How to Grow Blackberries in Central Texas

Choose the proper location for planting blackberries. Barbara Damrosch suggests in "The Garden Primer" to locate all bramble fruits on a slightly sloping, sunny hillside. Sunny locations produce higher yields.

Test the soil. Soil conditions can vary, as long as there is adequate drainage. Look for a pH level of 6.0. However, a range of 5.5 to 7.0 is acceptable. If the soil tests low in phosphorus, add bone meal or rock phosphate. If the soil tests low for potassium and trace minerals, supplement with greensand.

Lay out the planting rows using stakes and stringline.

Remove all weeds, rocks and obstacles from the rows. According to the Louisiana State University, it is fine to leave grass in between the rows, as long as it is regularly mowed.

Purchase the plants for planting. Root cuttings are available in the size of a pencil. These are dug during the winter then stored in sawdust wrapped in plastic. Dormant blackberry plants are available as bare root plants. Plant both types between December and February in Texas. Plant nursery stock in the spring.

Plant vigorous thorny blackberries 4 feet apart in a hedgerow style for the home garden. Thornless varieties can be planted at 2 foot intervals. Commercial growers utilize 10 to 12 foot spacing for the ease of cultivation. Root cuttings should be placed 3 inches deep in a trench and then covered with soil.

Water regularly. Blackberries require constant water, especially when fruiting.

Add 4 inches of mulch to the planting row after the plants have come up. This helps with weed control.

Establish the hedges by mowing frequently. Blackberries will send out suckers that pop up everywhere. Further define hedges by adding posts with two wires on each side of the hedge. This trellis defines the hedge and supports the canes for easier harvesting.

Prune the blackberries to keep them under control. Cut first-year canes to 3 feet in midsummer. This encourages lateral branches. In late winter, cut each lateral branch to half its original length. After harvest, cut all canes that bore fruit that year back to the ground. Thin new canes to 6 inches apart.