The price of blackberries at the grocery store can seem like extortion. Fortunately, you do not need to be a slave to the high prices charged for quality blackberries since you can simply grow your own. These berries take diligence to grow, but with the right planning and effort, you can have these delicious berries to add a healthy accent to you morning cereal or make a great filling -for pies and pastries. Follow these steps to plant blackberries and produce a fresh, healthy snack for your family.
Scout your garden for an appropriate spot to plant your berries. Blackberries enjoy an environment with well drained soil as well as plenty of direct sunlight. The bushes can grow large though, so make sure you allow for 5 to 9 feet of space between each bush.
Test the soil in your chosen plot to see if it has the correct acidic levels for your raspberries and blackberries. According to David T. Handley, the vegetable and small fruit specialist at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service, both raspberries and blackberries prefer soil with a pH of 5.6 to 6.2. If the soil does not have a pH level that high, you may want to grind up limestone over the area to increase the soil acidity.
Uproot the weeds in the area where you will be planting your raspberry and blackberry bushes. Use a hoe or tiller to turn over the weeds and soil. For sparse weeds that do not have strong roots, don a pair of gloves and pull the weeds out of the ground by hand. Spread natural compost over the area to make it a more hospitable for the blackberry and raspberry bushes.
Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the roots of the blackberry or raspberry bush you are planting. You may want to make the hole a little larger than you think you will need just in case your calculations are a little off. It is better to have to fill in the hole with extra soil later than to waste precious time making the hole bigger while the bare roots of the bush are exposed to the elements.
Place the bush’s roots into the hole once you have removed them from their nursery pots. Make sure that the roots are not bent or breaking when you set them into the hole. Pack in soil around the roots of the bush and make sure it is able to stand up straight.
Water the new bushes thoroughly. You will want to continue to water them on a regular basis so that they grow faster and produce large and healthy berries. Regular watering would constitute once a month in the dormant season and twice a month in the growing season.

This article touched the basics of the topic. I have 2 more resources related to the above. They are http://www.growguides.net/how-to-grow-blackberries.html”>how to grow Blackberries and how to plant Blackberries. Do consider reading them.