“Wild” Blackberries Blackberries for the Home Garden Rubus laciniatus Rubus ursinus ‘Evergreen’ Dr. Bernadine Strik, Professor of Horticulture The only true PNW native Introduced in 1800’s Extension Berry Crops Specialist Oregon State University
Rubus armeniacus ‘Himalaya’ Introduced in 1800’s
Male plant female plant
Aggregate fruit of many Terminology: Fruiting Lateral drupelets calyx Marion during harvest
drupelet Drupelet: Section of a berry Each has a seed The receptacle is part of the “berry” fruit we eat
Primocanes Floricanes First year Second year Sliced blackberry fruit Always vegetative Always fruiting Floricanes at budbreak
Blackberries Three types of blackberries:
Erect e.g. ‘Ouachita’
Marion Trailing e.g. ‘Marion’ ‘Boysen’ ’
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/ Semi-erect Ouachita e.g. ‘Triple Crown’ Triple Crown
Bernadine Strik, Professor, Oregon State University 1 Trailing Blackberries Planting Establishment: Trailing Blackberries • Cultivars include – Marion, Obsidian, Black Diamond, Columbia Star – Hybrids: Boysen, Logan • Fruit tend to be oblong, have relatively small seeds, and have a highly aromatic, good flavor • Fruit from late June through August, depending on cultivar
Trailing blackberry Trailing Blackberries Primocanes are not tipped/pruned in summer
Every-year production: Floricanes trained on wires
Plant 3.5 to 5 ft apart At harvest time Rows 10 ft apart Install trellis in planting year (wires at 6 ft & 4.5 ft) Train primocanes as they grow Hoop for training new primocanes
Trailing blackberries Trailing blackberries During harvest (generally July) After fruit harvest is done (mid- late August)
Cut dying floricanes and remove from the trellis wires
Bernadine Strik, Professor, Oregon State University 2 Trailing blackberries Trailing Blackberries Training primocanes
Dying floricane, after pruning out Divide primocanes into two bundles
Train half one way on trellis and the other in the opposite direction
Primocanes ready for training
Train in: • August or • February (colder regions)
Trailing Blackberries Trailing Blackberries Training primocanes Training primocanes
Loop bundles August trained around the two upper training wires
Before training in Feb.
OR
Trailing Blackberries Re-growth should be tucked by late winter Trailing blackberries August-trained:
Late winter
Early spring Photo taken in October
Bernadine Strik, Professor, Oregon State University 3 Erect Blackberries Erect blackberries Floricane and primocane- 2 to 3’ in the row with 10’ between rows fruiting types Relatively large seeds Less aromatic than trailing types Ripen July – late August for floricane fruiting types & Sept.-Nov. for primocane-fruiting types
Erect blackberry ‘Ouachita’ erect blackberry primocane after summer tipping