Semi Erect Blackberry Plants w Trellis

For whatever reason the pictures of my Blackberry plants are visited than any other. They are really quite easy to grow and maintain. This year I am only using leaves and straw mulch to feed the plants. Too much nitrogen and fertilizer stimulates the vegetative growth of the plants which really isn't necessary. They fruit off of last years canes. Each year new canes emerge from the roots. The trellis is composed of a post and cross tee at each end of the bed. You can see each side of the post has two parallel wires. One at about 18 inches and the other at about 5 feet in height. As this years cane growth occurs I will tie them to the support wires with cloth rag strips. So then this years berries will be produced on the right hand side of the picture and next years on the left side of the trellis. After the canes fruit and  begin to die back, you cut them off at ground level. When the new canes reach about five feet in height, you snip off the tops, and they will branch out a little. I keep these trimmed backed somewhat too. The plants don't spread by roots. If you want to multiply them, allow the canes to root tip in the ground or a container filled with earth. Plant them about 18 inches to two feet apart. The trellis keeps everything nice and orderly. They are a piece of cake to maintain.

Blackberry Plants

A friend gave me five little Blackberry plants  last spring. This is what they did the first year. They are expensive to buy, so don't think you need lots of plants. I planted them about three feet apart. You really need to trellis them and stay on top of them or they would grow everywhere.