Growing Blackberries – Rubus

Growing blackberries

Blackberries
Blackberries are vigorous and exceptionally spiny, hardy perennial cane fruits belonging to the genus Rubus .The species and hybrids listed below are grown for dessert, bottling, tarts, jam and wine.

Blackberries prefer deep, moist and rich loam but are adaptable to light sands and stiff clays, given free drainage and freedom from perennial weeds. Incorporate bulky organics such as farmyard manure, compost, shoddy, and feed with fish- or meat-meal and sulphate of potash. Correct iron deficiency on soils containing free lime by dressings of chelated iron.

Planting sites subject to frost are suitable as flowering is late, in early July. Provide shelter from strong winds for the brittle laterals and tie them into training-wires.

Cultivation Plant first-year plants, shortened to 23cm (9in) in the autumn at up to 3.6cm (12ft) apart, against walls or fences or posts and wires. Train the young replacement shoots of established plants to one side of, or above, the fruiting canes to prevent contamination with fungus diseases. Cut out fruited shoots after harvest.

Propagate by tip layering in June or July, by leaf bud cuttings in August, or by rooted suckers in the autumn.

Control greenfly, capsid bug, raspberry beetle and cane spot and destroy plants infected with crown gall.
Variety                                     Pedigree                             Fruiting season
Ashton Cross                          Hybrid Late                       July-Aug.
Bedford Giant                        Hybrid Late                       July-Aug.
Cut or Parsley-leaved           R. laciniatus                      Aug.-Sept.
Evergreen                               R. ulmifolius
Thornless                                R. inermis                          Aug.-Sept.
Himalaya Giant                     R. procerus                        Aug.-Sept.
John lnnes                              Hybrid                                Sept.-Oct.
Merton Early                         R. nifidiodes                       Aug.
Merton Thornless                 Hybrid                                Aug.-Sept.


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