Blackberry plants produce delicious, deep purple berries. These plants can grow tall or can spread, and they typically have thorns on their stems and branches.
Blackberry plants are fairly easy to grow. This article will discuss the plant’s growth and development stages from germination to harvest so that you can cultivate tasty blackberries in your garden.
Germination
Blackberry plants are biennial; they grow new shoots from their crowns or root buds in the spring. A seedling will typically sprout 16 weeks after the seed germinates.
Vegetative Growth
As biennials, blackberry plants only live about two years. Most of their development takes place during their second year; this is when their stems become woody and they develop new shoots.
Reproduction
Blackberry plants self-pollinate, which means they don’t have to be near another plant to reproduce. Root cuttings and cuttings from the plant’s leafy stems can also be used to grow new blackberry plants.
Pollination
As previously mentioned, this is a self-pollinating plant. However, for this to work, the plant’s flowers need help from the wind or insects to help move its pollen from its anther (the flower’s male sex organ) to the stigma (the flower’s female sex organ).
Fruiting
Blackberry bushes will begin producing berries after their flowers bloom in the summer. Blackberries typically start to appear and mature 60 – 70 days later. Blackberries are ready for harvest when they turn deep red or purple.
Blackberry plants tend to produce more fruit when they’re planted near other plants.
