The tip rooting should work great, just like the video. I used to do that all the time with mine, also you can dig up all the volunteer rooted tips that occurred every fall. I would wait a bit yet though, maybe till the end of August when the heat starts to relax.
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@Everett thank you for the kind words. Maybe we should put together a blackberry exchange group for those of us in marginal areas who still need or want blackberries. They spread through the roots very easily so even in rocky soil once they are dormant get under the roots cut them on one side and pull upgradually on the other sides and the roots come up easily. You can get enough close to the surface roots to make starts. Those are beautiful plants and definately something we should try and preserve for future generations if possible.
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Thanks for the adviceš Iāll be sure to update this thread with any progress.
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I have a patch but they arenāt sweet. Looking for a sweet variety. Zone 5B
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Do you have any rooted starts to share?
Sounds good.
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I attempted some tip rootingā¦but I believe they all dried out. There may be one that made it. I will be digging some roots for propogating next spring, that seems like to best option at this point. I have a few interested parties and as I said I will continue to update my progress.
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Locally
We have 2 major "naturalized blackberry spp.
Himalayan, and Evergreen
The Himalayan is super invasive
The Evergreen much more manageable and compact.
I can easily get root tips of the Evergreen.
Fruit keeps better than the Himalayan.
Some variation in quality.
Will be happy to share this fall.
Not sure how Hardy
Our winter is pretty mild.
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Iām really hoping to trade a few root cuttings with you next spring. i put in nelson from fedco and got a few fruits this summer. taste was good but berry size is about as big as a raspberry. i hope yours will do well in my z4.
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Theyāre starting to tip root now.
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Update on this project. I was finally able to dig some dormant roots today.
Now I donāt have a ton of experience digging blackberry roots, but if these donāt scream vigorous I donāt know what does.
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Very healthy looking blackberries. They will die back to the roots then start shooting up new growth.
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Thanks! Im excited.
Do you have a favorite root propogation method? How big of a cutting is needed to ensure success? Does the diameter of the root matter? Pot them first? Directly in ground?
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I would put those directly in the ground , keep them as wet as you can. If they are not wet now stick them in a bucket of water for 10-20minutes while planting them. Put cardboad, hay, wood chips, old carpet, news paper, whatever around them to reduce weed competition and keep them moist
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Decided to dig a trench and put 6 inch cuttings about a foot apart. Weāll see what happens!
I also kept the crown in tact with 3 - 6inch roots and will plant it in a stool bed of sorts to hopefully continue the propagation process in future years.
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Update. This row of root cuttings has turned into a 3ft tall explosion of blossoms. This row is only half the size of their potential sizeā¦Iām hoping itās due to them just being young still and not due to them not competing well with the sodā¦if itās the later Iāll have to rethink my growing methods.
Unfortunately the patch at my fatherās house is on the decline after 30 years of growing in the same spot. They have lost their former vigor and Iām assuming will fizzle out over time.
But, I have observed after doing some earthwork around the property that there are other seedlings popping up recently showing similar vigor and growth habits. I am thinking that we may just have a really special landrace present here on the farm and when grown in an area free of other competition in full sun they thrive. Iāll continue to observe.
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The one-year canes should get bigger in successive years if the plant is happy.
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I also just remembered the deer nipped the tips back pretty good last year as they were establishing as wellā¦ couldnāt have helped in the height department.
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Mine are doing pretty good thank you @Everett
FYI my vole taught me that you only need 1/2 inch and sometimes smaller cuttings of blackberry roots to make babiesā¦ Something about doing this in the winter is effective but during the spring/summer it is not. So my vole taught me a lesson.
If you want to experiment with yours do some root cuttings in late fall after a hard freeze or you can put them in the fridge/freezerā¦ 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 inch and pot them up and forget about them all winterā¦ i think u will have babies popping up in the spring.
My vole(s) really had fun with yours and Seacorās Mammoth which is its neighbor. Many many many babies.
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Yes, they are the plant equivalent of starfish that way. Right up there with comfrey, knotweed, sunchoke, and field bindweed.
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