Q: Every summer I can't wait for the blackberries and raspberries to show up at the market! But it seems like they cost so much money, and every time I buy some, they get moldy in just a few days. I've got a great sunny spot in the backyard, and I've been thinking about growing some berries of my own. Can you help me get started?A: You are so right: there just aren't enough good berries to go around! Growing your own blackberries and raspberries is a great idea, and it sounds like you're well on your way with the sunny spot you've already chosen. The only things you need now are the plants themselves.
There are some basic differences between blackberries and raspberries:
- The cone (or receptacle) in the center of a blackberry is part of fruit and stays with the berry when you pick it.
- The cone on each raspberry stays on the plant when you pick it.
- Raspberries tend to be hardier than blackberries.
- Blackberries have two different growth habits: erect (more cold-hardy, grows upward; stiff, arching canes that are somewhat self-supporting) and trailing (also called dewberries; less cold-hardy but can grow in colder places if you leave canes on ground and mulch over them in the winter; grow down and out; not self-supporting). Both types need to be trellised.
In general, both types of plants share the following characteristics:
- Both like cool, well-drained sites with lots of sun.
- They can tolerate some shade but not lots of it.
- Neither can tolerate wet soil.
- Both need regular pruning for maximum fruit production.
Both types of berries can be grown in exactly the same manner. Do keep in mind, however, that these plants won't bear fruit until their second year. But you can expect a healthy plant to bear fruit for between 15 and 20 seasons. Here are the basic steps to getting your blackberries and raspberries off to a good start:
1. First prepare the soil by rototilling and composting; these plants can tolerate almost any type of soil so long as it has good drainage.
2. Install a trellis for the plants to climb on. A trellis will help to control the plants; any plants that trail along the ground will re-root.
3. Dig a hole the same depth as the plant's container and the same width as the diameter of the roots when spread out (if the roots are balled in the container, cut them before planting). Holes should be placed 2' apart to allow the plants plenty of room to spread.
4. Insert each plant in a hole and cover the roots with soil to ground level.
5. Mulch and water the bed.
6. Fertilize the plants with a 5-10-10 fertilizer to keep the yields high and the plants strong (do this only in the spring and after harvesting the fruit).
There are a few common problems that you'll need to watch out for:
- You can cover plants with netting to prevent birds and other hungry visitors from stealing your fruit, but that makes it hard to harvest the fruit. I advise you just to plant more bushes than you want so there's enough for you and the thieves!
- Watch out for "blackberry rust," a rust-colored fungus that shows up on the backs of the plants' leaves and prevents fruiting. The most common cause is wet summers, but too much moisture for any reason can also cause it.
- Sometimes blackberry and raspberry plants are their own worst enemies and take over the garden. Trellising helps control these rapid spreaders, but nipping suckers in the bud and stopping canes from re-rooting will truly ensure that they grow only where they're wanted.
With just a little time investment up front and some maintenance throughout the growing season, you can have more blackberries and raspberries than you ever dreamed -- right at your fingertips!. So what are you waiting for? Get growing!
