So we grew blackberries when I was a kid. Of course that doesn’t mean I remember anything about the process! My favorite part was the picking and eating and that I did with abandon, believe me!
But I always wanted to grow blackberries myself. At My New Kentucky Home I finally have the space to grow some things, so I am learning now by reading and doing.
Last year I put in six thornless plants and they grew up beautifully. I added some simple fencing and by summer’s end I managed to harvest one… yes, I said ONE… beautiful blackberry! But even that was a surprise because I wasn’t supposed to get any berries at all.
These are primocane blackberries, meaning they bear fruit on both old canes and new, unlike most blackberries that only bear on new canes. Several weeks ago the new canes began to green up and branch out like crazy. They quickly grew out of control and I knew it was time to start tying them up with strips of old cloth.
My grandmother would have said this looked “boogerish”. When they started looking like this, I knew it was time to start tying up my blackberry canes
I found suckers, too!
“Suckers”, in case you’re wondering, are extra plants that grow up from the existing root system. I had read about them, but wasn’t sure what to expect until, lo and behold, I found I had sprouted SIX of them this spring! Some people apparently add in perpendicular fencing to accommodate suckers, but I thought I’d just try digging some of them up in hopes of replanting and extending my blackberry fence. I left two in place because they were still relatively close to my current plants.
These three I hope to replant soon. They’re looking pretty good…
The weeds were out of control, too, and this year I’m combating them more seriously. I put down weed control paper…
And a thick layer of mulch. Is that beautiful or what? (Although no doubt some blackberry expert out there is laughing hilariously at the saggy wire on my fencing. But like I said, I’m learning.)
The flowers have come in like crazy. And hopefully flowers mean berries!
Oh, and by the way: My husband is getting two blueberry plants from a friend. And do I know anything about growing blueberries? Of course not!
Looks like I have more reading to do…
