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Name: blackberry, bramble, Rubus fruticosus aggregate (various species and hybrids).
Height: thornless varieties generally 1.5-2m; wild blackberries form dense thickets several metres high.
Spread: 2-4m
Plant type: sprawling, semi-deciduous shrub.
Climate: cold, cool temperate and arid.
Soil: moist, well-drained soil enriched with compost.
Position: full sun.
Foliage: each leaf is composed of three or five oval-shaped leaflets with serrated margins.
Flowering and fruiting: clusters of small white or pink flowers appear in late spring, followed by small green berries that change to red then black as they ripen.
Feeding: feed regularly throughout the growing season.
Watering: water regularly.
Blackberries are sprawling, semi-deciduous shrubs with arching, prickly or thornless canes that produce delicious edible berries from late spring to early autumn. They can be highly invasive, growing into a dense thicket of canes with many suckers at the base of the plant. As such, many blackberry species have been classed as weeds in Australia. However, the varieties that are available to buy in nurseries are not considered a weed.
‘Chester’, ‘Waldo’, and ‘Thornfree’ are a few popular thornless varieties. They are heavy croppers and need some support to keep them upright.
The sweet-tart berries are delicious fresh off the cane and are also fantastic for baking in cakes or pies, or making into jam.
Bagged, bare-rooted plants are available in stores during the winter, which is an ideal time for planting. Choose a spot in full sun with well-drained soil enriched with compost or aged manure. Blackberries prefer a slightly acidic soil with a pH between 5.5-6.5. Compost and manure will help increase the acidity of the soil, but powdered sulphur can be added if the pH is still too high. Plant blackberries where they will get support using either a trellis or two rows of taut wire along a fence or strung between sturdy posts. Tie canes to the trellis or wire as they grow.
Fruit forms on two-year-old canes (floricanes). Once fruiting has finished, remove these canes, cutting them down to ground level. They will not fruit again. Don’t remove the young canes that emerge during spring (primocanes) as these will fruit the following year. Remove any runners or ‘suckers’ around the base of the plant. These suckers can be replanted in another part of the garden or discarded.
Water regularly to keep the soil moist. Spread an organic mulch like pea straw or lucerne around the plants to help conserve soil moisture and keep the roots cool.
Apply a fertiliser that’s specially formulated for fruiting plants every 8-12 weeks.
Expect fruit two years after planting. Pick berries when fully ripe – i.e. when the fruit is black and the juicy segments are plump and firm.
Blackberries are generally trouble-free when it comes to pests and disease. In damp conditions, botrytis and rust may affect the foliage. If this happens, remove and discard any diseased leaves.
Blackberries are best propagated by runners or ‘suckers’, or tip layering.
Suckers are small plants that appear at the base of the plant. Use a fork or spade to gently lift the soil and sucker plant out of the ground. Check the roots are healthy and firm before planting in a site with well-drained soil.
To tip layer, dig a small hole near the blackberry plant, within reach of a flexible, current season cane (primocane) tip. Bend and bury the tip of the cane into the hole, firming down the soil. You may need to use a U-shaped peg or similar to help hold the tip in place. Water regularly to keep the soil moist. Roots should form within 8-12 weeks. Dig up and plant in a new location, if desired.
Mulberry: a large deciduous tree with an abundance of sweet/tart red or dark purple berries from spring.
Cumquat: this small citrus tree is covered with sweet-tasting tangy fruit in the cooler months.
Pomegranate: a large bush or small ornamental tree with large round fruit packed with fleshy edible seeds.
Check out our wide range of plants now and get your garden growing!
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