Blackberries

Blackberries are perennial plants but their canes are biennial – each cane dies after 2 years. A first-year cane is called a primocane, and the second-year cane is called a floricane.

Floricane-bearing

Only bear fruits at the 2nd-year cane
Fruits ripen late July to early August
Primocane can get winter damage if it’s colder than 13 °F.

Primocane-bearing

Can bear fruit on the 1st-year and 2nd-year cane.
Fruits ripen in late August until frost.
It might not be ideal if your fall-frost date is early.

Different types of blackberries

We’re not talking about thorn or thornless. These 3 different types have different ways of spreading and different needs for trellising. 

Requirements

Some people have mentioned the flavors are not as rich as the blackberries in PNW – it might be due to the alkaline soil and water here. Planting in raised bed can be easier to control the soil PH level and nutrients. 

Water

Drip line + mulch to keep your soil moist but not soggy.

Soil

Well-drained sandy soil and preferably pH of 5.5 – 7.0. Add organic matter to improve soil drainage and nutrient holding capacity.

Sun/shade

8+ hrs full sun is required but provide shade in the afternoon to prevent fruit sunburn.

Plant with…

  • Garlic, Chives, Nasturtiums, Leeks, Onions: repelling bugs
  • Hyssop, beebalm, sunflower, roses, yarrow, tansy, borage : attract bees
  • Beans and peas: nitrogen fixing

Don’t plant with…

  • Brassicas: nutrition theif
  • fennel: inhibit growth
  • potato, tomato, egg plant: pest
  • melon, peach, apricot, cherry: fungal disease (Verticillium Wilt)

Trellising

Trelissing can reduce cane breakage, to keep fruit off the ground and make harvesting easier. Here are the examples from USU extension–

Read more at USU extension