By KARI KRAMER | East Texas Edition

Orchard owner Dale Ham discusses how pruning and thinning can benefit fruit growth at a recent Kaufman County field day. Ham has been growing peaches, blackberries, plums, apricots, apples, and raspberries for more than 20 years in Texas. -- Staff photo by Kramer

April 4, 2006 - An old, sweet favorite is coming back in style and orchard owner Dale Ham said the best part is, “They are one of the easiest fruits to grow.”

Blackberries, whether cultivated or grown wild across the landscape, are a popular berry. Ham, who owns and operates Ham’s Peach Orchard in Terrell, has been growing blackberries (along with peaches, raspberries, apricots, plums, nectarines, and apples) for 27 years. This year, he and his wife Judy have added even more blackberries, about 300 plants, to the orchard.

Blackberries are an aggregate fruit - each berry is made up by a cluster of small fruits. In a health-conscious society, the berries are treasured for their quality taste and nutritional benefits. The berries are high in dietary fiber as well as anti-oxidants and vitamins C and E, all of which are believed to provide protection from cancer and chronic diseases. The only downside to the berries is their shelf life. Once picked, the berries may only remain fresh for a few days - a problem that Ham, who can pick them in his own backyard, doesn’t have to worry about.

Ham has gotten accustomed to have fresh fruit on his 70-acre orchard in Kaufman County. In addition, his building off Highway 80 offers several desserts made from the fruits. He grows plenty of blackberries to sell during the season and said blackberries are not as hard as other fruits to grow. The bushes, which should be planted during the fall in Texas, can be purchased at several locations. 

“Dig a hole just big enough to accompany the roots and cover with the same soil,” said Ham, 65.

In addition, Ham said the soil should be a well draining, sandy soil, and the bushes should be planted in a location with full sun.

The following spring, Ham recommended fertilizing any bushes.

“Fertilize in the early spring before they bloom,” he said and added that a general lawn fertilizer would be an adequate product. 

During the first year, blackberries will not produce any fruit. During the second year, blackberries will grow on the canes that grew during the first year. Once a cane produces fruit, Ham said it will never produce again and must be trimmed. The canes that were unproductive during the second year will produce berries in the third year, so it is important not to remove canes that have yet to produce. 

Thinning should be done right after blackberry harvest (the berries ripen between May and June).

“After we finish picking all of our blackberries, and the season is over, we go into our berry patch and cut out all of the dead canes,” said Ham. In addition, the remaining canes are are tied onto a wire so they do not clutter the ground and attract pests.

In addition to removing the old canes, Ham said the berry bushes must be trimmed, and should be kept to a height of about four feet.

The plants will need water, especially during naturally dry times.

“Dry weather puts stress on the plants and causes them to not bloom as well,” explained Ham. “Next year’s growth will be affected and it will affect next year’s production.” 

As a general rule of thumb, Ham said “the ground should never be allowed to get hard and dried out from lack of moisture.”

Besides rain, there are a few pests and diseases that interfere with blackberry production.

Algal Cane Spot, Cane and Leaf Rust, Cercospora Leaf Spot, Double Blossom, and Orange Rust are potential blackberry diseases, according to the University of Arkansas’ Agriculture Division. And in addition to diseases, there are several pests, including mites, aphids, spiders, and bores that can damage a blackberry crop. But Ham said that most growers seldom have a problem with blackberry diseases and pests.

“Cane bore can cause problems,” he said. “But in 20 years, I’ve never seen it.”

Cane bores come in many types and sizes. The beetles burrow into the canes, causing them to swell, break, or die. Ham said the best way to treat for cane bores is using two applications of Malathion, following the first application with a second a few weeks later.

Depending on the problem, there are several signs that blackberry plants may be in trouble. Ham said extremely green foliage and a plant that turns almost entirely white during blooming are both bad signs.

“The plant should be green and healthy,” he said. “The berry should look black and glossy. The berry isn’t ripe for picking until it’s black.”

In fact, Ham said picking the berries is the hardest part about growing them. Some varieties of blackberries have thorns, making the work even more tedious.

There are several varieties of blackberries that Ham said thrive in Texas’ conditions.

Ham said some great thornless varieties are Arapaho (early-season), Ouachita (mid-season), and Apache (late-season). Thorning varieties like Rosborough (early-season) and Kiowa and Chickasaw (both mid-season) are also great choices.

“All of these varieties are very prolific and were bred out of the Arkansas Research Center,” he said. “Rosborough is a Texas A&M variety release.”

For those who already have blackberries growing wild on their property, Ham said “keep them fertilized and let them continue to be wild.”

More information about the blackberries and other fruits produced on Ham’s Orchard can be found at www.HamOrchard.com. The orchard (located three miles East of Terrell on Texas Highway 80) will be open for business beginning May 15.