Have you ever wanted a backyard full of fruit trees and bushes? Well, look no further to learn how to plant a blackberry bush. Back in the day, you could find a blackberry bush on the side of the road (snakes like them too). It’s still common in some areas, but if you want to grow your own there are several options out there. Most people opt for the thornless variety because…well…thorns.
This post is all about how to plant a blackberry bush so you can have backyard blackberries anytime.
Planting a blackberry bush takes a bit of planning, but can be accomplished in an hour or so after choosing a plant.
1. Choosing a blackberry bush
You can start by picking your blackberry bush. Thornless blackberries are the most popular variety. You just want to pick something that does well in your growing zone. For this reason, you may want to get one from your local nursery.
2. Preparing your space
You want to pick a space in your yard that gets plenty of sun so it can produce the most fruit. In this space, you want to dig a wide planting hole but not too deep. If you are planting more than one, you would want to space them 4-6 feet apart. Dig the hole as deep as the nursery pot that the blackberry bush is in currently.
Score the sides of the hole with a shovel. This step allows the roots to penetrate the side of the hole.
3. Planting your bush
When you remove the blackberry bush from the container, check to see if the plant is root bound. If it is root bound, take a knife and make 4 lateral cuts around the plant. These cuts will allow the roots to penetrate the areas where you have scored the hole.
Once you place the plant in the hole, put the original dirt from the hole around the plant. You don’t need any additional amendments. Blackberry bushes are tough plants.
4. First Fruit
In most cases, you will not see any fruit the first year. Most blackberry bushes don’t produce fruit until the second year. In 3-4 years, your bush will slowly turn into a hedge. If you snap the end of your vine off, it will produce new vines. It will produce 5-6 new vines from this one vine.
5. Maintenance
You may have to control your bushes with a trellis or a fence depending on where your space is located. Other than that, you don’t have to do much else. You can sit back and literally enjoy the fruits of your labor.
