How to Grow Blackberries
Blackberries are a large, dark colored berry that resembles raspberries. They are a relatively hearty plant that can thrive in a variety of environments and climates. Blackberry plants can be found at your local home improvement store, the gardening section of your local department store, at your local nursery, or you can buy them through a mail order nursery. Before you buy your blackberry plants you should understand what it is going to take to keep the plants healthy and producing rich crops of delicious fruit.
Know What Type of Blackberry Plant to Buy
There are a variety of blackberry plants that you can choose from, and each has its own set of growing needs. Some black berry varieties grow on canes like raspberries, while other varieties grow on large bushes. Before you buy a blackberry plant you need to understand what variety will thrive in your climate, and which ones will thrive in your yard. Space, sun, and soil composition are all considerations that you will need to make. If you dont know which variety to buy ask someone at the nursery.
Preparing Your Soil
Like raspberries, blackberries need soil that is slightly alkaline. If your soil is neutral or acidic then you can add a little bit of ground up limestone to raise the pH level. The composition of the soil may also need to be adjusted. Blackberries like sandy, loose packed soil. If you have a lot of clay in your soil you may want to mix in sand and bagged top soil to create a better soil for growing blackberries. You will also want to incorporate a combination of manure and organic fertilizer into your soil.
Planting Your Blackberries
Blackberries like a lot of sun, so you will want to plant then in an area of your yard or garden that gets the most sun. When you dig the hole for your blackberry plant you need to make sure that the hole is deep enough for the root system to be completely covered as well as the first 3 to 6 inches of the blackberry cane. The instructions provided by the nursery or the plant retailer will tell you how deep your blackberry should be planted. It will also tell you how far apart your blackberries should be planted from each other.
Caring for Your Blackberries
As your blackberry canes grow they are going to need a trellis system or a support beam. One of the easiest support structures that you can use is a sturdy pole positioned next to your blackberry plant. Then you can tie the blackberry plant to the pole using twine or burlap rope.
Throughout the growing season you will want to make sure that you keep the area around your blackberry plants free of weeds. This is because weeds carry root diseases that can impair your fruit crop or kill your blackberry plant. To help retard the growth of weeds and to ensure that your blackberry plant is getting enough nutrients you can spread mulch around the base of your plants. Wood chips, pine needles, and leaf litter are all good sources of weed control and nutrients.
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