time, BCV control is rarely considered, even in commercial orchards. The disease has little economic impact on the fruit-bearing capability of blackberries and is often simply ignored. BCV is considered a minor, largely aesthetic disease. Blackberries used as edible landscaping may be affected more severely by BCV, since it can ravage the leaves of the plant and leave a blackberry stand looking thin in places. Badly discolored leaves may be simply picked from plants or you can leave BCV-infected plants to grow and enjoy the unusual leaf patterns the disease creates. If blackberry calico virus is a concern for you, try certified, disease-free cultivars “Boysenberry” or “Evergreen,” since they show a strong resistance to BCV. “Loganberry,” “Marion” and “Waldo” are very susceptible to blackberry calico virus and should be removed if planted in an area where the disease is prevalent. BCV is often spread with new cuttings from infected canes.

If your blackberries refuse to ripen, they may be suffering from redberry mite syndrome. The microscopic, four-legged mites get inside the berries and cause serious damage. Redberry mite control depends on insecticides, including horticultural oils and sulfur-based insecticides.

Redberry Mites on Blackberries

Redberry mites (Acalitus essigi) spend their winters deep inside blackberry buds and bud scales that will later become new shoots and leaves. In spring, the mites gradually move to new shoots and flowers, and eventually enter the berries. They concentrate around the base of the berry and in the core. Once they find their way to the fruit, the redberry mites inject the berries with a toxin as they feed. This toxin prevents the berries from ripening. You can identify redberry mite damage by the small, hard, red or green berries. You may see normal and damaged berries hanging in the same cluster. Damaged berries are inedible and there is nothing you can do to save them, but you can plan early to prevent damage to next year's crop.

Controlling Redberry Mites

Prune out damaged clusters of berries and destroy them. You won't get rid of all the mites this way, but you'll get rid of substantial numbers of them. The two types of insecticides used for redberry mite control are horticultural oils and sulfur-based products. Read the label carefully and make sure the one you choose is labeled for redberry mites. Timing is very important when treating for redberry mites. Horticultural oils cause less damage to the crop than sulfur products. Apply the oils at two to three week intervals as directed on the label. Never apply horticultural oils within a month of applying a sulfur product. Combining the two products at close intervals can seriously damage the plant. You should also avoid horticultural oils when temperatures are higher than 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 C.) to prevent damage to the blackberry bush. Sulfur products are more toxic than horticultural oils. Test them on a small part of the plant before spraying the entire plant. The timing of application, called delayed-dormant application, is a bit tricky. You want to catch the bush just after it breaks dormancy. Wait until the buds begin to swell, but before new leaves begin to open.

Propagating blackberries is easy. These plants can be propagated by cuttings (root and stem), suckers, and tip layering. Regardless of the method used for rooting blackberries, the plant will characteristically resemble that of the parent variety, especially as far as thorns are concerned (i.e. thornless types will not have thorns and vice versa).

Growing Blackberries from Cuttings

Blackberries can be propagated through leafy stem cuttings as well as root cuttings. A tool you'll need to take these cuttings is a pair of clean, sharp pruners, like these Felco F6 Hand Shears from Amazon. If you want to propagate lots of plants, leafy stem cuttings are probably the best way to go. This is usually accomplished while the cane is still firm and succulent. You'll want to take about 4-6 inches (10-15 cm.) of the cane stems. These should be placed in a moist peat/sand mix, sticking them in a couple inches deep. 

Note: Rooting hormone can be used but is not necessary. 

Mist well and put them in a shady location. Within three to four weeks, roots should begin to develop. More often root cuttings are taken for blackberry propagation. 

These cuttings, which are usually anywhere from 3-6 inches (7.5-15 cm.) long, are taken in fall during dormancy. They usually require about a three-week cold storage period, especially plants having larger roots. Straight cuts should be made nearest the crown with an angled cut made further away. 

Once the cuttings have been taken, they're usually bundled together (with similar cuts end to end) and then cold stored at about 40 degrees F. (4 C.) outdoors in a dry area or in the refrigerator. After this cold period, like stem cuttings, they are placed in a moist peat and sand mix—about 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm.) apart with straight ends inserted a couple inches into soil. 

With small-rooted cuttings, only small 2-inch (5 cm.) sections are taken. These are placed horizontally over the moist peat/sand mix and then lightly covered. It is then covered in clear plastic and placed in a shady location until new shoots appear. Once they're rooted, all the cuttings can be planted into the garden.

Propagating Blackberries through Suckers & Tip Layering

Suckers are one of the easiest ways to root blackberry plants. Suckers can be removed from the parent plant and then replanted elsewhere. Tip layering is another method that can be used for blackberry propagation. This works well for trailing types and when only a few plants are needed. 

Tip layering usually takes place in late summer/early fall. The young shoots are simply bent over to the ground and then covered with a few inches of soil. This is then left throughout fall and winter. 

By spring there should be enough root formation to cut the plants away from the parent and replant elsewhere.

It's frustrating to sit and wait for the first blackberries of the season to ripen, only to find that your blackberry bush won't grow berries. Maybe the blackberry fruit are not ripening, or maybe they ripen but are misshapen or undersized. You may wonder if the cause of the blackberries not fruiting is some kind of blackberry cane disease or an environmental factor. There are many reasons why a blackberry bush may not produce fruit.

