How To Grow Blackberry Plants

With dozens of varieties available for sale, growing Blackberries in the home garden is easy. Selecting the right variety will depend on you climate and needs.
Blackberry varieties include both thornless and thorny varieties, also upright, semi upright and trailing varieties are available. Also available are varieties that ripen early season, mid season and late season, and of course some are better suited to warmer, or colder climates.

Fruit will also differ in size and taste, as will the quantity of fruit produced. It is a little unfortunate that all of the ‘good qualities’ are not available on the one variety for all zones. Discuss your needs with you supplier

Blackberries are easy plants to grow, and can provide you with masses of sweet fruit.

They are regarded as a bramble, and Bramble is the northern name and blackberry the southern.

Blackberry plants are usually purchased and planted in early spring. They are sold bare rooted and should be planted immediately. Blackberries grow best in USDA zones 2 – 7

Planting Blackberry Plants

Soil preparation and trellis installation if required should be completed before purchasing.
They do need a position in full sun for good fruit ripening.

How to plant Blackberry Plants

The blackberry plants should be unpacked and the roots soaked in a very dilute seaweed fertile solution for 2 – 4 hours before planting. This will rehydrate the plants and give them a better start.
Any damaged canes or roots should be pruned away with a sharp pair of secateurs.
The planting holes should be dug before the canes are removed from soaking.
The holes need to be large enough to easily hold the root system when it is fully spread out.
Planting distance should be around 3 ft apart.
Place the blackberry plant in the hole and backfill.
Water in with a liquid seaweed fertiliser and mulch around the plants.

Summary

Good Fertile soil
Sunny position
Good drainage but moisture retentive
Plant in spring except in frost free areas when fall planting is acceptable.

Blackberry Varieties

Thornless Blackberry Varieties available for sale by mail order include :

Osage Thornless – Full flavor on high producing floricane cultivar. Tall upright canes.
Natchez – High yielding, early cropping thornless variety.
Hull – Very sweet but not as hardy as some
Black Satin – Excellent for colder climates
Navaho –
Quachita – Large sweet fruit
Triple Crown – Heavy bearing with form sweet fruit

Thorned Blackberry Plants:

Shawnee – The best producer of all, good sized berries and a heavy cropping type
Brazzo and Roseborough – Both good varieties for warmer climates
Choctaw – A Blackberry with very few seeds
Chickasaw – A fairly new release that is suited to machine harvesting, very upright canes and heavy cropping. Large berries and a vigorous plant.
Onyx – A good strong ‘Blackberry taste’ on a thorny plant.
Boysen – A trailing variety with excellent fruit for pies and jams

Blackberry plants are available for sale from the following growers

PENSE NURSERY, Inc.2318 Hwy 71 NE Mountainburg, AR 72946We sell fruit plants. www.penseberryfarm.com

BRAMBLEBERRY FARM – phone 479-414-4844PO Box 327 Winslow, AR. 72959Specializing in small fruit plants. Grape, blackberry, Raspberry, Blueberry, Gooseberry, Dewberry, Elderberry and Boysenberry

STARK Bro’s NURSERIES& ORCHARDS Co.– phone: 1-800-325-4180 fax: 573-754-8880PO Box 1800 Louisiana MO 63353Originators of Red and Golden Delicious apples. Full line of fruit, Apricots, Berries, Cherries, Quinces, Pears, Grapes, Nuts, shade and flowering trees, shrubs roses and small fruits .Includes: Blackberries