Thornless Blackberries

I moved to the Pacific Northwest years and years ago. I was absolutely stunned to find that blackberries, yummy blackberries, grow like weeds here--literally. People buy poison to kill it off. It is a pretty aggressive plant and can take over a whole field. Plus, it has the nastiest double edged thorn. Whenever I go into a field to pick them, I put on body armor and update my tetanus shot.

Not anymore! A few years ago, I found a seed catalogue that sold me a handful thornless blackberry plants. When they arrived, they looked like dead sticks you would use to start a fire with. I soaked them in buckets in my kitchen and had blackberry sprouts in a few days. That was two year ago. This year, we have full maturity. Here are some pictures I took today of our great results.

Here they are growing over the top of the chicken coop.
This is what happens when you compost the dead pumpkin from last year. You get more!

Our chickens just waiting for a berry to drop.
So close, yet so far!
They're getting ripe!
Two plants got fried in the heat. Check out the neighbor's nasty porch covering thing. One reason I put blackberries here. To cover that up.
But still managed to squeeze a few berries out.

This year, I haven't paid as much attention to them as I should have. The sun really got to them. That surprised me because the ones out in the fields just love the sun--that's what you get for using a hybrid. Anyway, next summer, I'll definitely make sure the sprinkler hits them.

So far, we have gone out and picked a few bowls of them for munching and putting on ice cream. I am sure next year I will be able to make jam. Not that I need any more jam. I do have jars and jars and jars of jam from years past when I did the body armor thing. But they are such yummy berries! They make great jam, cobblers, pies, breads (instead of blueberries), etc. Anything you might use raspberries for, try with blackberries.

Anyway, I told my retired father in law about my thornless blackberries and the gardening guru he is said, "Hmmm....that sounds like fun!" Score! Next birthday present for him! They have already been ordered!

The place I got them from http://www.gurneys.com/. Just type in blackberries, and check it out. They have them on sale right now--three plants for $4.99. You won't get them until next spring. They need to be dormant for them to be sent to you, and they are definitely not dormant right now. Just double check your zones. I truly recommend them for a fun plant to have in your garden.