Blackberry Plants – Hard To Find But Worth It
Blackberries ripen near the end of the raspberry season and extend to mid-August. But unfortunately in recent years it has been difficult, in fact well nigh impossible, to secure a good variety from nurseries; hence very few are now being planted. Yet at its best, the blackberry is a delicious fruit well worth a place in the home garden.
The boysenberry and young berry are actually trailing blackberries, which are suitable for culture in the milder sections of the country. On the West Coast and south of Washington D.C., they are useful in the garden for their large high quality berries. In the northern states winter protections is necessary.
Planting Site
The brambles, being a semi-permanent feature, should be planted to one side of the garden, in full sun and well away from the roots of large trees. A well-drained soil of at least moderate fertility is essential. Organic matter should be provided in advance of planting either by applying stable manure ot plowing under a heavy sod. Quack grass and other perennial weeds must be eliminated before the berries are planted as it is impossible to clean them out of an established planting.
Good air circulation is desirable to lessen injury from fungus diseases, especially anthracnose of the black and spur blight of the red varieties. Airy sites on slopes are not as cold in winter as low spots surrounded by higher.
Good planting stock is half the battle in getting cane fruits off to a good start. The plants should be purchased from nurseries that specialize in small fruits or at least pay considerable attention to them. With the brambles it is essential that only virus-free plants be set, and this means getting inspected stock from nurseries or growers. Plants from an old run out garden planting should not be used unless you know that they are disease-free. They should be ordered promptly to make sure that the desired varieties are still available, and varieties should be specified and not left to the discretion of the nursery.
The one-year or sucker plants of the red raspberries and blackberries are better than two-year plants which are expected to fruit the first year. Brambles should not be allowed to bear any fruit the first summer, as any from will be very light and at the expense of cane growth that is to fruit a year later. One-year plants of the black and purple raspberry varieties are rather delicate and if they are to be shipped any distance the two-year plants may be preferable.
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