The blackberry owes its name to the spines and small thorns that are on its tendrils and that it uses as a climbing aid. That is why they used to be called thornberry. From the old high German word brämberi, which means thornberry, the name in use today emerged. The best time to plant blackberries is now in spring or autumn. If you follow a few simple tips, you will soon be able to harvest the juicy, dark berries.
PLANTING BLACKBERRIES
The ideal time to plant blackberry bushes in your garden is now in spring or at the end of summer or beginning of autumn. When choosing the location, the following points should be noted: Blackberries prefer partially shaded to sunny, sheltered places. They are often found growing wild on the edges of forests. The floor itself does not have to meet any special requirements. Sufficient moisture is also important. But blackberries don’t like waterlogging. So make sure that the water can drain well.
BLACKBERRIES ARE CLIMBING PLANTS: ESCAPES HELP
Blackberries bear fruit on the biennial wood. If you want to make harvesting the fresh fruits easier for yourself, you should make sure from the start that young and old shoots are kept separate. This is easy to do with a trellis. In contrast to raspberries, the individual bushes of blackberries are easy to distinguish. So just attach the young rods to the trellis on one side and the old rods on the other. This not only makes harvesting easier, it also gives the bushes sufficient sunlight.
This helps the young rods to grow, and the berries to ripen. Also, leave enough space between the individual plants. The planting distance varies depending on the variety: For strongly growing varieties it is advisable to leave two to four meters of space, for weakly growing varieties one meter is sufficient.
REGULAR CUTS ENSURE A GOOD HARVEST
As with many berry bushes, the annual pruning of the blackberry also helps to ensure the quality and quantity of fruit. The old shoots that have already borne fruit must be cut back completely. If you consistently separate the tendrils from one another, as described above, it will be much easier to remove the correct ones. If you only remove the old shoots in spring, they will offer protection to the young branches in winter. This is particularly useful in regions with colder winters. In areas with milder winters, the old tendrils can be cut in early winter. So the blackberry mites don’t have a chance to overwinter in your bushes. In the summer, the side shoots are then cut back to two or three leaves.
HEALING EFFECTS OF BLACKBERRIES
In the past, the roots of the blackberry were often used as a remedy. Nowadays, however, the berries or leaves usually serve as the basis for tasty teas. The berries in particular are rich in minerals and vitamins. They contain potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron as well as vitamins A, B, C and E. The berries also have invigorating fruit acids and flavonoids. These protect against cell damage and free radicals, for example. Blackberries also have a dehydrating effect and strengthen the immune system. A tea made from the berries themselves can help with mild diarrhea. It can also be used as a mouthwash against small inflammations in the mouth or throat and soothes irritated vocal cords. A tea made from the leaves, on the other hand, strengthens the body’s defenses, helps with coughs or colds and also diarrhea. It is also used for menstrual pain.
Depending on the variety, you can harvest the juicy berries between July and early autumn. They are ripe when they are completely black and can be easily removed from the bush. Good Appetite!
