When to plant blackberries
Plant blackberries 1–4 weeks before the last spring frost. That works out to zone 5b (early April to late April), zone 7a (mid March to early April) and zone 9a (early February to late February).
Blackberries planting dates by zone
| Zone | Plant outdoors |
|---|---|
| 4a | Apr 17 – May 8 |
| 4b | Apr 15 – May 6 |
| 5a | Apr 13 – May 4 |
| 5b | Apr 7 – Apr 28 |
| 6a | Apr 2 – Apr 23 |
| 6b | Mar 27 – Apr 17 |
| 7a | Mar 18 – Apr 8 |
| 7b | Mar 9 – Mar 30 |
| 8a | Feb 27 – Mar 20 |
| 8b | Feb 16 – Mar 9 |
| 9a | Feb 2 – Feb 23 |
| 9b | Jan 7 – Jan 28 |
How to plant blackberries
| Plant as | bare-root canes |
|---|---|
| Depth | Same depth as the pot |
| Spacing | 3–5 ft |
| Light | Full sun |
| Time to harvest | 1–2 years |
| Hardiness | Perennial in zones 5–9 |
Blackberries fruit on second-year canes (floricanes); primocane types also fruit in the first fall.
Thornless varieties are easier to manage.
Prune out canes after they fruit.
When to harvest blackberries
Pick when berries turn dull black and pull off easily; they do not ripen after picking.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.