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Growing Blackberries (Natasha)
Blackberries grow in the cool months of spring, not the hot months of summer. Additionally, they require full sun; this means that they must get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day. Since they grow on canes, it is important to remove any dried ones, or canes that have already grown fruit. This ensures that healthy canes are available for growing season. When growing blackberries, it is recommended to build a trellis. A two-wire trellis that is 5 feet high and 18 inches apart will allow the new fruit to grow on top of the developing canes – making it easier to harvest the fruit. Right before the cold climate in the winter, remove any shoots that grew within 2 feet, and trim the taller ones down to 12-15 inches.

When taking care of blackberries, it is important to fertilize them in either the late winter or early spring - before they come out of dormancy. To fertilize, apply ¼ pound of actual nitrogen to the soil each year. Since blackberries have very deep roots, they require deep watering every day, and more frequently when they are fruiting. To help keep the plants moist, apply a good mulch on top.

Blackberries are ready to be picked when they change from a red colour to a purple colour. At first, only a few berries will ripen, but, eventually, they will have to be picked every other day. After harvesting, chop the plants down to the ground to lessen the chance of diseases and pests. Finally, new canes will grow in the fall for the next growing season.

Health Benefits (Justin)
Blackberries have a high abundance of healthy antioxidants and nutrients such as anthocyanins, salicylic acid, ellagic acid, and fibre. Anthocyanins are antioxidants found in blackberries that are responsible for giving blackberries their rich and dark colour. This concentrated pigment of blackberries is acknowledged with decreasing the rate at which the memory deteriorates.

Blackberries contain a compound called salicylic acid, or more commonly known as aspirin. This compound found in blackberries has been used for centuries for its medicinal qualities. Salicylic acid has been proven to numb bodily pains and treat unusually high body temperature, or fevers. Salicylic acid may have similar properties to aspirin that aid in protecting the body against heart disease.

Arguably, the most beneficial property of the blackberry is its profusion of ellagic acid. Ellagic acid is a phytochemical, meaning it is only found in certain plants. In experimental studies, ellagic acid is used to treat tumours in mice; the result being ellagic acid is reliable for causing the death of particular cancer cells. Researchers believe that ellagic acid may also work to reduce the harmful effects of estrogen that create breast cancer cells.

Blackberries have both soluble and insoluble fibre. One cup of blackberries (144g) has an average of 7.6g of fibre. Fibre is important in maintaining a healthy digestive system as it pushes toxins and other excess waste through the intestines and supports healthy and conventional bowel movements. One of the soluble fibres found within blackberries is pectin. Pectin helps lower harmful cholesterol levels which lowers ones’ chances of heart disease.

Blackberries are popular for having low calories. Blackberries are more nutritious compared to other berries making it one of the best berries one can consume.

Medicinal Uses (Kiran)
Gastrointestinal Remedy

The blackberry fruit is widely known as being an effective remedy for curing diarrhea. For this remedy, the fruit simply needs to be consumed in it's raw form. Other intestinal disorders which the blackberry can cure include: hemorrhoids and dysentery.

Oral Remedy

The roots, leaves, and the blackberry fruit can be combined to treat mouth ulcers, sore throats and inflamed gums.

Cough Remedy

Using the roots of the blackberry, a tea can be prepared to stop a cough.

Outer Use

Blackberries are very acidic and contain a high amount of tannin, making them great for applying onto rashes and wounds to reduce skin inflamation and can be used to treat acne and reduce stretch marks. A paste can be made using the blackberries, and can be applied straight on to cuts or scrapes for healing. WARNING: The consumption of large quantities of blackberries can lead to vomiting, nausea or an upset stomach.

Other Berries: The Berry Family (Sonia)
When it comes to your personal garden of blackberries there is a few considerations you should make like, what kind of blackberries you would want to highlight your beautiful garden. There three main categories of blackberries are trailing, erect, and semi erect blackberries. The main difference between the three is the growth habit of their canes.

Trailing Blackberries

The quality of the trailing blackberries is considered to be exceptional, with a very good smell and small seeds. Their fruiting season ranges from June to early September, depending on the gardener. The trailing blackberry has the least tolerance to cold temperatures among the three types. It is likely that these berries will suffer some damage when temperatures go below 13 F or -11 C in December or early January. The plants are also more sensitive in much more warmer temperatures during fall and late winter when its above 20 F or -7 C. The trailing blackberries can be grown in colder areas with low winter rainfall if you leave the canes in the ground and mulch them in the winter. The thornless boysen blackberry is very large and sweet. The most common use for them is in jams, pastries, juices, syrups and wines. The boysenberry is very large, dull, soft and succulent. The Boysen is categorized as to have a distinctive, rich, tangy flavor which is very aromatic. The black butte blackberry is very large and rich in flavour. They are the most common berry in home gardens and markets.

Erect Blackberries Erect blackberries produce stiff, erect canes that need both summer and winter pruning. Their fruit is glossy and firm, with a milder aroma and flavor to the trailing blackberries. The seeds are also larger than the trailing blackberries. Their fruiting season begins from early July to frost, depending on the particular type of berry. The apache blackberries are a type of erect blackberries that are thornless and sweet. They are a popular type of berry to grow and harvest for the more experienced gardner. The arapaho blackberries are thornless, and disease resistant blackberries that have an particularly sweet flavor. The arapaho berry is a firm, average sized berry that is mass produced.

Semi-Erect Blackberries

The semi-erect blackberry produces strong, thick arching canes that benefit from summer and winter pruning. An example of the semi erect blackberry is the Triple Crown which is a large, glossy back berry with high yield. These berries yield from approximately July 10th to August 10 in most areas. They are commonly found on berry farms, pick-your-own operations and home gardens. These berries are good for juices, piess, syrups and preserves. Another example is the Loch-ness blackberry. This berry was raised in a Scottish Crop research Institute and has different growth patterns to the standard semi-erect blackberry.