Kiowa Blackberries, Spring 2010
Blackberries are super easy to grow, and are the perfect plant for that corner/area of your yard that isn't being used for anything else. Even with only half-day sun, these brambles grow well and produce plenty of big delicious berries. I grow Kiowa, the variety most recommended for Houston by Urban Harvest. At my house, they are ready to pick towards the end of the blueberry harvest, and provide a lot of fruit from a relatively small space. I don't know how many pints we got last year, but it was enough eat a small bowl of fresh berries everyday, make a few cobblers, and freeze some to eat with breakfast.
The plants themselves are as thorny as it gets, so I have to be very careful taking Boy #1 over there. I've got 5 brambles growing in a 2.5 x 16 area up against the northeast side of the house, where they get sun from early morning to around 1:30 pm. The brambles are planted in unimproved clay soil, covered with six to eight inches of leaves and pine needles I picked up from my neighbors. They're right by a water spigot, so I just laid down a soaker-hose on a timer to irrigate them, but most of the time they don't need it.
As the primary canes grow I tie them to t-posts/sturdy stakes, and try to keep them pruned to no taller than five feet. I also have to prune occasionally to keep them from snagging me when I mow the grass in that area. After they're finished fruiting, I just cut out the dead canes to make room for the new ones. Kiowa seems to bloom a little bit later than the wild blackberries that grow in our area, but they're huge and delicious, and well worth the occasional thorn.
The plants themselves are as thorny as it gets, so I have to be very careful taking Boy #1 over there. I've got 5 brambles growing in a 2.5 x 16 area up against the northeast side of the house, where they get sun from early morning to around 1:30 pm. The brambles are planted in unimproved clay soil, covered with six to eight inches of leaves and pine needles I picked up from my neighbors. They're right by a water spigot, so I just laid down a soaker-hose on a timer to irrigate them, but most of the time they don't need it.
As the primary canes grow I tie them to t-posts/sturdy stakes, and try to keep them pruned to no taller than five feet. I also have to prune occasionally to keep them from snagging me when I mow the grass in that area. After they're finished fruiting, I just cut out the dead canes to make room for the new ones. Kiowa seems to bloom a little bit later than the wild blackberries that grow in our area, but they're huge and delicious, and well worth the occasional thorn.
Row of 5 Blackberries
Blackberry canes tied to posts/stakes.
2-year-old cane covered in blossoms.
Big, fat, delicious Kiowa blackberry.
