The cultivars of blackberries bred for the garden now also include upright-growing species. For climbing blackberries, steering the tendrils with a trellis is still one of the best solutions.
How do I build and maintain a blackberry trellis in the garden?
A blackberry trellis in the garden helps to control climbing blackberry varieties and keep them in shape. To do this you will need stakes, tension wire, wire cutters and a hammer. Plant blackberries in the direction of the sun and attach the tendrils to the trellis. Maintain the trellis annually by removing old vines and adding new ones.
Build your own trellis
A trellis for shaping blackberries can be built relatively easily in the garden. It is an ideal solution for controlling climbing blackberry varieties, as their long tendrils mean that they can only be shaped to a very limited extent with targeted pruning. For a trellis you need the following things:
- some metal or wooden stakes
- Tension wire for the cross wires
- wire cutters (€16.00 at Amazon)
- a hammer to drive in the stakes
- Binding or retaining rings
Stretch the wire as transverse lines from peg to peg at a distance of about 50 centimeters. Then plant the climbing blackberries about two meters apart close to the trellis in the direction of the sun. Attach the tendrils to the tension wires with a piece of raffia or special rings. Make sure to direct the tendrils in both directions to create a pleasantly relaxed shape. It has a positive effect on the fruit ripening as early as possible if all areas of the tendrils can be easily reached by sunlight.
Annual maintenance is necessary
Blackberries always bear their fruit on two-year-old shoots that sprouted from the blackberry roots the previous year. This is why it is necessary to attach new vines to the trellis in your garden every year. After harvesting, you should cut off the fruit-bearing tendrils near the ground in autumn. At the same time, at this time you can already direct young shoots in the right direction. You should cut off any tendrils that grow beyond the trellis at the end in spring to promote the development of flowers and fruits.
Tips & Tricks
Wild blackberries from the forest or from embankments are not particularly suitable for use on a trellis. However, you can let them grow in one area of your garden. However, you should be aware that once established, blackberries of a wild variety spread very widely and are difficult to completely remove.
