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Trellising Blackberries
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Date Posted: Wed, Aug 18 - 1:44 pm
- I am wanting to grow blackberries in containers. I have a full sun spot behind my house. Do you think galvanized feeder troughs would be a good thing in which to plant them? And was planning/thought I could trellis them on my fence - do you think that would work? Thank you
- Hello there, that sounds like a great scheme. The troughs should be fine. Galvanized containers are only a problem when they start to corrode so starting with new ones will be fine and serve you for many years. You didn't mention the type of blackberry or the height of your fence. Assuming you are using erect blackberries they will probably top out at 4-5 ft. tall. So factor that in with the height of your planters. If your trough is a foot high add in the mature height of the bushes at 5 feet. Assuming your fence is 6 feet high your good to go. Even if the fence is a bit shorter it will still work. Blackberries can get pretty tangled so you're smart to want to control them a bit with a support. Generally, you will cut down the cane after it has fruited and you've harvested. However, the pruning can vary depending on whether the plant fruits in summer or fall so just be sure to get all that information when you select a variety. It would be good to have some air circulation behind and around the plants so hopefully your fence isn't solid boards. You might wind up with some space in the front of the berries which could be a nice spot for growing herbs. Good luck with the project!