Gardenality.com · Gardenality Genius · Zone 8A · 10° to 15° F
Apache blackberries produce more berries, with delicious flavor and sweetness, than other similar berry plants-and they're thornless and easy to grow. The fruits ripen mid- to late June in most areas.

Gardenality.com · Gardenality Genius · Zone 8A · 10° to 15° F · Comment About Planting
Plant blackberries in a site that provides full sun (a little shade is okay), near a convenient water source, and with good air circulation. A great place to plant blackberries is along a fence that will act as support. Blackberries can thrive in most soils, but prefer deep and well-drained soil. They prefer a soil pH somewhere between 5.5 and 6.5 if possible.

If you are planting blackberries in rows till or turn the soil thoroughly mixing in a good amount of organic matter. If you are planting just a few blackberry plants and have purchased them in containers, dig a hole 2 to 3 times the width and a little deeper than the rootball. If your soil is heavy clay or dense soil, add in enough compost to the soil removed from the planting hole to soften it. Set the root ball in the hole and plant with the top edge level with the ground. Backfill with your soil mixture tamping lightly as you go to remove air pockets. Water deeply and apply a 2-inch layer of shredded wood mulch or pine straw around plants to help control weeds and hold in moisture.

Gardenality.com · Gardenality Genius · Zone 8A · 10° to 15° F · Comment About Feeding
Apache Blackberries are not heavy feeders and don't require much fertilization. Too much fertilizer, in fact, can burn the shoots or even kill them. I would suggest using a mild organic plant food applied lightly in spring after new growth begins to emerge.

Gardenality.com · Gardenality Genius · Zone 8A · 10° to 15° F · Comment About Problems
Consistently wet soil can cause problems with the roots.