How to Grow Blackberries
Rubus fruticosus
Vigorous, heat-tolerant brambles that deliver pails of late-summer fruit.
By the Plants by Zone Editorial Team · Reviewed June 1, 2026
About blackberries
Blackberries are vigorous perennial brambles that crop heavily in mid-to-late summer, tolerating heat better than raspberries. Modern thornless, erect varieties are far easier to manage than wild types. Most fruit on second-year canes, so a simple two-year pruning rhythm keeps the patch productive.
When to plant and harvest blackberries
Timing is relative to your frost dates. Find your USDA zone for exact dates, or browse the month-by-month calendars.
Start seeds indoors
Not applicable — plant dormant canes
Transplant outdoors
Early spring while dormant
Direct sow
Not applicable
Harvest
Mid-to-late summer
How to grow blackberries step by step
- 1
Plant dormant canes in early spring in full sun with good drainage.
- 2
Train erect or trailing canes onto a sturdy trellis for easy picking and airflow.
- 3
Mulch and water consistently, especially as fruit ripens.
- 4
After a cane fruits in its second year, cut it to the ground — new canes replace it.
- 5
Tip-prune new primocanes in summer to encourage branching and more fruit.
- 6
Wear gloves and long sleeves unless you grow a thornless variety.
Common problems growing blackberries
⚠ Canes that grew last year didn’t fruit
Most blackberries fruit on second-year canes — be patient and don’t cut first-year canes that will fruit next season.
⚠ Aggressive, tangled growth
Keep canes trellised and prune yearly; remove spent floricanes and unwanted suckers.
⚠ White, sunscalded druplets
Intense afternoon sun can bleach berries — light afternoon shade in hot climates helps.
✗ Keep away from
🧺 Harvesting blackberries
Pick blackberries only when they’re dull-black and pull away easily — unlike raspberries, they keep the core, and a berry that resists is not yet ripe. Harvest every couple of days in the cool morning and handle gently, as they bruise and mold quickly.
Blackberries: frequently asked questions
Should I grow thorny or thornless blackberries?＋
Thornless erect varieties are far easier to prune and pick and are just as productive — the obvious choice for most home gardens.
Why didn’t my blackberries fruit?＋
Most types fruit on two-year-old canes. If you cut every cane down each year, you remove next season’s fruiting wood — leave first-year canes to fruit the following summer.
Grow blackberries in your zone
See exactly when to plant and what else to grow alongside blackberries, tailored to your USDA hardiness zone.
