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Blackberries from your own garden
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Who hasn't munched on these delicious, almost black fruits during a walk in the woods or along the hedgerows? However, while the prickly Bramble is not particularly suitable for the garden, thornless varieties like 'Thornless Evergreen' and 'Thornfree', which also produce extra large fruits, are perfect for almost any garden.
Origin
Found all over Europe, the Bramble is still picked from the wild by the bucket full. It is a good source of vitamin A, which with our current appreciation of the importance of vitamins and minerals makes it an even more attractive fruit. Blackberries have been cultivated since 1820, using crossed varieties from the mountainous regions of North-American. These have yielded, amongst others, 'Thornfree' the appropriately named thornless Blackberry, and some very attractive variegated varieties like the Rubus ceasius variegata'.
Requirements for a good crop
Blackberries like the sun. In the wild they grow mainly on south-facing hills or on the edge of the forest. In your garden therefore, a Blackberry will also require a sunny spot.
Give the Blackberry some loose, slightly acidic soil and a layer of mulch around the roots.
In poor soil mix plenty of compost in with the soil, in the planting hole.
The best time for planting is March or April, or early autumn.
Plant them deep enough, and cut back the shoots to 20 to 30 cm.
Make a sturdy wire framework to which the shoots can be tied.
Do not remove the new shoots that come up in summer, but spread them out on the soil. These are the best fruit bearing branches for the next season.
For a rich crop keep about 10 sturdy shoots when you prune the plant in spring.
After the harvest, cut back all fruit bearing branches to the ground (provided there are enough new shoots). If Blackberry bushes are not pruned they will, in no time, form the thick, impenetrable bush that you see in the wild. Pruning also prevents infestations with gall mite, which stop the fruits from ripening.
In spring the young shoots will have become more woody and can be tied up. With thornless bushes keep at least six branches but with prickly ones, three branches are sufficient.
If there are any side shoots, cut them back to one or two buds.
Never allow branches to grow any longer than two metres in the growing season.
Harvest
Start picking the fruits in July, and with some luck you can carry on until September or the beginning of October. When you pick them, don't put too many in a bucket. The fruits at the bottom will be reduced to a pulp! You can eat Blackberries straight away but you can also freeze them. Try making a few pots of jam or Blackberry juice. The latter works wonders for stomach, bowel or bladder problems.
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