GROWING GUIDE - BLACKBERRIES
BLACKBERRY PLANTING & CARE
Looking to grow beautiful, healthy blackberries in your garden? You've come to the right place! This comprehensive growing guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from planting to harvest.
QUICK FACTS
- Sun Requirements: And Moist, Rich Soil
- Soil: Surface
- Spacing: Each Plant At Least 6Ft
- Harvest: Beginning In Mid-August And Continuing Into
PLANTING
Blackberries thrive in full sun and moist, rich soil. For best results, plant them in rows, spacing each plant at least 6ft. apart. Providing support, such as stakes or a trellis, is recommended, as blackberry plants can grow vigorously, reaching up to 10ft. in height.
Before planting, remove all packaging materials and soak the roots in a bucket of water for several hours. To prevent the roots from drying out, loosely wrap them in a damp towel or cloth while they soak. Avoid exposing the roots to bright sunlight, as this may affect their ability to establish properly.
Prepare the planting site by incorporating compost, aged manure, or a balanced organic fertilizer to enrich the soil. Dig a hole wide enough to spread the roots and deep enough to place the crown (where the stems meet the roots) about 1 in. below the soil surface. Carefully position the roots in the hole, spreading them naturally without breaking them.
Fill the hole with soil, gently firming it around the roots to remove air pockets. The final planting depth should be about .5 in. to 1 in. deeper than the original soil line on the stem.
CARE
Blackberry plants produce large, firm, and sweet fruit, with the main harvest beginning in mid-August and continuing into September. The plants are highly resistant to cane blight. To maintain healthy plants, water regularly during dry periods and apply mulch to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.
PRUNING
Blackberries fruit on the previous year’s growth. Once fruiting is complete, cut the old fruiting canes down to ground level to encourage new growth. Second year: After the harvest, prune out the fruit-bearing canes.
Third year and beyond: In late winter, before new growth begins, thin the canes to leave 5–7 strong, healthy, sideways-growing canes per foot of row. These lateral canes will bear fruit in the next season.
WATERING
Regular watering is essential, especially during fruiting season, to ensure plump, juicy berries. Mulching around the plants will help retain soil moisture and reduce the need for frequent watering.
FOR MORE TIPS ON CARE, PRUNING AND FERTILIZING, REFER TO: SHRUBS, TREES & FRUIT TREES
READY TO START GROWING?
Browse our selection of high-quality blackberries and get everything you need to start your garden today!
Shop now at T&T Seeds for the best selection of plants, seeds, and gardening supplies.
RELATED GROWING GUIDES
Explore more of our expert growing guides to expand your garden knowledge:
- Browse our complete collection of Fruit Growing guides
- Check out our gardening tips for seasonal advice
- Discover companion planting strategies for better yields
LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH!
Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to hear about sales, gardening news, plus seasonal tips and tricks.
2 comments
Cross Pollination – How far away should blackberries be planted from raspberries?
———
T&T Seeds replied:
Great question! Cross-pollination actually isn’t a concern with blackberries and raspberries — both are self-pollinating, and even if a cross did occur, it wouldn’t affect the fruit you harvest (only the genetics of the seeds inside, which gardeners don’t typically propagate from). What does matter is disease prevention, since both belong to the Rubus family and share some viruses and fungal issues.
Our recommended spacing:
- Blackberries and red, gold, or purple raspberries: 4–5 ft apart is fine, as long as you provide good airflow, prune regularly, and use separate trellises so the canes don’t tangle.
- Black raspberries: Keep these at least 75–100 ft away from blackberries (and from other raspberry colours), as they are more susceptible to aphid-spread viruses.
Hope this helps, and happy growing!
Hi! I would love some zone 3 blackberries, but I have several friends in my area (including one who specifically bought your blackberries) who have tried them and they grow, but never produce berries. We are in the Cariboo region in BC (zone 3).
Do you have any comments/suggestions?
Thank you!
———
T&T Seeds replied:
Hi Christie,
One reason that the plants may not be producing fruit could be winter damage to canes Blackberries fruit on second-year wood (floricanes). In cold climates:
- The plant survives – But the canes that should produce fruit get winter-killed – Result: lots of healthy growth… but no berries Even temps around -20°C or rapid swings can wipe out fruiting canes And when canes are damaged, you get zero fruit the following season
Other factors (but usually secondary in Zone 3) These can contribute, but are rarely the main issue in your region:
- Not enough sun (need 6–8+ hours) – Poor pollination (less likely—they’re self-fertile) – Too much nitrogen → leafy growth, no fruit – Improper pruning (cutting the wrong canes) But again—these usually cause reduced fruit, not zero fruit year after year.
What actually works in Zone 3 Option 1 — Protect the canes (best chance of success) If you really want blackberries:
- Bend canes down in fall – Cover with: – straw – leaves – snow cover (big one in your area) -
Plant in a sheltered microclimate (south-facing, wind-protected)
Some growers even use tunnels or covers to prevent winter injury.