Growing Blackberries

Read on to learn how to grow blackberries - anywhere! Blackberries grow around the world with over 375 different species and these species are all differently adapted to different growing areas. That means you should be able to find a variety to grow in your area!

How To Grow Blackberries

Growing up in the deep south, blackberry bushes grew wild pretty much everywhere, so we didn’t need to know how to grow blackberries. They were a standard forage food for people and animals.

In modern times, due to roadsides being sprayed with herbicides and pesticides, they are harder to find for foraging. This meant people, like myself, had to learn how to grow blackberries! You can learn how to grow blackberries no matter where you live.

Blackberry vines are easy to prune and train which make them a versatile, nutritious addition to any size homestead. Blackberries can be grown by people in the country with large areas, in containers on a patio in a city, even in a flower bed in suburbia.

Although wild blackberries can be found in almost any climate, most cultivated varieties are only recommended up to planting zone 4 and some areas of zone 5.

Types of Blackberries

As part of the rose family, blackberries produce on thorny canes. Every year the old canes die back, and in spring, they produce new canes called primocanes. Although there are many species of blackberry, their growth patterns place them into one of three classes:

Trailing Blackberries – These produce long canes with large, elongated berries. They require support from some sort of trellis. Most trailing varieties are less tolerant of cold climates and high altitudes.

Erect Blackberries – These produce vertical canes with smaller berries. They don’t require support but to protect your harvest, you may need to support the tops as they become heavy with berries. These are well suited to almost every climate except the most extreme cold.

Semi-Erect Blackberries – The best of both worlds. They don’t require much support but they may benefit from some sort of trellis. They produce long canes and heavy yields of medium sized berries. Thornless varieties are in this group. They are also suited to most climates.

Nutritional Value of Blackberries

Some people learn how to grow blackberries because they’re nutrient dense. They are rich in vitamin C, manganese, Vitamin K, and are known as one of the best sources of polyphenols. They are also high in fiber and are perfect for the Keto diet as they are low in carbohydrates.

Planting Blackberries

Because it would take years before they start to produce from seeds, blackberries are sold as plants. If you order them, they will probably come as a bare root. At your local garden center, they may be bare root or in a pot.

Blackberries can be planted in the spring as soon as the ground is workable. I prefer to plant them in the fall to allow their root system to establish over the winter.

They require at least 8 hours of sun a day and well-drained soil. The root system will drown in soggy soil.
If you grow them unpruned or untrained to a trellis, you will need to allow 3-6 feet between each plant in rows 8 feet apart.

If you’re going to prune the canes and train them to a trellis, they can be 3-4 feet apart and rows 4-5 feet apart.
To plant them in a container, each plant needs 2 feet of space.

How To Plant Bare Root Blackberries

Dig a whole twice the diameter of the root system. Gently spread the roots out slightly and place the bare root plant in the hole so that the crown is level with the top of the hole. The crown is where the stem begins to grow up from the roots.

Fill the hole with dirt, then use your hands to pack the soil to remove air pockets surrounding the root. Be sure the hole is filled with soil and water it well.

To Plant Potted Bushes:

Dig a hole twice the diameter of the pot and the same depth as the pot. Remove the plant from the pot and gently loosen the dirt along the bottom of the roots. Place it in the hole.
Fill the hole with dirt, then use your hands to pack the soil to remove air pockets surrounding the root. Be sure the hole is filled with soil and water it well.

Caring for Blackberries

Blackberries require little maintenance - that's a homesteading win right there! They only require watering when there’s been no rain for two weeks.

Planting a thornless variety of blackberry requires use of bird netting to protect the harvest. Thorny varieties have built in protection, but I still like to place bird netting just before they’re ready to harvest. Plus if you live an area where there are cacti or thorny trees (Palo Verde trees, and certain varieties of Mesquite for example), the birds are pretty used to thorns and the net is the only thing that will stop them!

Pruning Blackberries

All fruit plants are pruned once a year. Depending on your climate, in late January or early February the sap has completely stopped running and it is safe to prune. Pruning a plant when the sap is running will risk killing it.
Using sharp pruning shears, cut old canes back to 2” above the ground. If you are pruning to shape or train your blackberries, now is the time to do it.

Blackberry Diseases

Most blackberry diseases can be prevented by proper pruning and spacing for good air flow to prevent moisture accumulation. Blackberry bushes are susceptible to a fungus called rust which shows up as reddish brown spots on the leaves. Blackberries in humid climates are at greater risk.

To prevent rust from spreading, remove all affected leaves and burn them or dispose of them away from other plants. Next, treat with fungicide of your choice or this simple solution:

½ teaspoon liquid dishwashing detergent
1 Tablespoon baking soda
1 gallon of water

Mix in a sprayer and lightly coat top and bottom of leaves.

More Helpful Information About Growing Blackberries

The first year you may get a few berries. The second year will be a little better crop. Harvest will increase every year.
Insufficient water will produce small berries.
Berries are ready for harvest when they’re dark purple or blackish. Red berries are bitter.
If you fertilize your blackberry bushes, lightly fertilize when spring growth begins.
Blackberry bushes should live 10-12 years, if cared for.
You should plant 3-4 bushes per person to have plenty of berries.
Do not plant blackberries next to raspberries. Keep them at least 100 feet apart to prevent shared diseases caused by aphids traveling between the two.

Storing and Preserving Blackberries

Rinse in cold water removing any trash or ruined berries. Next, spread them out in a single layer on a clean, dry towel and allow to air dry before storing them.

Store blackberries in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to one week.

My favorite way to preserve blackberries is to dehydrate them. Dehydration at low temps preserves the sugars and they are as sweet as candy.

I also like to make blackberry jelly or jam. You could also freeze blackberries for your favorite smoothie!

No matter how you store or preserve your blackberries, they’ll be a delicious treat in the cold of winter.

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