Blackberry Season is Approaching
I have done most of the work to prep the blackberries for their growing season. I should be having ripe fruit within a few weeks or less.
Maintaining Blackberry Vines
Before trimming After Trimming Dealing with wild blackberries are much easier if all you have to do is pick them (once you get past the thorns!). However, raising thorn-less varieties take more tender loving care. At the end of the growing season the old canes must be cut off at ground level. The newly formed canes will bear next year's fruit and must be trimmed and tied to a wire or trellis. Any weak, crowded or diseased canes need to be remove to allow air flow and prevent disease from spreading to your vines. I usually use ground up leaves to mulch around my vines but this year I was blessed with an abundance of wood mulch made from fallen wind damaged trees from around the property. The vines are now ready for winter and should produce ripe berries by the end of June next year. These vines are pretty drought resistant but about 1 inch of water every 2 weeks is ideal. My worst enemy thus far has been June bugs that just love to dine on ripe blackberries. But rest as...
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