We LOVE our backyard blackberry bushes and I’ve been asked recently “How Do you Grow Blackberries?”
Here are some of the tips that got me started…keeping in mind that I’m not a pro but 3 years and we’re getting buckets full each week!
Go Thornless. The wild blackberries on our property have SUPER SHARP thorns but you can buy thornless blackberries online or from nurseries. Having harvested from both – chose the thornless! You can start from seed but that takes forever.
We grabbed our thornless bush one year late summer when the nursery was marking down all the post-blooming plants! (See more about saving on plants here). The thornless varieties are easy for kids to harvest.
Pick the Right location. These babies can get BIG and they spread throughout the growing seasoning. So chose a location that has mostly full sun and allows room for it to grow. Well drained soil is also important so the ground doesn’t get too wet. Finally, they do best having something to grow against- we used a fence but you could also buy a sturdy trellis. This keeps the berries from sitting on the ground.
Some shade is important- especially if you live in a place where the summer is very hot (hello…North Carolina!) The afternoon shade keeps the berries from drying out. [Read more…]
