Your plant will need 6-8 hours of full sun.

Water this plant consistently giving it 1-2 inches of rainfall per week or five gallons in a 3 x 3 foot area during growth and 4 inches during fruiting (17 gallons when full grown) and harvest. Allow enough water to penetrate down two feet deep to reach its roots. Follow our directions on watering here. Never leave your soil soggy.

Provide good air circulation around the bushes although need wind protection from storms. They grow best in elevations above 2500 feet.

This plant needs warm summers and cool winters to flourish.

These berries need few chilling hours and will fruit if temps are below 45°F for 300 hours per year or more. They prefer warm to hot climates.

Fertilize in the spring when leaves begin to pop out, and all danger of frost has passed. Sprinkle Jon and Bob's organic fertilizer around the dripline to promote good soil health and add microorganisms to the soil. A light layer of compost is also good to add but do not push up against the main trunk. A balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 sprinkled around the root area under the mulch is sufficient. A fall fertilization schedule is fine too before the first frost. Follow all application rates and do not over fertilize or the plant can be harmed.

To transplant into a garden container or the garden bed, water your plant the night before. Since your plant has been in a box without light or water, it may have some yellowing leaves or show some wilt.
If the soil is dry, water the plant and put her in bright, indirect light for a couple of days. When all danger of frost has passed, you can transition your plant slowly to more direct sunlight. For one to two weeks, start in the morning hours and gradually give it more direct sunshine each day. After increasing the time, this should acclimate to full sun for 6-8 hours per day.
Next, dig the hole twice as wide as the grower pot and the same depth as the grower pot (not deeper). Remove the plant and center in the spot. Add rooting hormone around the roots of the plant. Water in the hole and let drain. If you have clay soils, add compost to enhance the soil consistency with the native soil. Fill around the plant with the combined mix and up to the top of its soil line. Tamp down with your hands to remove any air pockets. Water again around the drip line, being careful not to soak the leaves to help prevent fungus. Keep the soil moist like a wrung-out sponge but not soggy to promote healthy root growth. Check out our water wisely blog on how much to calculate the amount of water your blackberry shrub needs.
Note: Blackberries are the happiest when the pH level is between 5.5 and 7.0. Check your soil with our 3 in 1 plant meter.

Patience is a virtue, and you will exercise yours regarding waiting for a harvest. In the second year, the blackberry canes will flower and fruit. To keep that cycle going, you will prune immediately after harvest. Prune the fruit-bearing branches back to the ground and leave the one-year-old canes intact. These canes will be what bears fruit the second year. This cycle will occur each year. If unsure which ones were fruit-bearing, bend the canes; if they're brittle and break, prune them back.

For upright shrubs:
Hydrate your plant before taking cuttings.
With sterile pruners, trim several 6-8 inches of tips from your blackberry canes in the early morning.
Trim off the bottom third of the leaves.
Prepare quart or gallon size grower containers that have been cleaned and sterilized and fill with a moist potting mixture for rooting.
Dip the ends in rooting hormone gel and stick the bottom third of the stems into the soil.
Place the pots in bright, indirect light and consistently moisten the soil.
In a month, tug on the stems to ensure they are rooting. When they are secure and will not pull up, gradually expose your plant to the sunshine a couple of hours a day, starting in the morning hours. Add more hours each day watching the plant for any wilting. After he acclimates to the full sun, it's time to transplant into the garden!