How to grow Blackberries and Hybrid Berries

How to grow Blackberries & Hybrid Berries

For those wondering ‘where do blackberry bushes grow?’ the good news is that they are vigorous enough to be grown in partial shade, even on a north- or east-facing wall where few other edible crops are suitable. Train them along horizontal wires or fanned out across a fence or wall for best effect. With their easy to care for, prolific nature, new berry growers won’t regret making room for these soft fruits. You can also grow them in raised beds.

Blackberries are one of the most accommodating fruits you can plant and require no special treatment. They will cope with just about any soil, although hybrids prefer one that is on the acid side of neutral. If your earth is alkaline, improve it by adding sulphur chips prior to planting.

Prepare the ground about a month before planting by cultivating it thoroughly. First, clear a patch that is at least 60cm square, then dig down to a spade’s depth, excavating the soil and putting it to one side.

How deep do blackberry roots grow? They are quite shallow and will usually not go much deeper than 10 inches, so a bed of this depth will be absolutely fine.

Next, add a 5-7cm layer of well-rotted organic matter and replace the earth. This will leave a slightly raised profile and a layer of goodness for roots to reach down to. If your soil is poor, improve the section above this layer by forking in some chicken manure pellets or a similar organic fertiliser for a further boost.

If you are looking at growing blackberries in pots, this is certainly possible, but do make sure you are looking for dwarfing varieties, or those bred to be suitable for container growing. If you have some undercover space, you don’t need to take up space with these plants - growing blackberries in a greenhouse, or growing blackberries indoors isn’t necessary, as they are hardy and can cope with outdoor conditions.

The blackberry and all its hybrids are self fertile, which means they will pollinate themselves. While you can get away with growing a single plant on its own, it can be more rewarding to cultivate a few different strains and hybrids to develop your own healthy pick-and-mix. Always leave plenty of room between them – up to 4m depending on the variety you are planting – as this will discourage competition for space and water.

Growing blackberries from seed

It is possible to start growing blackberries from seed, but it isn’t commonly practised, as the fruits will rarely be true to the parent type. You are better off starting with a young blackberry bush from a reputable nursery, which will yield far better results.

Therefore, it is also unlikely that you will get good results growing blackberries from blackberries either - but if you are just experimenting for fun, why not give it a go? Just put the seeds in some good quality potting soil, keep them warm and the soil moist.

Growing blackberries in containers

Both blackberries and hybrid berries are available as bare-root plants – or canes – and in containers. Those in pots may be set into place at any time of year (this is if you are growing blackberries in pots UK-wise), but bare-rooted types should be planted between the end of October and the beginning of spring. Late February to March is a good time, as the soil will soon be warming up and canes ready to start growing.

You need a suitable support framework in place before planting. Stretch heavy-duty galvanised wires horizontally along a fence or wall using vine eye screws, or between freestanding posts. Set the first wire 60cm above ground level then space each successive one 30cm from the next so that the tallest is 180cm above the soil.

Free-standing post-and-wire structures allow you to pick the crop from both sides and offer plenty of air circulation, while fence supports will save space and prove an attractive feature in spring when the white or pink flowers cover the canes. Make sure posts are buried at least 60cm into the ground and give them further rigidity by hammering a supporting corner strut at a 45 degree angle to each one – this will keep them secure in heavy winds.

To plant, simply dig out the prepared soil to allow plenty of room. Bare-root canes will need their roots carefully spread out so they can quickly begin growing. Fill back the earth so that the ground level is at the top of the dark soil line on the bare canes. Firm the ground down with your heel and then water.

Container plants will need to have their roots teased away from the outside of the rootball. Cut bare-root canes back to about 22cm tall once you’ve set them in the soil and apply a generous mulch of organic matter around their base to lock in moisture and keep weeds down.