Where is the best place to plant thornless blackberries?

You may envision tangled brambles full of prickly thorns that yield a few handfuls of fruit. The key to growing blackberries yourself is to start with 'domesticated' thornless varieties; they will be the easiest and most productive fruit you have ever grown. 

Blackberries thrive in most soil types and tolerate a wide range of moisture conditions. They can handle a little shade but prefer full sun for best bloom and fruit potential. Most varieties have little to no disease issues and the only pest problems are birds stealing the berries. 

Unlike wild blackberries, the thornless varieties grow long straight vine-like branches called canes. You can trellis the canes to keep them off the ground, conserving space in the garden, and making fruit harvest easier. Install plants at least three feet apart to allow sun exposure and airflow to the canes, as well as room to spread. 

Proper can pruning can be intimidating, as you don't want to risk removing canes you will need for next year. Follow our guide for adequate care of your blackberry plants. 

Throughout the rest of the year, the plant will produce random cane growth, which can be tied to the trellis or cut. Don't be afraid to remove excess canes if your trellis is full. Typically take off a quarter to half of the canes that the plants produce.

You can't go wrong with any of the thornless varieties that are available and here are a few of our favorites:  

Arapaho- This variety produces early and is very productive. The fruiting period is not as long as Ouachita, and the fruit is slightly smaller, but the seeds are small as well. 

Apache-  An erect thornless blackberry similar to Arapaho with larger fruit and seed, ripening 15 days later than Arapaho. The Apache Blackberry is very productive and selected because of its great flavor, good yield and very large fruit. Once established, Apache Blackberry plants do not require the support of a trellis or fence to grow; the canes that bear fruit are very strong and stand erect.

Natchez- Another early fruit-ripening date, like the Arapaho, it has high fruit quality, consistent high yields, and large fruit size. Superior plant characteristics include thornless, erect to semi-erect canes and good vigor and health. 

Navaho- This erect, heat-tolerant, blackberry earns high praise for its exceptionally sweet, late-June-to-August berries. The fruit's 11.7 percent sugar content is the highest among all blackberry cultivars. 

Ouachita- This variety produces copious quantities of large berries over a month to a mont and a half. The flavor is good and fruit size and quality improve throughout the season. The only downside is that the fruit has larger seeds.

The best way to succeed is to plan before you plant. Let’s discuss location: Do you know where you want to plant your new berry plant? Avoid many future problems by considering all aspects of the planting spot, such as:

• Cross-pollination
• Sun and good soil
• Leave space for future planting

NOTE: This is part 3 in a series of 11 articles. For a complete background on how to grow blackberry plants, we recommend starting from the beginning.

The main benefit has to be the fruit! Blackberries are absolutely delicious and can be eaten raw or in desserts like pies. The fruit contain vitamins A, C and K and minerals such as potassium, magnesium and copper. Blackberries also contain dietary fibre.

The blackberry flowers attract lots of bees and other pollinators into your garden. It will also attract birds, not just the ones that want to eat your berries, but the ones like wrens that will help eat other pest insects.

Choosing a thornless variety of blackberry will make picking, pruning and tying back a lot easier and safer.

How to Grow Blackberry

Blackberry

Climatic Zones

Cool, temperate, arid.

Plant Size

Height: 1.5-2m, Width: 2-4m

When To Plant Blackberry

Plant in Winter to early Spring.

Soil Preparation

Likes a rich, well drained soil. Prior to planting dig through well broken down animal manure, blood and bone or complete fertiliser into the soil.

How To Plant Blackberry

Plant in full sun, 1m apart with the plant crown at soil level. Make sure you have something to tie the stems to like a trellis or wire construct as the blackberry canes need support.

Blackberry Plant Care

For optimum fruit production blackberry canes need to be kept well watered. They will benefit from mulching in Spring to conserve moisture in Summer and keep roots cool.

As growth starts in Spring apply a complete fertiliser and a compost of well broken down animal manure.

Birds will be your main problem during fruiting time so you can place a net over your canes to prevent birds eating your berries.

During Winter or when fruiting has finished remove the old canes. Note: Blackberries fruit on second year wood so you are removing canes that have already fruited.

Some variety of blackberry will send out runners or “suckers”. This is just the plant trying to expand. Remove any suckers that the plant is sending out. You can either replant the sucker for a new plant or get rid of it.

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