How to Grow Blackberry Bushes in Minnesota

Blackberries can thrive in Minnesota despite the chilly climate. Normally they do not tolerate extreme cold well and may die if temperatures drop anywhere between 0 F and 10 F. If you take care to properly winterize your blackberry bushes each year, there's a good chance they can survive the extreme cold temperatures of the North. Upright blackberry bushes are hardier than the trailing ones and fare better during the winter.

Blackberry bush

Instructions

- 1
  Choose a sunny location for planting your blackberries. Areas that drain well are preferable. To prevent diseases, avoid planting in spots where other plants were previously grown.
- 2
  Plant blackberry bushes in early spring. If you can't plant them the day you receive them, make sure the roots don't dry out by covering them with loose dirt in a shallow spot in your garden.
- 3
  Use a spade to dig a hole in the soil. Plant blackberry canes 1 inch deeper than they were planted when you purchased them. Cover roots with moist dirt and a thick layer of mulch.
- 4
  Fertilize in early spring after planting with 5-10-10.
- 5
  Drive a 6-foot post 1 foot deep into the ground to support upright blackberry bushes.
- 6
  Space bushes 3 feet apart. Rows should be roughly 8 feet away from each other.
- 7
  Water blackberry bushes weekly. They need at least 1 inch of water every week when they begin to produce fruit.
- 8
  Pick ripe blackberries every two to four days in the cool of the early morning. You can store them in the refrigerator for up to five days after harvesting.
- 9
  Winterize blackberry canes by placing them on the ground just before the frigid weather starts. Cover them up well with leaves or straw. Put them back up on the posts when winter ends and the new growing season begins.

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