Blackberries are not only yummy; they're also easy to grow. For this reason alone, many people prefer planting these crops on their backyards. If you're one of those so eager to know how to grow blackberries right in your backyard, it's a simple step-by-step process you can easily manage.
Before planting blackberries, it's important to know what makes this fine fruit special. Blackberries are known to be very nutritious. They're rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin E and calcium. They also have phytonutrients that help combat aging and certain cancers. They're also rich in soluble fiber which is helpful in reducing cholesterol. Not only that, they contain tannins which play a protective role in maintaining taut tissues and in controlling bleeding. Last, but not the least, they have phytoestrogens which can protect women against breast and cervical cancers.
Basically, there are two kinds of blackberries - the trailing and the erect varieties. They differ through their canes' growth habits. Erect blackberries feature stiff, arching canes that seem self-supporting. They're more cold-hardy. For trailing blackberries, they've canes that aren't self-supporting. In the East, they're also called dewberries. They can grow on colder areas as long as you leave the canes by the ground and then mulch them during the winter season.
The first thing you need to consider on knowing how to grow blackberries is the location. You need to select a sunny area in your garden having good air circulation, water drainage and a pH of around 6.0 to 7.0.
Before planting, you need to keep the roots moist. You also need to work with plenty of organic matter in the soil and then, mulch to keep the weeds out. As soon as the soil warms up, start planting.
Dig a hole that is large enough and won't make the roots bend. To encourage new growth, trim the canes. Make sure that the plants are set out about 2 feet apart within rows that are 7 feet apart. For cane support, trellising is important.
Take note that summer-bearing berries can produce fruits over second year canes. During the fall of the second year, you need to prune spent canes on ground level and then, thin the others to around 4 canes for every foot of row. You also need to cut off the suckers that grow outside the rows. Next, trim the remaining blackberry canes up to 7 feet.
Tips on How to Plant Blackberries
When it comes to propagation and sowing, the seeds need stratification. They're best sown during early autumn within a cold frame. For stored seeds, they need a month's stratification at around 3 degrees C and they're best sown the earliest possible time in the year. You also need to prick out the seedlings once they're large enough to handle and to grow on in cold frames. Then, plant them out in their permanent positions during the latter part of spring the following year.
When it comes to soil conditions, blackberries prefer light to heavy soils like sandy, loamy and clay soils. These need to be well-drained although they cay also grow in poor soils. Moreover, they prefer basic, neutral and acid soils but they can also grow in very alkaline and very acid soils. Thus, it needs moist soil and it can also tolerate drought conditions.
Blackberries can also grow under full-shade, semi-shade or even in no shade.
When harvesting blackberries, make sure they're already very dark and deep red or purple in appearance.
