Can Black Raspberries Be Grown in the Yard?

Site

• Selecting an appropriate planting site can help ensure that you produce a successful crop of black raspberries. Raspberries thrive in full sun and a well-drained, nutrient-rich soil. Optimal soil pH ranges from 5.6 to 6.5. Avoid low-lying areas that retain moisture. Avoid sites where tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and potatoes have been cultivated previously, advises the University of Maine, because a virus that causes root rot might infect your raspberries if you plant in soil where these plants grew within the previous four years. Also, avoid any site within 600 feet of wild raspberries, as the wild varieties might spread diseases to your black raspberries.

Prepare

• Soil preparation can also help you establish a strong crop. Have your soil tested to ensure that it has an acceptable pH and the nutrients black raspberries need. Contact your county extension for assistance with soil testing. If the test shows your soil has nutrient deficiencies, amend as necessary to replenish needed nutrients. Consult with your extension for the type and amount of amendments required. Till the soil thoroughly before planting to break up any large clumps.

Planting

• Obtain disease-resistant black raspberry stock from a nursery or garden center. Plant in the spring for best results. The plants flourish when spaced about 4 feet apart, with 8 to 12 feet separating the rows. This spacing reduces the chances of fungal diseases developing. Spread a 10-10-10 fertilizer at a rate of 2 to 3 lbs. per 100 feet of rows 10 days and 40 days after planting, advises Ohio State University.

Trellis

• Black raspberries plants will droop unless given some support. You can control the problem by judicious pruning, but giving them support with a trellis makes the berries easier to harvest. A trellising system consists of posts placed next to each plant, with a wire about 4 1/2 feet high running along the posts. Spread the branches of each plant along the wire when they begin to bear fruit.