I got this memory from my childhood days. Whenever I visited the place of my grandparents, which was in the countryside, I used to always come back with an ice cream container. Pick the blackberries for dessert, they would say. I would come back twenty minutes later with purple-stained fingers, a few scratches, and maybe half a container of berries. The rest went straight into my mouth. I remember those were the best summer afternoons, honestly. So, when I finally got my own place with space, growing blackberries was one of my top priorities.
Finding the Right Start
Started hunting online for where to buy them. Finally, I could find The Plant Company website, where I could read the whole section on berryfruit plants. They are the best online nurseries in NZ and have all sorts of fruiting verities made me want to turn the whole backyard into an edible jungle.
What I loved about this website was how smooth they made browsing. Clear categories, decent photos, filters for everything. Their berryfruitplants section had blackberries, obviously, but also raspberries and stuff I had never heard of. Took willpower not to buy everything.
Choosing Your Spot
Right, so here is the thing. Blackberries are, in fact, not fussy, but they have a few preferences.
- Full sun is ideal. That is where you come across the most fruit and also the sweetest berries.
- Soil must drain well. They hate wet feet. If your ground stays damp, recover it with compost.
- Space them out. About 1.5 to 2 metres apart if planting more than one. They spread.
Planting and Support
Dig a hole 2-times as wide as the root ball but of the same depth. Tease the roots gently. Position, backfill, water well. Simple stuff.
Here is something I learned the hard way. Blackberries need support. Those long canes will fail everywhere if you allow them. A trellis or fence works. Try to train your canes off the ground. Keeps fruit cleaner, and that makes harvesting easier. You can easily trust me on this.
Pruning This Confuses People
Here is the simple version. The fruit on the second-year canes. So last year’s growth produces this year’s berries.
- After fruiting, those canes die. Cut them right out at ground level.
- Tie up all those new canes that raised this year. They are next season’s fruiting canes.
- Do this in winter when dormant. Easier to see what is what.
Harvest Time
Berries ripen over several weeks in summer. Pick when fully black and come off easily. If you have to pull, they may not be ready. Morning is best. They are cooler and firmer.
Watch for birds, though. They love blackberries as much as we do. Netting helps.
The Payoff
In case you like it to grow on its own, then you need to do a lot of work. Cannot pretend otherwise. But if during the summer, you are standing with a bowl containing warm berries that you grew yourself, still tainted with juice? Nothing quite like it. Future you will be very grateful. Mine already is.
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