‘Rosborough’, ‘Womack’, and ‘Brison’ are varieties suitable for growing at home. ‘Rosborough’ has been the heaviest producer.
Soil
Any well-drained soil will do. Amendments are OK, but not necessary
Planting
Timing
Berry plants may be planted from late January through March. Root cuttings (pieces) or rooted cuttings are both successful.
Spacing
Plant three to four feet apart within a row, and eight to ten feet between rows.
Trellising
The canes are semi-erect, so trellising is not needed.
Irrigation
Berry plants should be well-watered when set out. If plants are irrigated with a hose or a bubbler head, water every three to seven days for the first two months, depending on temperature. When established, they can be watered in this way every one to two weeks. If drip or mini-sprinkler irrigation is used, apply one to two inches of water per week, irrigating every day when the plants are young, and every one to two days once the plants are established. Irrigate more frequently during dry, hot weather, when plants are flowering and when fruit is ripening.
Fertilizing
About one month after planting, sprinkle ½ to ⅓ cup of 13-13- 13 or 10-10-10 fertilizer in a 2-foot circle around each plant, and in June or July, reapply the same amount of fertilizer in a 2½- to 3-foot circle. The succeeding years, apply 1 cup in a 3-foot circle in early March and again in late July
Pruning
Blackberry canes are biennial. Canes are fruitless the first year, bear fruit the second year, and die after fruiting. In June following harvest, all fruiting canes (floricanes) should be removed, leaving only the leafy vegetative or primacanes. New primacanes produced in the second and 03/08 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences AZ1450 subsequent years will be erect and should also be cut to a height of 3 to 4 feet in June to encourage lateral branching. Remove only the top 2 to 3 inches of each cane, because more severe tipping wastes growth and produces weaker laterals. Vigorous plants may require topping 2 to 4 times.
Propagation
Plants may send up shoots from the roots. These may be dug and replanted.
Diseases, insects, and birds
Blackberries have few disease or insect problems, except for occasional mites. Birds may be a problem in some areas, so netting should be considered. Fruit may also become sunburned late in the harvest season. Shading may help reduce sunburn.
Yield
Plants will produce 3 to 10 pounds of fruit per plant beginning at age three. Fruit should ripen beginning in early May, and continue for 3 to 4 weeks. Fruit is sweetest when “dull black”.