Thornless Blackberry

**Durgan** · 08-11-2010, 08:19 PM

11 August 2010 Thornless Blackberry 11 August 2010 Thornless Blackberry

Seven pounds of berries were picked from these two thornless blackberry plants in their third year, and the first year of production. The berries ripen over a period of time. Quality is excellent. All the berries have a slight tart taste. This depends on the degree of ripeness. If the berry is fully ripe, determined by it falling off the stem when touched, the berry will be sweet with almost no tart taste.

**adalynn** · 08-11-2010, 08:57 PM

WOW! Looks sssooo good! I have two varieties, Apache & Navaho, they are in the 2nd year, but do not produce like that!!!

**Pemberleyan** · 08-11-2010, 09:05 PM

We have several and haven't had results quite that good. Some of the berries are quite large.

**Durgan** · 08-11-2010, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by adalynn

WOW! Looks sssooo good! I have two varieties, Apache & Navaho, they are in the 2nd year, but do not produce like that!!!

Seeing what others produce gives an idea what is possible. The name of my cultivar is unknown. When purchased in small pot from a nursery three years ago the name was just thornless blackberry. Not knowing anything about home garden blackberries I bought and took my chances.

**adalynn** · 08-12-2010, 09:40 AM

I read about them in Mother Earth, had to have some, found 2 differ varieties @ local nursery. I love them but can't get them to produce a lot. How do you fertilize, when? Pruning? Watering? I would love to see them produce more, even if it just means more for the birds to eat!

**Durgan** · 08-12-2010, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by adalynn

I read about them in Mother Earth, had to have some, found 2 differ varieties @ local nursery. I love them but can't get them to produce a lot. How do you fertilize, when? Pruning? Watering? I would love to see them produce more, even if it just means more for the birds to eat!

Soil is clay heavily laced with quality compost, and mulched heavily to retain sort of constant moisture. Each Fall the mulch is raked off and a wheelbarrow of compost added, then the mulch is re-applied. Periodically during the season, a five gallon pail of rainwater is added to the root area for each plant.

In the Fall or Winter the plant is pruned severely and the best canes are kept for next year. Berries form on the new growth forming next year. The plant shouldn't be too crowded with vegetation.

So far the birds haven't damaged any berries. even though the net doesn't cover very well. Next year I will use a better quality fiber glass screen mesh.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-12-2010, 04:39 PM

So would the pruning habits of a blackberry be the same as a raspberry? I've been told that my Boyne raspberries should be all mowed to the ground to allow new shoots to come up the next year.

**Durgan** · 08-12-2010, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by MomToTwoBoys

So would the pruning habits of a blackberry be the same as a raspberry? I've been told that my Boyne raspberries should be all mowed to the ground to allow new shoots to come up the next year.

I do cut my raspberries down to the ground in the late Fall.

The blackberries I keep about 3 to 5 strong canes, which should produce many fruit bearing branches next year.