If you are thinking about growing something different in your garden so that it looks unique and beautiful from others, you can go for blackberry. It is tasty, looks elegant and you can earn money from it if you sink into it while gardening. Hence, in this article, we would be looking at “how to grow blackberry at home”.
Blackberries are juicy black color edible fruits widely used as flavors for different fast foods. Though the term ‘berry’ is used in the name botanically it is not a berry, it is more like a collection of small fruits(drupelets) which are held together by a fine, almost invisible thread.
They are directly eaten as well as used as a source of making various other edible things like candy, pastry, cake, jam, juice, ice creams, etc.
It is a fruit of nutritional value. It contains Vitamin A and C, calcium, and dietary fiber.
Besides, it has medicinal benefits as well. It is used for treating fluid retention, diabetes, gout, and pain and swelling. It is indeed a beneficial fruit, tasty and juicy.
How to grow Backberries In Pots
Basically, blackberries are categorized into three varieties.
Erect Thorny Blackberries
Erect Thornless Blackberries
Trailing thorny blackberries.
First, Erect Thorny Blackberries are bushy plants, that stand upright on their own on the other hand hand, the trailing thorn blackberries need support to grow. It cannot stand stiff by itself.
Second, Thorny ones tend to grow faster than thornless ones. Thornless variety has a slower growth pace but it is easy to manage.
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Planting
The preferable soil for growing blackberries is loose loam or sandy loamy soils that are moist but also well-drained. Besides being fertile, It is necessary to add organic matter to the soil.
To get a better yield, plant the plant where it can receive full-time sunlight. Make sure while you plant it.
There are some plants whose proximity may carry Disease to the blackberry plant.
It is necessary to place the plant away from other unnecessary plants or weeds to keep it safe from disease.
Cuttings
You can find the readymade Blackberries cuttings in local nurseries. While you buy it, make sure the variety suits the soil where you will be growing. Take the help of the gardener of the nursery while you buy it to know which variety will suit your yard.
If it is erect variety, then make space between planting spots, then plant them 3 feet apart from each other. For trailing variety, 5-6 feet space will work.
Once you prepare the spots , plant the cultivars accordingly, at the same time, not so deep.
Growing Blackberry from seeds
You can also grow them with seeds. Like cuttings, you can fetch the seeds from Nurseries. If you extract the seeds by yourself, some refrigerating process needs to be done before you plant.
You can easily get them from Nurseries so it is obvious they will already be suitably processed for growing.
Plant the seeds in the prepared soil and keep it moist until it germinates.
With the passage of time, mix more organic matters for its healthy growth and Keep watering.
Once the seed grows into a young plant, it is time to transplant it. The plant should be placed under direct sunlight. Place a trellis around to give support to the plant while it grows and plant it digging enough depth so that the root stays stiff.
With the growth of the plant, start pruning. Cut the excess bushes that seems to go out of order.
Every year the dead canes need to be pruned.
Blackberry is a perennial plant. So it can survive year after year. The fruits will start bearing after a year. So wait upto a year and then when the berries will turn dark red or purple in color, you can start plucking them or you can say, it’s the harvest time .
Storing Blackberries
Blackberries are delicate fruits with a chance of getting spoiled within a few days. So, keep them inside the refrigerator to keep them fresh as long as you use them.
What are the best varieties of Blackberries to grow?
Erect Blackberries don’t need support to grow. So You don’t need to put extra effort on its support system.
On the other hand, Trailing Blackberries need support but it grows faster. So, you can opt for anyone who makes you feel more comfortable.
Plus it depends on which variety will fit on your growing zone.
Some of the best varieties are-
• Erect Thornless: ‘Navaho’, ‘Arapaho’
• Semi- Erect Thornless: ‘Black Satin’
• Erect Thorny: ‘Cherokee’, ‘Brazos’, ‘Shawnee’, and ‘Cheyenne’
• Trailing: Olallie
How to grow Thornless Blackberries?
All you will need is the seeds of the particular species .i.e Thornless Blackberries. The rest of the maintenance process is as the above-mentioned.
Thanks for Reading.