Winter Care of Blackberry Plants

Select vigorous, winter-hardy varieties if you live in an area where winter temperatures fall below 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Try Chester Thornless, Cherokee or Marionberry, according to Washington State University.

Plant blackberries in a sunny, well-drained location protected from winter winds by trees or buildings. Avoid low-lying areas that collect water and create frost pockets.

Apply a 3- to 4-inch layer of wood chips, shredded leaves or compost to the soil around the blackberries. Mulches act as insulators, keeping the soil warmer and reducing freeze and thaw cycles.

Reduce the amount of water you give blackberries after harvest and as fall approaches, to allow the plants time to harden off before cold weather arrives. Excessive water encourages lush, vegetative growth that is easily killed by freezing temperatures.

Cut the canes back to the ground in late winter. This practice eliminates an early-season harvest, but encourages new, healthy growth for a more abundant fall harvest.