Apache Thornless Blackberries

Apache Blackberry plants grow up to 5–8 feet high and spread up to 4–6 feet across. The spacing between the plants should range between 3–6 feet. Well-drained loose soil and sufficient watering will guarantee the best blackberries will grow in your garden.

What is the best thornless blackberry to grow?

What's the Best Thornless Blackberry?

• Apache Thornless Blackberries. Apache sprouts more berries and larger berries than either Arapaho or Navaho, though all three were created at the University of Arkansas.
• Arapaho Thornless Blackberries. ...
• Black Diamond Thornless Blackberries. ...
• Triple Crown Thornless Blackberries.

Do Apache blackberries need a trellis?

Blackberries require trellising to support the canes, keep fruit off the ground and protect canes from wind damage.

Where is the best place to plant thornless blackberries?

Thornless blackberry plants require rich, moist, soil and full sun exposure to thrive. Thornless blackberries prefer slightly acidic soil with a pH ranging from 6.5 to 7. Plant new plants in early fall or early spring in well-drained soil that contains no less than 2 percent humus or organic material.

Do you need to protect blackberries from birds?

Left unchecked, a flock of robins will strip a bush of every ripe berry in short order, especially early in the season when ripening is slow. The only foolproof prevention is to use an exclusion like bird netting. Bird netting is the most effective way to protect berries from birds.

What's the best tasting blackberry?

Jim rates Navaho as the best-tasting new blackberry. Arapaho runs a close second, but it ripens earlier and has smaller seeds. Kiowa, a thorny, upright type, may very well be the biggest blackberry in the world.

How long does it take for thornless blackberries to fruit?

It takes two years for a blackberry plant to start producing fruit. After three years, each plant will typically produce a full crop of 10 to 20 pounds of fruit.

How long does it take a thornless blackberry bush to produce fruit?

Expect fruit two years after planting. If you choose a primocane variety you may get some fruit the first fall after planting in spring.

How do you winterize blackberry bushes?

Protecting blackberries in winter is pretty simple. If you are growing a trailing type, remove the canes from their supports and place the canes on the ground. Cover with a heavy layer of mulch. In the early spring, before new growth emerges, lift the canes and reattach them to the trellis.

Where is the best place to plant blackberry bushes?

Blackberries prefer loamy, well-draining soil with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0, and thrive in a full sun location with six to eight hours of direct sunshine. Their average height and spread varies widely, but in general, you'll need to place each plant about three to five feet apart if you plan to grow more than one.

What can you not plant next to blackberries?

Avoid planting blackberries with other crops that tend to multiply vigorously and those that are heavy feeders. Avoid planting asparagus near blackberry bushes as the roots may compete with each other. Also avoid planting blackberries near nightshades like tomatoes, eggplant, and potatoes.

What month do you plant blackberry bushes?

Planting berries Raspberries and blackberries can be planted from late fall through early spring. These plants tend to spread, so select a location that will naturally limit their growth. Placing them next to fences and buildings is ideal because they can provide trellising.

What is the best month to plant blackberries?

You can also increase your blackberry garden by digging up suckers from the plants and planting them as “cuttings.” Oklahoma Extension Service says you can plant any time during the dormant season (winter), but most gardeners plant their blackberries during February or early March.

Do you need to plant 2 blackberry bushes?

Blackberries and their hybrids are all self-fertile, so multiple plants are not needed for fruit production.

Should you put mulch around blackberries?

Mulching. Blackberries should be permanently mulched with about 4 inches of organic material such as pine bark, rice hulls or wheat straw. This mulch will help control weeds, conserve soil and moisture, and prevent winter injury to crowns. Mulching also promotes growth of the extensive fibrous blackberry root system.

Do snakes hide in blackberry bushes?

Really, I've seen quite a few around the berry bushes,” Morgan said. He theorizes the berry bushes are likely a good place for snakes to lay and wait for prey, and the branches provide good places for them to bask in the sun. “I have found copperheads and all three of the local black snakes — king, rat and racer.”

What type of animal eats blackberries?

The fruiting cycles of the native blackberries and dewberries provide wildlife with a supply of tasty and nutritious fruit from spring through late summer. Black bears, foxes, coyotes, raccoons, opossums, voles, and mice readily consume the berries. Gamebirds, songbirds, and woodpeckers all feed on the berries.

Is Apache blackberry sweet?

Apache blackberries are large, very juicy, and have a great sweet flavor, making them popular to use in pies, jams, jellies and more.

Which type of blackberry is the sweetest?

and Berry Fresh LLC . The Sweet Karoline blackberry is the first variety to come out of this elite program. These blackberries are known for their sweet flavor and resistance to red cells. Sweet Karoline's also have better shelf-life and significantly higher brix levels than other varieties.

What to feed blackberries to make them sweeter?

This time they're just right and what husband did to make them sweeter was use sea minerals.