How to Grow Blackberries in Saskatchewan

Choose a sunny site with fertile, loamy soil and good drainage. An area that receives good snow cover and is sheltered from wind will help protect the plant from winter damage. Avoid low-lying spots as these may result in frost-damaged plants.

Dig organic matter, such as compost or well-rotted manure, into the planting area, using a garden shovel or spade.

Purchase your blackberry canes as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring. Consult with your local plant nursery or garden center to determine the best variety of blackberry to plant in the challenging Saskatchewan climate. Look for hardy plants that bear fruit in the first year on new canes such as the varieties 'Prime Jan' and 'Prime Jim.' Other hardy varieties that have been successfully grown in Zone 3 are 'Chester' and 'Doyle.'

Dig a hole or trench for the blackberry canes, using a shovel. Plant the canes as deep or deeper than they were planted when you purchased them. Spread the roots out and cover with a carefully-packed layer of soil.

Water the plants after planting and whenever there is a period of drought. Ideally, blackberry plants should receive about an inch of water each week between blossoming and harvest. Do not water in the fall, as this may encourage a late-season growth spurt that will damage the plant when the cold prairie winter sets in.

Control weeds by hand-pulling or, for larger crops, hoeing.

Pinch off the tips of new growth (called "tipping") in the early summer when new shoots are 30 to 40 inches tall. Don't "tip" any shoots that are not this height by harvest time. "Tipping" encourages side growth and decreases the likelihood you will need to trellis your blackberry plants.

Bend the canes over in the late fall. Secure them in the bent position using soil or another means to hold them in place. Cover the bent canes with a layer of brush or straw to trap snow. All of these strategies will help reduce the loss of canes to winter kill.

Add a mulch of straw, wood chips or saw dust, if desired, once the plants have gone dormant for the season. Mulching towards the end of the growing season may encourage late growth that will be vulnerable to winter kill.