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| Blackberries in the Spring |
In addition to working with the livestock on the ranch, I
enjoy gardening – with a caveat - when the Texas heat index is hitting 100 plus
degrees, I don’t enjoy it very much. When choosing plants for my
garden, I select plants capable of providing multiple benefits – 1) a food source
for pollinators, wildlife, and/or the livestock, 2) a food source for the
family, 3) must be relatively easy to care for, so perennials are always high
on my list, 4) it should be high in nutritional benefits and last but not
least, 5) I consider plants with medicinal value a real plus.
One plant that fit all those requirements is blackberries. We have blackberries growing wild on the ranch and as long as they are not trying to take over the pastures or the canes are not so thick they are pulling the fences down, we leave them for the wildlife, especially the birds and the pollinators. I have harvested berries from these plants, but in addition to the thorns, the brambles created habitat for creepy crawly things, like snakes, and then there is the chiggers! If you have ever suffered from chigger bites you know where I am coming from when I choose to leave the wild blackberries for the wildlife!
All things considered I decided on two varieties of thornless blackberry bushes – Ouachita and Arapaho; I placed the two bushes in large containers in my garden. The containers were to keep the bushes under control and hopefully deter infestation by the creepy crawly things since the canes would not be in contact with the ground. Additionally, the containers prevent gophers from accessing the roots. So far the containers have worked wonderfully – the bushes are not trying to take over the garden and no creepy crawlies, no chiggers, no gophers! Of course, the thornless blackberries will do well planted directly into the ground as well; however, the containers work best in my particular situation.
In the spring, the blackberries will be one of the first plants to bloom; they produce pretty pink and white tinted blooms. Your garden will be buzzing with pollinators which is certainly a plus if you have other plants blooming at that time that require pollination.
The blackberries are very easy to care for – I filled the containers with compost when I planted the bushes and set the container in a sunny area of the garden. Each spring right before bud break, I add about 1 inch of compost with a small amount of fertilizer to each container. As the old canes die out after fruiting, I remove them from the plant and dispose of the canes. I monitor the soil moisture as I do with my raised garden beds and water as necessary; when the bush is putting on fruit maintaining moisture is very important. Since the canes are erect, they do not require trellising. The plants have proved to be very healthy with little to no pest or disease issues. That is all the care I give the blackberries and they produce well each year. If you have never grown blackberries, this article by Texas A&M University contains some good information to help you get started, if interested.
Blackberries provide many health benefits – in fact many health food gurus place blackberries high on their “superfood” list. Why? Because those little black jewels are not just juicy and tasty, they are highly nutritious, containing many vitamins, minerals and flavonoids that promote good health. Blackberries contain impressive levels of phytochemicals known to protect against aging, inflammation, cancer and some neurological diseases.
So, it is easy to see why it is considered a “superfood”. In fact in a comparison between blueberries and blackberries, blackberries are superior in health benefits. Additionally, blackberries - roots, leaves, and fruit, have been used by herbalists for centuries, including modern time, for treating ailments such as diarrhea, dysentery, tonsillitis, angina, and hemorrhoids. In Biblical times, blackberry leaves were chewed for relief from bleeding gums.
One plant that fit all those requirements is blackberries. We have blackberries growing wild on the ranch and as long as they are not trying to take over the pastures or the canes are not so thick they are pulling the fences down, we leave them for the wildlife, especially the birds and the pollinators. I have harvested berries from these plants, but in addition to the thorns, the brambles created habitat for creepy crawly things, like snakes, and then there is the chiggers! If you have ever suffered from chigger bites you know where I am coming from when I choose to leave the wild blackberries for the wildlife!
All things considered I decided on two varieties of thornless blackberry bushes – Ouachita and Arapaho; I placed the two bushes in large containers in my garden. The containers were to keep the bushes under control and hopefully deter infestation by the creepy crawly things since the canes would not be in contact with the ground. Additionally, the containers prevent gophers from accessing the roots. So far the containers have worked wonderfully – the bushes are not trying to take over the garden and no creepy crawlies, no chiggers, no gophers! Of course, the thornless blackberries will do well planted directly into the ground as well; however, the containers work best in my particular situation.
In the spring, the blackberries will be one of the first plants to bloom; they produce pretty pink and white tinted blooms. Your garden will be buzzing with pollinators which is certainly a plus if you have other plants blooming at that time that require pollination.
The blackberries are very easy to care for – I filled the containers with compost when I planted the bushes and set the container in a sunny area of the garden. Each spring right before bud break, I add about 1 inch of compost with a small amount of fertilizer to each container. As the old canes die out after fruiting, I remove them from the plant and dispose of the canes. I monitor the soil moisture as I do with my raised garden beds and water as necessary; when the bush is putting on fruit maintaining moisture is very important. Since the canes are erect, they do not require trellising. The plants have proved to be very healthy with little to no pest or disease issues. That is all the care I give the blackberries and they produce well each year. If you have never grown blackberries, this article by Texas A&M University contains some good information to help you get started, if interested.
Blackberries provide many health benefits – in fact many health food gurus place blackberries high on their “superfood” list. Why? Because those little black jewels are not just juicy and tasty, they are highly nutritious, containing many vitamins, minerals and flavonoids that promote good health. Blackberries contain impressive levels of phytochemicals known to protect against aging, inflammation, cancer and some neurological diseases.
So, it is easy to see why it is considered a “superfood”. In fact in a comparison between blueberries and blackberries, blackberries are superior in health benefits. Additionally, blackberries - roots, leaves, and fruit, have been used by herbalists for centuries, including modern time, for treating ailments such as diarrhea, dysentery, tonsillitis, angina, and hemorrhoids. In Biblical times, blackberry leaves were chewed for relief from bleeding gums.
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| Blackberry Syrup |
Blackberries are also very versatile in the kitchen; they
are used in cordials and other drinks, as syrups for pancakes, pastries, and
over dairy products such as ice cream, cooked into cobblers, jams, jellies; they can be used as a replacement in any recipe that calls for raspberries.
Blackberries are a great addition to anyone’s garden and are
often used in permaculture projects serving as a fruitful understory for trees.
These are the many reasons why I recommend blackberries –
they are just “superplants”!
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