Blackberry bushes, no question, often grow beyond their owners' heads! He has to cut hard year after year, there is no way around it. However, there are subtle differences between varieties and some factors that influence growth. A groundbreaking overview.
How fast do blackberries grow?
Except on days with temperatures below 7 °C, blackberries practically always grow, reaching growth ofup to 7 cm per day. Cultivated varieties do not grow as quickly as wild blackberries. It takes about three months from flowering to full maturity.
How to promote the growth of blackberries?
Blackberries grow anytime and anywhere, but in the ideal location and with good care, the growth potential can be maximized:
- choose a sunny spot
- Keep soil slightly moist
- thin out in summer and pinch out side shoots
- cut off worn tendrils in autumn
- fertilize in spring with horn shavings, compost or berry fertilizer
How can I control blackberry overgrowth?
Some blackberry varieties spread via root runners. You should definitely plant such a variety with a 30 cm deepRoot Barrier. Otherwise, you will have to prune your blackberries every year. Tying it to a trellis can also prevent growth, as blackberry tendrils root and sprout when they come into contact with the ground. Upright-growing varieties are less prone to overgrowth and can also grow in raised beds or pots.
How much space does a blackberry bush need?
Upright growing varieties require a planting distance of 60 to 80 cm from one another. Climbing varieties need a planting distance of 2 meters in order to be able to grow undisturbed. It is better to plant very strong climbing varieties at twice the distance.
When do blackberry plants first bear fruit?
Blackberries bear fruit very quickly. You just have to be patient until there aretwo-year-old vineson the bush. If you propagate your own, for example from offshoots, you have to be patient until the following year. Purchased plants are usually older and already bearin the first season some berries. Blackberries produce really well and abundantly another year later and from then on under ideal conditions annually from around August to October.
What diseases and pests can weaken growth?
Blackberries are unfortunately susceptible to many diseases and pests that can slow down growth. A few examples:
- Rubus compress: shoots grow compressed and in tufts
- vine disease: severely affected canes die off
- Lice: reduced shoot growth
Check your blackberries regularly every year from spring to autumn so that you can detect and combat diseases and pests early.
My wild blackberries have become a thicket, what should I do?
You can no longer tame wild blackberries (Rubus fruticosus) with secateurs. Use a brush cutter to cut off the vines piece by piece. If you don't have a brush cutter, you can rent one from a hardware store.
Tip
Prickly blackberry varieties are stronger, but usually also more aromatic
Tenriles that grow without thorns are less dangerous and are easier to cut and tie. But fruits from thornless varieties usually don't taste as aromatic. Shrubs covered with thorns proliferate more and produce delicious fruit.
