Blackberry Planting Directions

Test your soil prior to planting the blackberries, using a soil testing kit purchased from a garden center. Blackberries prefer a sunny place with well-drained soil with a pH between 5.5 and 7.0. You will need to amend if your soil does not meet the pH parameters.

Amend the soil if necessary, breaking it up beforehand with a garden fork. Mix in lime if the pH of the soil is below 5.5 or peat moss for a pH above 7.0. Add the required amendment per label instructions.

Dig holes for the blackberry plants, twice the width of the root balls and approximately 1 inch deep. Space holes 3 feet apart in a row, with 8 feet of space between each row.

Remove the blackberry plants from their nursery containers and deposit one plant in the center of each hole. Backfill the holes and pat the soil around each plant to remove air pockets.

Water the blackberry plants generously with a soaker hose after planting. Supply the blackberry plants with at least 1 inch of water per week during the growing season. Water the blackberry plants once a week, unless the soil is already soaked to a 1-inch depth due to rainfall.

Hammer in a 4 to 6 foot trellis behind the blackberry plants to give the plants something to climb. Secure the stem of each blackberry plant to the trellis using a piece of elastic twine, which will not harm the stem. Pinch-off first year blooms with your fingers to encourage higher yields the following year.

Apply a layer of mulch around the blackberry plants. A 3- to 4-inch layer of pine bark or straw will improve drainage, reduce weeds and keep the blackberry roots warm over their winter dormancy.

Cut the blackberry vines from the trellis in the late fall. Allow the blackberry vines to fall to the ground where they will lie dormant on the mulch throughout the winter. Reattach the plants to the trellis when they show signs of regrowth in the spring.