For the home Gardener blackberries could be a wonderful addition to fill out the yard. Wild berries are common in the Northeast however, many of them are simply not great tasting or even edible. 

Breading programs over the last decade have produced some interesting cultivars to choose from if your desire is to plant them yourself. Thornless or Thorned; Primocane fruiting or floricane fruiting. Contacting a fruit nursery to find out which varieties are best suited for you is always the best way to get questons answered. Nurseries know what questions to ask to get you the cultivar you want. 

Learning Curve 

A blackberry has two cane types. They are distinguished by observing if the fruit grows on first year or 1 year old canes or if fruit grows in the second season. 

Primocanes: First year of growth; no fruit is produced on this cane. Floricanes: Second year of growth; these produce fruit on branches.

Erect and Trailing Blackberries have two growth habits to pick from. The Erect has an upright stiff and almost sell-supporting growth habit. The Trailing habit requires support to keep its canes from drooping to the ground.

Erect: More Cold Hardy; Near Self Supporting Stiff Canes 

Trailing: Can Survive Cold Winters with mulch; Drooping Non-Self Supporting 

All are species and/or hybrids of the genus Rubus

Comming Soon...S 

Selecting a site

Selecting a cultivar

Establishing your planting

Care of established plantings

Pruning and training  The Ohio State University

Harvest

Pests