The warm climate and diverse growing conditions across Texas make it possible to cultivate blackberries, a popular and productive fruit. Successful cultivation requires specific adjustments to account for intense summer heat, alkaline soils, and the varying chilling hour requirements of different regions. Understanding these localized environmental factors and implementing tailored growing practices helps ensure a plentiful harvest. Focusing on appropriate cultivar selection, site preparation, and year-round maintenance routines establishes a healthy and long-lasting berry patch.
Selecting Cultivars Suited for Texas
Selecting a cultivar that aligns with the local climate, particularly the number of chilling hours, is the most important decision for a Texas blackberry grower. Chilling hours refer to the total time a plant needs to spend below 45°F (7.2°C) during winter dormancy to set fruit the following season. Most blackberries require 300 or more chilling hours, but varieties needing significantly more should only be planted in North Texas.
Texas A&M University developed several heat-tolerant, thorny varieties well-adapted for the region, such as ‘Brazos’ and ‘Rosborough’. ‘Brazos’ is known for its drought and heat tolerance, while ‘Rosborough’ is a strong early variety for East and South Central Texas. For large fruit, the University of Arkansas variety ‘Kiowa’ performs well in Texas conditions, requiring only 200 chilling hours.
Thornless options are available for easier handling, though thorny types are often more productive. Popular thornless cultivars like ‘Ouachita’ and ‘Natchez’ require around 300 to 500 chilling hours and offer good production. Primocane-bearing varieties, which fruit on first-year canes, can be inconsistent in the extreme Texas heat, making them an experimental choice for new growers.
Site Preparation and Planting Techniques
Blackberries require a planting site that receives full sun exposure for at least eight hours daily to maximize fruit yield. Proper soil preparation is necessary to address the common issue of heavy, alkaline clay soils found throughout Texas. Blackberries thrive best in well-drained soil with a slightly acidic pH range of 5.5 to 7.5.
Soil testing is recommended to determine the existing pH and nutrient levels before planting. If the pH is above 8.0, plants may suffer from iron chlorosis, which causes yellowing between the leaf veins and requires chelated iron products. To lower a high pH and improve soil structure, growers should incorporate organic matter like compost, peat moss, or sulfur into the planting area.
If the site has poor drainage, planting on raised beds or berms prevents water from collecting around the crown and causing root rot. Bareroot and rooted cuttings should be planted during the dormant season, ideally in late winter or early spring. Plants should be spaced three to five feet apart within the row, with eight to ten feet between rows to ensure sufficient airflow and ease of maintenance.
Seasonal Pruning and Trellising Requirements
Blackberries have perennial roots but biennial canes; each cane lives for only two years before dying. Canes that grow during the current season are called primocanes, and they become the fruiting floricanes the following year. Understanding this two-year cycle is necessary for correct pruning, which directly impacts health and productivity.
Summer pruning involves “tipping,” or removing the top few inches from primocanes when they reach 36 to 48 inches high. This encourages the cane to branch laterally, and these side branches produce the majority of the subsequent year’s fruit. Continued tipping keeps the canes manageable and promotes a dense, productive growth habit.
After the summer harvest, floricanes that finished producing fruit must be cut completely back to the ground. Removing these completed canes prevents the spread of disease and clears space for new primocanes to emerge. The remaining healthy primocanes are left to overwinter and will become the next season’s floricanes.
Most Texas blackberry varieties have an upright growth habit, but trellising is needed to manage sprawling growth and support heavy fruit loads. A simple two-wire trellis system, with wires placed at roughly 30 and 60 inches high, works well for containing the canes. Supporting the canes keeps them off the soil, reducing the risk of fruit contamination and improving air circulation to prevent fungal issues.
Watering and Fertilization Needs
Consistent moisture is necessary for blackberry plants, especially when grown in the intense heat of the Texas summer. Irrigation is important during the bloom period and the phase when the fruit is sizing up. A general guideline is to provide plants with one to two inches of water weekly, adjusting based on rainfall and temperature.
Drip irrigation is the preferred method, as it delivers water directly to the root zone and minimizes wetting the foliage. Keeping the leaves dry helps reduce the incidence of fungal diseases, which thrive in humid conditions. Growers should continue regular watering through the harvest period and gradually reduce frequency around September to allow canes to “harden off” for winter.
The most important nutrient for annual fertilization is nitrogen, which should be applied in split applications. The first application of a balanced fertilizer should occur in early spring as buds break dormancy. A second application of nitrogen is beneficial immediately after the fruit harvest is finished.
Applying a thick layer of organic mulch, such as wood chips or pine straw, conserves soil moisture and suppresses weeds. Mulch also assists in regulating soil temperature, providing a cooler environment for the shallow root system during peak summer heat. Soil testing every few years is recommended to identify specific nutrient deficiencies beyond nitrogen that may require specialized fertilizer amendments.