Blackberry Bush Viruses Causes Blackberries Not Fruiting

If your blackberry plant looks healthy and blooms, but grows misshapen fruit or even no fruit at all, chances are that your blackberry plants are affected by one of many blackberry viruses. Some of these viruses include:

• Blackberry Calico
• Blackberry/Raspberry Tobacco Streak
• Raspberry Bushy Dwarf
• Black Raspberry Streak

Unfortunately, most of these blackberry diseases will show almost no outward signs of infection on the blackberry plant other than to decrease the number of blackberry fruit found on the plant. In fact, some of these blackberry cane diseases can even make the plant grow bigger and faster. These diseases may also only affect one kind of blackberry variety and not another, so one variety of blackberry in a yard may fruit while another blackberry susceptible to that blackberry virus may not. The other unfortunate fact about blackberry viruses is that they cannot be cured. Once a blackberry bush is infected, it must be removed. However, you can take steps to make sure that your blackberry plants don't end up with these diseases.

• First, make sure that the blackberry plants you buy are certified virus-free.
• Second, keep wild blackberry brambles at least 150 yards (137 m.) away from domestic blackberry bushes, as many wild blackberry bushes carry these viruses.

Fungus Causing Blackberry Bush That Won't Grow Berries

A fungus called Anthracnose can also cause blackberries not to fruit. This blackberry fungus can be spotted when the blackberry fruit will start to ripen but will wilt or turn brown before the berry is fully ripe. You can treat the blackberry bush with a fungicide and make sure to remove and dispose of any infected blackberry canes.

Pests Causing No Blackberries on a Blackberry Bush

Some pests like thrips, mites, and raspberry fruitworm beetles can also cause a fruiting problem with a blackberry plant. Check the bush carefully, particularly the undersides of leaves to see if the plant has unwanted insects. Treat the infested blackberry bushes with a pesticide to get rid of pests. Take caution, though. If you remove all insects from the blackberry bush, you may reduce the number of pollinators, which will also reduce the number of blackberries the bush produces.

Environmental Factors Keep Blackberries from Fruiting

Other factors like soil nutrients, heredity and the number of pollinators can also affect how well a blackberry bush fruits.

• Soil - Have your soil tested to make sure that a healthy balance of nutrients is in the soil. Amend the soil if you find this is not the case.
• Lack of Pollinators - Limit the use of pesticides around the blackberry bushes to make sure that pollinators can get to the plants.
• Heredity - Make sure that you only purchase quality varieties from reputable nurseries. Wild or poor quality blackberry bushes can come from stock that simply cannot produce large, quality blackberry fruits.

Guide to Pruning Blackberries For a Bigger Harvest

If you're considering pruning blackberries, perhaps this article will help you with what can be a confusing snarl of thorny canes.

Anyone who’s ever viewed a profusion of blackberry canes knows they can become so tangled and dense it’s nearly impossible to pick the luscious fruit without suffering grievous injury.

Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, I am particularly familiar with not only the delectable fruit but also the multitude of wounds one receives when procuring it. Pruning blackberries will not only serve to tame their wild habit and prevent further maiming but has another purpose as well. Keep reading to learn how and when to prune blackberry bushes.

Do You Need to Prune Blackberry Bushes?

Pruning blackberry bushes is not absolutely necessary; they seem to thrive under adverse conditions. However, pruning will not only make it easier to get at the fruit but less dangerous to your delicate skin as well.

Also, pruning blackberries allows you to separate the first and second years of growth. Canes from the first year are called “primocanes”. They do not produce either blooms or fruit. The second-year canes, called “floricanes” are the producers.

If you don’t cut back the canes, both the primocanes and floricanes mix together into a snarl of canes that harbors diseases and pests and reduces productivity.

When to Prune Blackberries

When exactly to prune blackberries seems to be a matter of contention. Some say prune in the summer and winter while others say in the fall.

From a multitude of sources, here is what I've gleaned. Fall is not a common time to prune blackberries unless you have everbearing varieties. Some growers cut the canes back to the ground in the fall when the plants are done producing.

Otherwise, winter is the most common time to prune blackberries but not always the best time Some gardeners prune out the floricanes in winter which can actually reduce the growth and development of the primocanes. That said, blackberries can and should be trimmed year-round with different cuts for different seasons and reasons.

For instance, year-round you should be removing any dead, diseased, or broken canes. After that, it gets even a little more confusing.

About Blackberry Canes

To shed some light on what can be a confusing topic, let’s focus on the canes. The first-year shoots emerge in April with thick, green foliage that develops buds in late spring. These are the primocanes. They can grow many feet if left untrimmed.

The floricanes are the older, second-year, canes that flower and set fruit during the summer. They die back once harvested. But at any one time, there will likely be both primocanes and floricanes on the same plant; sometimes they both have green foliage so which one is which can be difficult to discern. Both cane types have different pruning needs.

