How to Grow & When Can You Move Blackberry & Raspberry to a Good Spot in North Carolina?

Shared Growing Preferences

• Blackberry and raspberry bushes prefer to grow in full sun and in soil that is well drained. If your garden tends to be hard-packed or boggy, the brambles won't thrive. It's best to grow them either in raised beds or work a minimum 2-inch layer of compost into the soil to improve drainage and soil texture. Both bramble species also need slightly acidic soil, with a pH balance of 6 to 6.5. In North Carolina, soils tend to be very acidic -- under 5.0 on the pH scale. A soil test kit or pH meter can help you determine your soil's current level of acidity. If the patch needs amending, work limestone into the soil several months to a year before establishing your berry patch. Use 5 pounds ground limestone for every 1 point you need to raise the pH in a 100-square foot area.

Raspberries and Climate

• Raspberries can be tricky to grow in North Carolina's warm climate, because raspberries require a certain number of cold days, often referred to as "chilling hours," in order to produce a good amount of berries. They also tend to suffer under the state's hot summers. If you live in higher elevations, you may come closer to an ideal raspberry climate. It also helps to plant purple or black raspberry varieties, which are more suited to North Carolina summers. If you do insist on growing the classic red raspberry, North Carolina's Cooperative Extension Service recommends the cultivar "Dormanred" for all parts of the state, while "Mandarin" performs best in the Piedmont and mountainous regions. "Heritage" and "Caroline" are suitable for mountain growing.

Blackberries and Climate

• Blackberries are less problematic for North Carolina growers than raspberries because they don't require as many chilling hours, and don't suffer from hot summers. On the other hand, blackberries can fall victim to the late-spring frosts that sometimes strike the higher elevations. If you live in the mountainous region of the state, where you site blackberries can make all the difference. Plant them partway up a slope, if possible, so that the brambles aren't exposed to the wind at the top, while also escaping the frost pockets that accumulate at the bottom of hills.

Planting Schedule

• Blackberries and raspberry plants sold in their dormant state will fare best when planted in early spring in North Carolina. The brambles may be planted three to four weeks before the last frost date of the year. Final frost dates in North Carolina vary, with the average dates falling any time between March to May. Therefore, your best planting time may be as early as February or -- more likely in higher elevations -- as late as April. Raspberries sold as non-dormant, or tissue culture canes, should be planted about a month later or just after the frost date.

General Care

• Fertilize blackberries and raspberries in early spring, before the canes flower. Set 10-10-10 in narrow bands around your row of blackberry canes, using about 5 pounds of the amendment per 100 of row. Both types of bramble require about 1 inch of water per week during the growing season. If you are unsure about how much water your row has received, use a water meter or your finger to test the soil. The berry patch should be moist to a depth of 6 inches. How you prune your canes will depend on what variety you are growing. Some can be cut down to the ground at the end of the season, while others require that only second year growth be removed. Your nursery supplier will tell you which treatment your brambles need, as well as which, if any, trellising systems work best for the type of cane you are growing.