Growing Blackberries in East Texas

Blackberries (Rubus spp) grow on bushes, called brambles. The three types of blackberry brambles are erect, semi-erect and trailing. All three types include varieties with thorns and without. Blackberry plants bloom and fruit on second-year wood. Native to Asia, Europe and North and South America, this fruit grows well in the subtropical climate of east Texas. Two varieties that have adapted well to the region are Rosborough, an erect, early variety, and Hull, a semi-erect bush. In the land where crude was once king, you can now produce 2,000 pounds of blackberries per acre of east Texas soil, according to agriculturists with Texas A&M University. The best way to get started growing blackberries in east Texas is to purchase nursery plants in containers, and plant them in full sun in the early spring.

Blackberry plants
Sand
Shovel
Drip irrigation or soaker hose
Hoe
Mulch
Nitrogen fertilizer
Long handled loppers

Instructions

- 1
  Add 3 inches of sand to the soil where you intend to plant, and use the shovel to mix it into the top 3 inches of soil. Rake the area until it is level and smooth.
- 2
  Dig holes, the same depth as the nursery pots and three times the width. Place the holes 3 feet apart. Remove each blackberry plant from the pot and place the roots in the holes. Backfill the hole with soil and pack the soil around the base of the plants.
- 3
  Water the top 6 inches of soil, until moist. If there is no rain in your area of east Texas, you will need to irrigate manually to maintain moist soil while the blackberry plants become established.
- 4
  Water the mature blackberry bush with a drip irrigation system or soaker hose. Begin watering in March and provide at least 1 inch of water per week. If it is particularly dry in your area of east Texas, keep an eye on the soil and water more frequently if necessary. Reduce watering in September, allowing the soil to dry between waterings. In the winter, give just enough water to keep the blackberry bush alive while not promoting new growth.
- 5
  Control weeds within a 3-foot radius of the blackberry plant by pulling them manually or using a hoe to cultivate. Be careful not to dig down deeper than 1 inch. A 3-inch layer of mulch completely surrounding the blackberry bush will help discourage weeds.
- 6
  Fertilize the blackberry plant when it first blooms with nitrogen fertilizer. Apply the fertilizer at the rate suggested on the package, sprinkling it on the soil and using a rake to lightly scratch it into the top inch of soil. Water immediately after application. In east Texas, apply fertilizer in the evening or early morning.
- 7
  Use long-handled loppers to prune the blackberry plant after fruiting in May. Cut the fruiting canes completely to the ground. In the summer, when the new canes reach 3 feet in height, remove the top 2 inches.

How to Grow Black Currents

How to Trim Blackberry Plants

Growing Berries