Blackberries are one of the plants in the garden that actually grow well with relatively little intervention from the gardener. However, in order to ensure a rich harvest and he althy plants, certain care measures should be carried out regularly.
How do I care for blackberries in the garden?
The care of blackberries includes watering in dry conditions, regular cutting of old shoots and promotion of side shoots, protection from pests and diseases, fertilization with special berry fertilizer or organic alternatives and overwintering outdoors without special winter protection.
Do you have to water blackberries?
If blackberries are planted in humus-rich soil, they generally do not necessarily need to be watered. However, if there is a prolonged dry period during the ripening period in summer, you should water the blackberry plants either early in the morning or in the evening.
How can blackberries be transplanted?
The ideal time for transplanting blackberries is early spring. As soon as the ground is no longer frozen, individual blackberry canes can be dug up deep with the roots and planted in a loose and humus-rich substrate in the new location. Transplanting should be completed by the end of April, otherwise the blackberries will no longer grow well.
When and how do blackberries need to be cut?
Since blackberries only fruit on two-year-old wood, the old shoots must be removed regularly. This can happen in the fall, right after the harvest, when the new shoots have already grown out of the ground. In addition, individual canes should be cut in spring when they are around 2.5 meters long to promote the formation of side shoots. The side shoots, in turn, should be cut off after the second eye.
Which fungi and pests can be dangerous for blackberries?
Even if you take the best possible care of your blackberries, at some point you will still encounter blackberry gall mites in addition to aphids and flower pruners. These suck on the fruits so that they do not ripen but remain red in color. The best antidote is pruning before winter, as the mites overwinter on the leaf buds.
What to do against blackberry diseases?
To prevent fungal diseases and other diseases, the blackberry bush should be shaped regularly. A trellis ensures light and well-ventilated growth of the plants.
How are blackberries properly fertilized?
Special fertilizer for berries (€10.00 at Amazon) from garden shops often contains potassium to support optimal growth. However, the following biological alternatives can also be used:
- Horse manure
- Chicken manure
- Pellets made from cow dung
Lawn clippings in mulched form
How do blackberries overwinter and what care do they need at this time?
Blackberries planted outdoors generally do not require any special winter protection. The old and harvested tendrils should be cut off near the ground before winter so that pests are decimated in their population.
Tips & Tricks
The one- and two-year-old tendrils of blackberries on a trellis can be more easily distinguished if they are directed to the two sides in an annual alternation.
