When we began building our garden beds for our Tennessee farm, we wanted it to feel like an intimate garden setting, even though it was being constructed in the middle of a five-acre plot. We planned the boxes to fit within the boundaries of existing trees and added archways and trellises to bring the eye upwards. We also felt like it needed a snug back of the garden border. Our solution? A bramble of blackberries! Fortunately, the outskirts of our farm had wild blackberries growing everywhere, so we carefully dug up a few plants and transplanted them into the back row of the garden. They looked a bit shocked at being uprooted, but after overwintering this first year, the shoots are all budding and adding a lovely natural green backdrop to the garden.
We grew blackberries in our Minnesota and Texas gardens, so it feels very homey to also have them here in Tennessee. Blackberries are lovely summer fruits of a garden and will fill in the garden beds quite easily. And because they are hardy perennials they will come back year after year—our favorite!
Tip for growing blackberries:
Because they will create a natural hedgerow, plan their location with care. Find a sunny spot along fencing, the back of your yard, or contained in a garden bed.
Starter plants will not produce fruit the first year, but they usually do the second.
Be sure to water weekly.
Weed to prevent competition for nutrients and water. We weed our garden every Saturday.
New fruit will start off green, then turn red, and finally turn black, which means they are ready for picking. If you don’t harvest the blackberries right away, the birds will happily eat them!
If you are looking to add a little snuggery to your garden or property, consider adding a bramble of blackberries. The fruit is a summer delight and the plant will provide a beautiful natural border. Happy gardening! xo