Blackberry

[Chic Rustler]

Thanks for all the replies! If i get any spare rabbit poop, thats where it is going to go.

 

[lcertuche]

We have many, many, many blackberry canes. The wild variety. They are loaded down this year with berries. Last year a bear got to them before I did. I'm hoping he/she has moved on this year.

Wild blackberries have a better taste than tame for jellies, cobblers, etc. and tame have more disease, worms and bugs. Fertilizer and watering means a larger harvest (generally) but the best thing I do is cut down the canes after picking.

 

[NH Homesteader]

The bears and I share... I can tell where they've been most days, usually right where I was headed!

 

[Chic Rustler]

We have many, many, many blackberry canes. The wild variety. They are loaded down this year with berries. Last year a bear got to them before I did. I'm hoping he/she has moved on this year.

Wild blackberries have a better taste than tame for jellies, cobblers, etc. and tame have more disease, worms and bugs. Fertilizer and watering means a larger harvest (generally) but the best thing I do is cut down the canes after picking.

Why do you cut them down?

 

[Hens and Roos]

canes will die once it has produced fruit- we clean out dead canes from our raspberries and blackberries each year. Right now any new plants growing will be next year's producers. We also have blackcaps but we don't do much in the way of maintenance with them.

@NH Homesteader

 

[lcertuche]

Yes, I used to wonder why the blackberries would stop being productive and friends of mine had the best blackberry patch in their hay field. It turned out they would mow them down late in the summer. It was nice to pick there because they were growing in a huge jungle of canes with little fruit. I read up on them and found out you need to cut the old canes for the new ones to be productive.

 

[Hinotori]

I cut out the old canes during winter on my thornless and one patch of the wild things by the drive entrance. The spots are narrow and easy to pick.

The canes on the thornless make good stakes for smaller plants. Don't last more than a season, but free is free.

 

[Chic Rustler]

Theres no canes. This is a giant thorn bush. Maybe its not blackberry, but they look and taste like blackberry

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Native blackberries are not going to be thornless...

 

[Hinotori]

A blackberry stem is a cane.

Mom always wears socks with the toe cut off over her arms when she picks since she doesn't heal well. I just take the scratches when picking the Himalayan ones. Usually I end up looking like I lost a fight with a cat.