How to grow blackberries

Blackberries come from the rosaceae family and can stay in the garden for up to 15 years if well taken care of. This climbing tree takes two years from planting time to produce berries.

There are three types of berries: trailing thornless, erect thorny and erect thornless.

Planting and caring
David Mwesige, a landscaper at Golden Herbs, says the plant can be propagated from tip cuttings, stem cuttings and suckers.

He says for a berry tree to produce fruit, one should plant it in well-drained fertile soils, where it can receive full sunlight because too much shade affects fruit production.

He adds that the plant requires average watering and should be pruned in order to attain a good harvest.

 

"Weeding is important as it reduces competition for nutrients between the plant and weeds. It also enables the plant to receive enough sunlight," he states.

When planting, Mwesige says give the plants a spacing of two metres between each other and four metres between rows.

One should also plant in a ditch that is four inches deep and 24 inches wide.

Mwesige explains that planting blackberries near plants such as eggplant, tomatoes and pepper exposes them to pests.

Uses
Mwesige states that the berries contain both soluble and insoluble fiber components and are a source of vitamins C and K.

Harvesting
Mwesige says at maturity, the berries change from green to red to black as they ripen. Birds like blackberry fruits, so they should be picked before they are eaten.