Out of season right now. The next sowing window opens in November.
Growing Calendar
This month: May
Plan ahead for this crop
- •Check growing conditions
- •Prepare for next stage
Watch Out For
Canes tip-layer readily
any stem touching the ground will root and spread; peg them up or check regularly and remove unwanted rooted tips
Aphids colonise new shoot tips in spring
pinch out heavily affected tips to encourage natural predators to move in
Mould spreads quickly in wet weather
pick ripe fruit regularly rather than letting it accumulate on the canes
Grown Organically
Every method in this guide works with natural systems — no synthetic chemicals, no shortcuts.
Read our approachCommon Questions
About growing Blackberry in the UK
When do blackberries fruit in the UK?
Most blackberry varieties fruit from August to October. Early varieties (Loch Ness, Waldo) ripen from late July; late varieties can produce into November in a mild autumn. Blackberries are extremely productive once established.
Are thornless blackberries as productive as thorned varieties?
Modern thornless varieties (Loch Ness, Loch Tay, Waldo) are nearly as productive as thorned types and far easier to manage. They are the practical choice for most garden growers.
How much space does a blackberry need?
Most blackberry varieties need 3–5m of space along a wall or fence. Compact varieties (Waldo, Black Butte) can be managed in 1.5–2m. Without enough space, the plant becomes a tangled thicket that is difficult to harvest and prune.
How do I prune blackberries?
After fruiting, cut all canes that have fruited back to the ground. Tie in this year's new canes (which will fruit next year) along support wires. Keeping old and new canes separate during the season makes pruning straightforward.
Member guides
There's more to growing Blackberry than this guide covers.
Seasonal reminders, deeper guides, and the small adjustments that change a harvest.
