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Care
of Blackberries
Care
of your Blackberry
Plant your Blackberry cane well and it will require little care. Water them when conditions become dry,
especially if this occurs when the berries are forming. An annual
dressing of well-rotted compost will see them throughout the season.
Where compost is not available, use a log lasting fertiliser such as
bonemeal. Blackberries are self-fertile and so will produce fruit even
if only one plant is grown.
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Harvesting
Blackberries
The berries are produced on the previous year's growth, and for this
reason, no blackberries will be produced during the first year.
It
should be possible to start harvesting the berries in
early July
depending
on the variety. Most varieties can be harvested from
early August
up
until
early October
if the weather is good.
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There are two methods to determine if blackberries are ready for
harvest. First look at the colour, the berries should be deep purple or
burgundy (almost but not quite black) and look plump. The second method
is to pick a test blackberry. Grasp a berry between your thumb and
finger then gently twist. If the fruit comes off easily leaving the
stalk behind then it's ripe. Eat the blackberry to taste it! Some trial
and error is required but if you start the harvest process from late
July onwards you will soon be able to judge the correct time for
harvest.
It's
best to pick the fruit little but often to encourage the formation of
more fruit. Frequent picking will also reduce the risk of the fruit
over-ripening and rotting which will only encourage disease. The best
time to pick blackberries is when the weather is dry, wet blackberries
do not keep longer than a day before they begin to rot. As soon as the
berries are harvested place them out of direct sunlight in a cool area.
Blackberries do not ripen when picked and they should be eaten within
a day or so of harvest. If you want to keep them longer then place them
in the refrigerator and they will be good for three or four days. Keep
them slightly moist in the refrigerator for the best results.
Propagate Your Blackberry
It is an easy job to propagate a blackberry, even for novice gardeners. The best time is
around
mid-September.
Select a stem
which is in perfect condition (growing vigorously with no blemishes) and
bend its tip to the ground. Where it touches the ground, dig a small
hole about 15cm (6in) deep and bury the tip of the stem into the hole.
Cover with crumbly soil to the surrounding soil level. If the stem looks
like springing out of the hole, place a few largish stones over the soil
to keep it in place (remove them two months later). Water well if the
conditions are dry.
The
stem tips will root in a couple of month's time, and can be dug up and
moved to their final position early Spring next year. To do this, cut
the parent stem about 30cm (12in) from the new plant. Dig up the new
plant, trying to avoid any root disturbance and plant in their new
positions.
Varieties
of Blackberry
| Early
Season |
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| Bedford
Giant |
Thorny,
vigorous grower |
Large
black fruit, very good taste. |
Heavy
crops for four weeks. |
| Merton
Early |
Thorny,
very compact grower |
Glossy
fruit, good taste. |
Heavy
cropper for around a month |
| Middle
Season |
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|
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| Himalayan
Giant |
Very
thorny, very vigorous |
Large
black fruit, slightly acidic taste |
Heavy
cropper over six or seven weeks |
| Merton
Thornless |
No
thorns, medium vigour |
Medium
sized fruit, the best taste |
Good
cropper over 6 weeks |
| Late
Season |
|
|
|
| John
Innes |
Medium
thorns, vigorous grower |
Large
black fruit, excellent taste |
Good
cropper, avoid cold sites |
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