Blackberries
The Blackberries of the West are bred from those of the East and Midwest. They are shrubs with long, trailing branches. The fruit flavor is influenced by the wild blackberries of the Northwest.
Plant care & info
Full sun (roots are very sensitive to sunlight, so be sure to plant on a cloudy day).
Rich, well-drained (keep area well weeded).
Provide regular water (about 1” per week).
Plant erect varieties 2-4 feet apart and trailing varieties 5-6 feet apart. Prune heavily at planting to encourage new growth. The roots are very sensitive to sunlight, so plant on a cloudy day.
Blackberry roots are perennial, the canes biennial: they fruit on second year growth. Each cane is produced only once. The roots will produce for about ten years.
Feed with a complete fertilizer at bloom time.
Blackberries grow best on a trellis. String 2 wires 5 feet high with 18 inches between the wires. Train 1 year old canes on the trellis. Remove canes that have fruited after harvest and train canes of the current season onto the trellis. Prune these between 6-8 feet and remove all but 12-16 canes. In early spring, prune side branches to 1 foot.
Click to download this year’s Blackberry Varieties.
