How Much Light Do Blackberry Plants With Vines Require?

Light and Temperature

• Blackberry plants with both primocanes and floricanes require full sun to flower and set fruit. When choosing the planting location, keep in mind that they thrive when temperatures are warm and may be damaged in either very cold or very hot wind. If you plant a windbreak, ensure that it doesn’t cast shade on the blackberry plant and allows some air to circulate through the plants to prevent fungal disease.

Soil

• Thorough soil preparation is the most important aspect of growing blackberry plants. Even when provided the appropriate amount of light and moisture, the plants won’t flourish in ill-prepared or nutrient-poor soil. This preparation may take up to two years, according to North Carolina Cooperative Extension agents. Blackberries require a soil pH of 5.6 to 6.2 so you may need to add amendments to create the proper soil pH. The addition of manure and compost, tilled into the soil at various times throughout the season before planting, gives the blackberry plants an ideal environment in which to grow.

Moisture and Fertilizer

• Wait until the spring before planting to add the final pre-planting fertilizer. Use 25 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of blackberry bed. Incorporate the fertilizer into the top 6 inches of soil. If you want strong, productive blackberry primocanes, ensure that the plant is never drought stressed. Although the plant is somewhat drought-tolerant, to be on the safe side, keep the soil just slightly moist at all times.

Pests

• Remove wild blackberry plants from within 1,000 feet of your garden blackberry to help cut down on pest infestations and disease. When you find insects on your blackberry, remove infested canes and destroy them. When considering the use of pesticide, identification of the pest is of the utmost importance, according to the experts at Missouri State University. Some pesticides are insect-specific. For help identifying pests, take a sample to the county cooperative extension office.