Blackberry Bushes - article about Blackberry Bushes

Next time you are out on a hike keep your eyes opened for blackberry bushes. Blackberry bushes are easy to spot once you have identified them. Their most identifiable trait is the thorns that extend from their branches. It is important to remember where you have seen the blackberry bushes so that you can pick the wonderful berries that they produce. The berries usually ripen on the blackberry bushes in late summer. They blossom with fragrant white flowers in the spring. Blackberry bushes are located throughout all of North America. They produce the best berries when located in the full sun, however you can find them located in shady areas also.

The location of wild blackberry bushes were marked and remembered by the Native Americans so that they could harvest them each year. They used the berries to eat, but they also used them to dye animal hides to create a richer darker color.

The early settlers used the fruit from blackberry bushes to cure many ailments. The berries were especially used for respiratory ailments and coughing. Blackberries are also used to produce a rich colored sweet wine by many people that like to produce home made wines. The overall favorite use for these sweet delicious berries is blackberry jam. They also make a delicious pie, if you do not mind the seeds.

If you are thinking of placing blackberry bushes on your property it is best to place them along the parameter where there is not a lot of traffic. This is to avoid getting scratched by the sharp long thorns. The blackberry bushes should be pruned after they are done producing fruit. The blackberry bushes should be trimmed back to about 18 inches above the ground. Trimming the blackberry bushes is done to prevent them from getting the taller runners that tend to have more thorns than berries on them. If you are going to plant several blackberry bushes make sure to allow for picking so that you do not get as scratched when picking the berries. Regardless of how close the bushes are to each other picking blackberries is a task that requires wearing a long sleeved shirt. The blackberry bushes also have an extensive life span so you will want to keep this in mind when choosing a location to place them.

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