Tending your Black Berries!

Remember to compost!

          I should say wild Black Berries. I grew up eating the wild ones and have never developed a taste for the cultivated variety. The cultivated ones are larger and more plump, and I think are seedless or at least some of them are. I grow enough for a few gallons. Some to use immediately, some to freeze for a couple of black berry cobblers through the winter. Some to give away to family and friends.
          The only maintenance I do is to cut them back and I do so every other winter. Mine seem to
spread like wild fire and can grow 5 thicker every year easy. Your not picking anything but the fruit you reach anyways so I keep mine pretty thin by Black Berry thicket standards. If you have let them get out of control just throw planks and go further into the thicket and keep picking.

          The first year Black Berries grow their stems but do not flower. The second year, flowers are produced and Pollinated to bear fruit. Black berries can be self pollinated but seem to produce better when pollinated by bees and other insects.
          They can be transplanted, just make sure the soil is well drained. Transplant time is the late fall, or early spring.  Black berries love the sun, they will do fine in partial shade but never in full shade. Pick the smaller plants for transplanting as they seem to be more vigorous.

            Now I'm gonna go break out the loppers. I've let mine get out of control.  



          Beware of this guy in certain parts of the country.
My mother once told she out picking berries with her
       sisters, this was back in the Great Deppression
when she was a little girl.  She said the bear stayed on his
 side of the thicket and they stayed on their
 side for about 20 minutes and picked Black Berries.