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This native of the Northern hemisphere is usually discovered by accident when it grabs a hapless hiker. They have found the "black gold" of the berry world.
The wild blackberry is one of the most widely known of the wild berries. Considered a noxious weed in some areas because they spread rapidly, and over time create dense, tangled jungles of some of the nastiest thorns known in the berry world. Their branches can easily reach 10 or 20 feet in length. That being said, I remember when I was a child, I spent a few weeks each summer with my Grandparents. Picking Blackberries was at the top of the "to do" list. Dad had to have his Blackberry wine. We would pick them and freeze them as soon as we got home. Blackberries are not known for their staying power once picked. Being the stubborn child that I was, I also remember raw, bloody and scratched arms and legs. I looked like I had been wrestling with wild cats. The wiser of you out there, I'm sure, would dress in long sleeved shirts and long pants, maybe heavy work gloves on one hand. Peak picking happens in July in the North, which also happens to be the height of mosquito season. Remember to pack some good bug spray too. Blackberries can readily be found growing along the edges of roads and open clearings. One more important note before I forget, they are often found growing together with poison ivy and poison oak, which makes the heavy clothing even more appropriate.
"That's all fine and dandy Lee Anne, but what if I don't want to go hiking through the back woods, dressed in way too many clothes, on a hot July day?" No problem. There are many, many cultivated varieties available on the market today, including a thornless one. Every garden centre, including the big box stores, will have them. They require very little care, just a few basics..
Blackberry care. Blackberries are not fussy about their soil. They will grow in sand, rock, on hillsides or flat ground. They are one of the first to appear in newly cleared areas. They also like their water. Even the wild crop will fail if the summer is too hot, with no rain, at the wrong time. The berries will just shrivel up on the vines. The keys to avoiding this disaster are compost and mulch. If you can, add as much good organic matter as possible to the soil before planting. Mulching around the plants will help prevent moisture loss as well. Blackberries spread fast, remember that noxious weed thing we mentioned earlier? They don't like to be too crowded either, so good air circulation is a must to prevent any diseases. They will grow equally well in direct sun or partial shade.
The blackberry roots are perennial. The canes are a different story altogether. While you are fighting with your blackberry bush trying to pick the juicy berries, you will notice new canes growing from the roots. These new canes will be next years crop. The fruit bearing canes will die after they are finished producing. These ones can then be cut out. You will then be left with a nice patch of new canes for picking next year.
A few things to take note of before we move on to the more appetizing aspects of the Blackberry. Firstly, if picking the wild ones, avoid any location, such as railway right of ways and along major roads. Pollution from vehicles and spraying may make them less than edible. Secondly, they are seedy with a capital "S". Denture wearers beware. The seeds are just the perfect size to lodge between unsuspecting teeth. Thirdly, while picking Blackberries, your clothing and fingers will become purple.
Last, but not least, you will become tangled, your hair, clothes, feet. You won't notice though, for after tasting that first luscious berry you will become desperate to reach further and farther into the brambles, reaching and stretching, inching forward, until you find yourself sweaty and scratched...and just when you think "enough already", you will look up and see the biggest berry yet, just a few feet away, and you will have to, just have to get it. Then you realize you are stuck, maybe a little rest is in order, maybe...and you eat a few berries while you ponder your situation..."maybe I'll pick just a few more".
Many thanks to melody, philomel, Sarahskeeper and Baa for adding such beautiful photos to Plant Files.
About Lee Anne Stark
I am an avid gardener who shares my gardens with 2 other equally avid gardeners. I garden for fun and relaxation, never paying attention to the rules!! During the long, cold winter months I occupy my time playing with over a hundred house plants, my six cats and two dogs.
Posted by cyra (from Central Valley, CA) on March 17, 2008 at 12:12 PM:
PS, before you cut down those old canes every year, remember, the leaves make a pretty good herbal tea additive, much as raspberry leaves do:)
Cyra
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Subject: Miracles here .........
