growing blackberries
 

we visited some friends yesterday near Memphis Tn and came home with
about two gallons of blackberries and some blackberry roots. I would
like to hear from one and all about the care and feeding of
blackberries. How do they propagate? Do we need to cut back the canes
once they bear fruit? or when are the canes cut back? Any advise,URL's,
or warnings would be appreciated.

growing blackberries
 

Mine grow like a weed and they are very difficult to stop spreading. My
blackberries propagate by suckering and they don't need any help. All I do is
mulch my berries in the fall and spring, for feed and care. The canes need to
be cut back after fruiting, because the new canes starting growing the in spring
for next year. Some people prune the new canes for a bigger harvest. I don't
prune the new canes. I started with 8 canes from my mom and had 12 blackberries
the first year, just 12 berries. The second year I had a couple of gallons and
the third year I had over 10 gallons of berries. Over a 100 jars of blackberry
jam. I unfortunately don't what kind of blackberry, they have thorns, I have
but they are great.

Marty
Zone 5.

On 7/8/2003 1:07 PM, Carl e Roberts wrote:
we visited some friends yesterday near Memphis Tn and came home with
about two gallons of blackberries and some blackberry roots. I would
like to hear from one and all about the care and feeding of
blackberries. How do they propagate? Do we need to cut back the canes
once they bear fruit? or when are the canes cut back? Any advise,URL's,
or warnings would be appreciated.

growing blackberries
 

In article ,
says...
:) Do we need to cut back the canes
:) once they bear fruit? or when are the canes cut back? Any advise,URL's,
:) or warnings would be appreciated.
:)
:)
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/
extension/fruit/blackberries/blackberries.html
--
We child proofed our home,
but they are still getting in.

Lar. (to e-mail, get rid of the BUGS!!

growing blackberries
 

I planted mine in a row so we could mow along both sides (to control their
spreading), ran PVC along the plants with small hole at each plant, and
hooked it to the watering system and watered a couple times a week with no
rain.. Then put fence posts every 10 feet and ran some good wire at about 2
feet high and again at about 5 ft high. As the canes grew, I tied them to
the wires. I didn't fertilize, just mowed. The second year I harvested
approx 15 gallons from 17 plants, before letting the birds and bugs have the
remainder. Untie and remove the canes that produced fruit as soon as the
berries have been picked, then burn them. Tie the new canes to the wires
and get ready for the next year.

Eat some jam for me. Dwayne




"Carl e Roberts" wrote in message
...
we visited some friends yesterday near Memphis Tn and came home with
about two gallons of blackberries and some blackberry roots. I would
like to hear from one and all about the care and feeding of
blackberries. How do they propagate? Do we need to cut back the canes
once they bear fruit? or when are the canes cut back? Any advise,URL's,
or warnings would be appreciated.

growing blackberries
 

Martin Jensen wrote:
Mine grow like a weed and they are very difficult to stop spreading. My
blackberries propagate by suckering and they don't need any help. All I do is
mulch my berries in the fall and spring, for feed and care. The canes need to
be cut back after fruiting, because the new canes starting growing the in spring
for next year. Some people prune the new canes for a bigger harvest. I don't
prune the new canes. I started with 8 canes from my mom and had 12 blackberries
the first year, just 12 berries. The second year I had a couple of gallons and
the third year I had over 10 gallons of berries. Over a 100 jars of blackberry
jam. I unfortunately don't what kind of blackberry, they have thorns, I have
but they are great.

If they have large vines, large thorns and large berries I *think*
they are the Himalaya variety. And to think that as a kid in the
60's I'd pick the small wild ones and sell them to a restaurant for
50¢/lb. You have no idea what I'd do for fresh blackberries. Grew
up picking and eating them in Seattle but have been in Albuquerque
for the last 34 years and they don't grow here. I visited my mom in
Seattle 2 years ago and she had a mound some 20 ft sq that she said
took over in just a couple of years. I was in hog heaven while
there and found out after I left she had my brother bulldoze it
down. And now you talk about 100 jars of jam - how cruel can you beG?
PS-Mom made them go further by adding pineapple to her jam.

growing blackberries
 

Try getting the June issue of South Living magazine. It had a great article
about blackberries.

Penny
Zone 7b - North Carolina
"Carl e Roberts" wrote in message
...
we visited some friends yesterday near Memphis Tn and came home with
about two gallons of blackberries and some blackberry roots. I would
like to hear from one and all about the care and feeding of
blackberries. How do they propagate? Do we need to cut back the canes
once they bear fruit? or when are the canes cut back? Any advise,URL's,
or warnings would be appreciated.

growing blackberries
 

When I talk about over a 100 jars, that is only from my berries. Then there are
my mom's blackberry patch that is about twice as big as mine. I got my berries
plants from my mom's berry patch. Last year, we made 9 blackberry pies and
froze them, more jam and jelly (take seeds out) but I don't remember how many,
froze about another 3 4 gallons in smaller bags for eating (we like to freeze
the berries on a cookie sheet and then pour into a freezer bags and then grab a
handful of the frozen berries and eat them that way. They melt in your mouth)
and then gave a bunch to friends and family.

I've been real fortunate when it come to berries. My grandfather (Mom's dad)
had 19 acres of strawberries when I was growing up. Currently, Mom has
blackberries, strawberries, red raspberries, blueberries and currants.
Currently, I have blackberries, strawberries, red raspberries, golden
raspberries, blueberries and currants. We love our jams, jelly, shortcake and
fresh berries.

But back to the real question. Dwayne said to burn the pruned canes and that is
very important point. Cane berries (black, red, golden, etc...) carry disease
in the old dead canes. So make sure to at least remove the dead and pruned
canes from the berry patch. What you do with them after that is up to you. I
like Dwayne, burn them.

Sorry I really get carried away when it comes to berries.

Marty
Zone 5

On 7/8/2003 9:35 PM, Dwayne wrote:
I planted mine in a row so we could mow along both sides (to control their
spreading), ran PVC along the plants with small hole at each plant, and
hooked it to the watering system and watered a couple times a week with no
rain.. Then put fence posts every 10 feet and ran some good wire at about 2
feet high and again at about 5 ft high. As the canes grew, I tied them to
the wires. I didn't fertilize, just mowed. The second year I harvested
approx 15 gallons from 17 plants, before letting the birds and bugs have the
remainder. Untie and remove the canes that produced fruit as soon as the
berries have been picked, then burn them. Tie the new canes to the wires
and get ready for the next year.

Eat some jam for me. Dwayne




"Carl e Roberts" wrote in message
...

we visited some friends yesterday near Memphis Tn and came home with
about two gallons of blackberries and some blackberry roots. I would
like to hear from one and all about the care and feeding of
blackberries. How do they propagate? Do we need to cut back the canes
once they bear fruit? or when are the canes cut back? Any advise,URL's,
or warnings would be appreciated.