blackberry

Blackberry (Rubus 'Triple Crown') should be watered deeply 1-2 times a week to ensure the soil around the roots remains moist. When watering, make sure to get the root system of the blackberry plant wet, avoiding water directly on the foliage as this may damage the plants. Allow the top half-inch of soil to dry out between waterings. During the growing season (late spring to early fall), the blackberry plant should receive 1 inch of water per week. During periods of drought, an additional 0.5 inches or more of water should be added per week. During the dormant season (late fall to early spring), reduce watering to as little as once or twice a month, ensuring there is no standing water in the soil.

Blackberry (Rubus 'Triple Crown') plants prefer full sun, meaning they need at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day. This is best achieved during the late spring and summer months when days are the longest. Avoid growing this plant in areas that receive less than 6 hours of sunlight a day or in shady areas like on the north side of a building, as blackberries need bright sunlight to thrive. During the winter months, it’s important to find a location that gets the maximum amount of sunlight as possible to maintain healthy growth.

Blackberry (Rubus 'Triple Crown') should be given a light pruning once a year in late winter or early spring. Focus on removing any dead, diseased or crossing branches, and any long canes that do not look healthy or productive. If there are a large number of dead canes present in the crown or at the base of the plant, you can completely remove them at this time. The fruiting canes of the blackberry plant can be pruned back to 2-4 feet in height during the pruning season. This can help encourage branching for the upcoming season. Also, you should remove any older canes that have already fruited, as they will most likely not fruit again. Finally, you should check for suckers that may have emerged from the crown and cut them out. Suckers can be identified as thin shoots that grow from the base of the bush and can quickly take over the plant if they are left unchecked.