Posted by wannadanc (from Olympia, WA) on March 13, 2008 at 9:22 PM:
That is what my 5 year old nephew yelled to his Dad ........"Dad, dad, come here. There are miracles" - and yes, he was getting his first view of the blackberry bonanza of the PNW. Of course, he was too late in the season to have experienced the little wild BBs - the sheer ambrosia. But - for a 5 year old - the huge sized easily plucked Himalayan type were absolutely miraculous.
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Subject: I love blackberries
Posted by glendalekid (from Tuscaloosa, AL) on March 13, 2008 at 1:01 PM:
How well I remember picking the wild blackberries on my grandma's farm in the Missouri Ozarks. Even as a kid, I thought it was great fun. The funniest was one time watching my aunt go running out of the patch, screaming like a nut. When we caught up with her, it turned out she had seen a snake. I went back to look. He was still there, a little tiny green grass snake. We gave her a bad time over that, you bet. LOL.
Karen
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Posted by Molamola (from Christiansted
(Virgin Islands (USA))) on March 17, 2008 at 7:28 AM:
Where is the absolutely warmest place they grow? I don't mean hot summers, it never ever gets over 96 here, I mean warm winters.
Ya gotta watch those green snakes! but none here in the Islands,
...
Posted by sesitz (from Fort Worth, TX) on April 15, 2008 at 11:48 AM:
I am growing them in Fort Worth, TX.
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Posted by Molamola (from Christiansted
(Virgin Islands (USA))) on April 18, 2008 at 9:13 PM:
What kind? do you have a name, and what nursery might mail order bits and pieces?
Thanks muchly.
Molamola
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Subject: Thank you Lee Ann!
Posted by truest (from Johnson City, TX) on March 13, 2008 at 12:04 PM:
My memories of picking blackberries are just like your's,
along the roads and fencelines when visiting my grandparents.
I received some from a generous DGer, and planted them this
past fall. They are showing new growth, and I'm so excited.
Thank you for sharing. Loved the article. One thing I was always
told to watch for was snakes- they like preying on the birds who
come for berries.
...
Subject: Wonderful!
Posted by doccat5 (from Fredericksburg, VA) on March 13, 2008 at 8:55 AM:
Yummy, yummy. Thanks for sharing. :)
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Posted by Pamgarden (from Central, VA) on March 13, 2008 at 9:42 AM:
Definitely need this in my garden for ourselves and as a gift for the birds, who already bring them from somewhere else and poop purple on the deck and railings-LOL. Have you made the blackberry wine yourself? We have a berry farm nearby and one of their big sellers is blackberry.
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Posted by doccat5 (from Fredericksburg, VA) on March 13, 2008 at 9:45 AM:
I am highly tempted to buy some of the one's I've seen advertised that can be grown in a container. I've been out picking blueberries in MN and we not only found blueberries (yummy) there was a bear as well. We got out of there quickly.
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Posted by pepper23 (from KC Metro area, MO) on March 13, 2008 at 9:23 PM:
I used to mow a neighbor's house and they had a huge blackberry bush. I would mow in circles around it picking the blackberries. lol They were the best ones I ever had. The bad thing was the bees thought so too so I had to watch where I picked cause it didn't take much to have them out ready to attack.
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Posted by KyWoods (from Melbourne, KY) on March 13, 2008 at 11:18 PM:
Wow, this article sure brought back memories of childhood! We made blackberry pies, cobbler, and used them as a topping for vanilla ice cream. Mmmm...and in between enjoying the fruits of our labor, we covered our poison ivy rashes in calamine lotion. LOL
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Posted by pandora125 (from Symsonia, KY) on March 17, 2008 at 5:31 PM:
nothing like getting on boots and long sleeves in July. they are so worth it :)
July in the North, which also happens to be the height of mosquito season. Remember to pack some good bug spray too. Blackberries can readily be found growing along the edges of roads and open clearings. One more important note before I forget, they are often found growing together with poison ivy and poison oak, which makes the heavy clothing even more appropriate. 
must to prevent any diseases. They will grow equally well in direct sun or partial shade.
and fingers will become purple. 
