How to Plant Strawberries & Blackberries

By growing strawberry and blackberry bushes in your yard, you will have them readily available throughout the season to use in various dishes or to share with friends. Your most important issues, when deciding whether to plant those berry trees, are space and soil. You must clear out an area of well-draining soil which allows for the spread of the blackberry bushes or supplies enough room to plant at least a couple rows of strawberries, to be able to grow enough for use.

Strawberries

Break up the ground with a hoe to loosen the soil. Do this in early spring, but following any threat of frost is past.

Dig a trench for the strawberry plants which matches the height of the root ball. Space extra trenches two to three feet apart.

Place the strawberry plants into the trench and surround the roots with the soil that was removed from the trench. Establish the plants 18 to 30 inches apart. Add soil around the base of the plants to only cover the surface of their origins but not the crown of the plant foundation.

Blackberries

Find a planting site that has full sun and well draining soil. Chop up the soil and integrate some organic matter like compost or peat moss. Do this in the spring.

Dig holes for the blackberry bushes which are heavy enough for the root ball to be covered by 2-3 inches of soil. Space the holes 2 to 4 feet apart for upright varieties and 4 to 8 feet apart for low hanging and trailing types.

Place each small blackberry bush at a hole and spread out the root system. Cover with 2 inches of soil and tamp down lightly with your foot.

Snip the principal stem back on the plant 4 inches from the ground to force new growth and a fuller bush.

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