How to Prune Blackberries

While there are erect, trailing, thorny, and thornless blackberry varieties, for the most part, all can be pruned in the same manner with the same goals. The primary goal is to remove the older floricanes which will allow the plant to divert its energy the successive year to this year's primocanes, which will be fruit producers next year.

Always start with sterile pruning shears and/or loppers. In late June or July, tip back the developing primocanes to about 48 inches (1.2 m). Why? Removing the tips of the primocanes allows the plant to focus its energy on producing lateral branches which improves yield. Remove the tip above the leaf. To avoid fungal or pathogen disease, apply fungicide to the cut tip.

In the spring, tip back lateral shoots to about 18 inches (46 cm). This will help to prevent winter damage and injury.

Unless they seem diseased or damaged, don’t touch the floricanes until they have fruited. Once they've fruited, cut the floricanes to the crown of the plant. Also in late winter, if you haven’t already, prune the lateral branches to increase fruit size as well as air, sunlight and water penetration. It also makes it easier to harvest the berries. Again, consider applying fungicide to any cut canes.

At the end of your pruning, leave only 4-6 vigorous primocanes per plant. Remove any spent floricanes, dead, diseased, or dying branches. Remove and discard any debris. If you take the time each year to manage your blackberries, they will reward you with succulent, juicy fruit for up to 20 years.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Do Blackberry Bushes Need to Be Cut Back in the Winter? If you haven’t already done so, then yes, you should cut back your blackberries in the winter. Since the bush is dormant, it is an ideal time to sort the primocanes from the floricanes and remove any damaged or diseased canes.
• Do Thornless Blackberries Need Pruning?Treat thornless blackberries just like those with thorns, which means pruning out the floricanes once they’ve been harvested, remove any dead, damaged, or diseased canes, and tip-prune primocanes.
• How to Tip-Prune To do blackberry tip-pruning, use a sharp, clean pair of pruning shears and cut back the blackberry canes to about 24 inches (60 cm.). If the canes are shorter than 24 inches (60 cm.), simply prune off the top inch (2.5 cm.) or so of the cane. While tip pruning, you can also prune off any diseased or dead canes.

Many of us love plucking ripe blackberries from those wild, rambling bushes we see along roadsides and wooded edges. Wondering about how to grow blackberries in your garden? Keep reading for more information so you can produce some of your own tasty berries.

About Blackberry Planting

Blackberries are a common sight in many regions of the United States, eaten fresh or used in baked goods or preserves. Those who pick the wild rambling berries do so forearmed with the knowledge that the prickly vines are likely to inflict some damage whilst plucking the tender fruit. The good news is that growing blackberry bushes in the home garden doesn’t have to be an exercise in pain; there are new thornless cultivars available.

Blackberries thrive in climates with warm days and cool nights. They may be erect, semi-erect or trailing in habit. The erect type of berry has thorny canes they grow upright and need no support. They produce large, sweet berries and are more winter hardy than their counterparts.

Semi-erect blackberries come in both thorned and thornless cultivars which produce more prodigiously then the erect cultivars. Their fruit is also quite large and may vary in flavor, from tart to sweet. These berries do need some support.

Trailing blackberry varieties may also be thorny or thornless. The large, sweet berries do require some support and they are the least winter hardy of the cultivars.

Each type is self-fruitful, meaning only one plant is necessary to set fruit. Now that you’ve made your choice, it’s time to learn how to grow blackberries.

How to Grow Blackberries

Once you have decided on the type of blackberry you wish to grow, its blackberry planting time. When growing blackberry bushes, it’s a good idea to think ahead and prepare the planting site a year prior to planting.

Make sure not to plant blackberries anywhere peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes or strawberries are growing, or have grown in the past three years. These plants are prone to similar problems as growing blackberry plants, so keep away from these areas.

Choose a site that is in full sun and has plenty of room for the ramblers to grow. If you put them in too much shade, they won’t produce much fruit.

The soil should be a well-draining sandy loam with a pH of 5.5-6.5. If you lack an area with sufficient drainage, plan on growing blackberry bushes in a raised bed. Once you have chosen your site, weed the area and amend the soil with organic matter the summer or fall prior to blackberry planting.

Purchase a certified disease-free variety of blackberry that is recommended for your area. Plant as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring. Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the root system. Build a trellis or system of training wires at the time of planting.

For multiple plants, space trailing cultivars 4-6 feet (1-2 m.) apart in rows, erect cultivars 2-3 feet (0.5-1 m.) apart and semi-erect 5-6 feet (1.5-2 m.) apart.

Blackberry Plant Care

Once the bushes are established, there is very little blackberry plant care needed. Water regularly; provide an inch (2.5 cm.) of water per week depending upon weather conditions. Allow 3-4 new canes per plant to grow to the top of the training wire or trellis. Keep the area around the plants free of weeds.

In the first year of growing blackberry bushes, expect to have a small batch of fruit and a full harvest in the second year. After you see ripened fruit, try picking blackberries every three to six days. This prevents the birds from getting the berries before you do. Once the fruit has been harvested, prune out the fruiting canes which will not produce again.

Fertilize new plants once new growth appears with a complete fertilizer such as 10-10-10 in the first year. Established plants should be fertilized before new spring growth emerges.