Triple Crown Thornless Blackberry Care

Blackberries need moderate amounts of water, around 1 inch per week provided either by rainfall or from ground-level irrigation. Blackberries do not fare well in wet soils.

Blackberry roots are perennial but the canes are biennial. This means that second-year canes that have produced their fruit need to be trimmed away after harvesting. For an established shrub, new canes that haven't yet fruited should be tip-pruned to about 3 feet in summer. This will cause the new canes to branch out, maximizing the fruit produced. Once these canes produce fruit, they should be removed to the ground immediately after the fruit harvest.

Fertilize your blackberries in the spring when plants are emerging from dormancy, using a balanced 10-10-10 formula. Fertilize plants again in the fall with an application of manure and compost, which will also suppress weeds and improve soil tilth.

Sites with full sun are best for productive blackberry bushes. Some afternoon shade is tolerated, especially in areas with hot summers.

Careful site selection will ensure a long life for your blackberries, which usually live for about a decade with proper care. The ideal soil is slightly acidic with good drainage; these plants do not do well in clay soil. An elevated site or raised beds will not only help drainage but will also prevent late spring frosts from damaging flower buds. Remove all weeds that might draw nutrients or water away from your blackberries, as their shallow roots are susceptible to this competition.

Blackberries require a period of cold dormancy to germinate, but because of their shallow root systems, they don't do well in areas where temperatures go below zero degrees routinely. Zones 5 to 8 provide the best environment for blackberries. Cold winter temperatures combined with wet spring soils may lead to plant death. The reverse environment of hot, dry winds is also unfavorable for blackberry growing and may result in stunted, seedy fruits.

When growing blackberries in containers, choose a compact cultivar like Baby Cakes that does not need pruning. Choose large containers that hold at least five gallons of soil to prevent drying out.

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