The blackberry is an edible fruit produced by many species in the genus Rubus in the family Rosaceae.In its first year, a new Blackberries are succulent, juicy berries with a tart flavor. The ripest ones are sweet and tangy, while unripe berries can be sour or bitter. The Blackberry Plant, grows vigorously to its full length of 3–6 m (9.8–19.7 ft) (in some cases, up to 9 m [30 ft]), arching or trailing along the ground and bearing large palmately compound leaves with five or seven leaflets. It blooms with pink and white flowers in early to mid spring. The heavy, one- to two-inch-long berries ripen in July or August for primocane-borne fruits, and June for floricane-borne fruits. This means that in the second year, you’ll get two crops of berries: one in early summer and one in late summer.
Benefits:
The ripe fruit is commonly used in desserts, jams, jelly, wine and liqueurs. It may be mixed with other berries and fruits for pies and crumbles. Blackberries are also used to produce candy. Blackberries contain high levels of antioxidants, such as anthocyanins. Antioxidants help people to fight against the adverse impact of free radicals in the body. Free radicals can damage cells and are thought to be closely involved in the aging process plus other health conditions, such as cancer and heart disease. They’re packed with vitamin C. Just one cup of raw blackberries has 30.2 milligrams of vitamin C.
Sunlight:
Blackberries require full sun (a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight daily) is required for healthy plants with good flowering and fruit production. Shadier locations will produce nice shrubs but very little fruit.
Watering:
Water more frequently for 2-3 weeks after planting. As a rule of thumb, the top inch of soil is moist during the first 2-3 weeks. Watering after first three weeks. Water blackberries plants during the day. Then, give them about 1″-2″ per week during growing season and up to 4″ per week during harvest.
Soil:
Blackberries do best in well-drained sandy or loamy soils with a pH of between 5.5 and 6.5. A good supply of organic matter in the soil improves aeration and drainage and increases water-holding capacity.
Fertilizer:
Use either a complete 10-10-10 food as fertilizer for your blackberries or use compost, manure, or another organic fertilizer.