In this month’s Food Gardening Magazine, you get everything you need to know about blackberries—so easy to grow, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start planting blackberries sooner! There are three main types of blackberry bush, and we’ll help you decide which types of blackberries are best for your growing situation.

We’ve got you covered! You get all the tips, techniques, and advice about how to start and maintain a productive blackberry vine. And when blackberry season is over, we’ll have tips on harvesting your blackberries—including advice on the best time of day to pick blackberries. Get ready to harvest some happiness!

Plus, you get specific advice about growing blackberries successfully—including building a trellis for blackberries growing in a contained space or a limited area of your garden (they do like to branch out!); pruning blackberry bushes for optimal growth and output; and the benefits of planting thornless blackberry bushes. You’ll gain a solid understanding of blackberry care, from just trimming blackberry bushes to really cutting back blackberry bushes.

This gardening guide about blackberries is your #1 guide for being the best blackberry gardener you can be! You should refer to this gardening guide whenever you have questions about your blackberry garden—from planning to planting and from maintaining and nurturing to harvesting and reaping the rewards in your kitchen.

First, you get a complete Introduction to Blackberries—including their ancient reputation for treating various illnesses—and not just with the berries! From healing tea to hair dye to preserves and cordials—steep yourself in the history of this plant that grows wild on four continents!

Then, you get Feature Articles about Blackberries that include:

• Types of Blackberry Plants—learn the difference between blackberry bushes with and without thorns, and which ones need trellises and which don’t.
• Growing Blackberries in Open Land, in Containers, or in Raised Beds—everything you need to know about growing your blackberries on your property. Find out which type of growing setup is best for your needs and situation.
• Choosing a Site for Your Blackberries—if you decide to plant your blackberries in your garden or raised beds rather than plant them in containers, you’ll want to choose a spot with the right soil, drainage, and optimal sun exposure.
• Planting your Blackberry Bushes—make your blackberry bushes feel at home by adequately preparing their planting spot well in advance. We’ll give you tips on the best planting strategies.
• Nurturing Your Blackberries—learn about watering, fertilizing, mulching, weeding, and pruning your blackberry bushes. And find out how to protect your blackberries from too much heat and sunlight during the height of summer.
• Harvest and Storing your Blackberries—mark your calendar for keeping up with your blackberry harvest once the berries begin to ripen. They’re not going to wait for you!
• How to Deal with Blackberry Pests—get the lowdown on the invaders that may decide to make a meal of your blackberries, and how you can deter them from consuming your crop.
• How to Deal with Blackberry Diseases—this is your guide to ensuring that your blackberry plants don’t suffer from common plant diseases. Prevent diseases in the first place—plus, best tips for treating any affected blackberry plants.
• Essential Tools and Equipment for Growing Blackberries—get the full list of essential gardening tools and equipment for growing blackberries … and for almost all of your gardening needs.

Next, this premium gardening guide highlights six popular blackberry varieties to help you choose the varieties you want to grow—this is just a sampling of the many varieties available:

• Triple Crown Blackberries
• Apache Blackberries
• Arapaho Blackberries
• Chester Blackberries
• Navaho Blackberries
• Ouachita Blackberries

And all your blackberry-gardening efforts are made more satisfying when you have quick and easy-to-make recipes, to ensure your harvest is enjoyed by everyone you serve at your home. Food Gardening Network is all about providing delicious recipes for making yummy dishes. Try these recipes and enjoy your blackberry harvest:

• Best-in-Show Blackberry Cobbler
• Blackberry Barbeque Sauce
• Raspberry Blackberry Smoothie
• Blackberry Jalapeño Jelly
• Blackberry Pastry Bread
• Blackberry Balsamic Chicken
• Blackberry Chocolate-Chip Pie
• Pork Chops with Blackberry Port Sauce

Next, you’ll learn all about the health benefits of blackberries with Nutrition Facts about Blackberries and Home Remedies & Health Benefits of Blackberries. Learn about the antioxidants in blackberries that can help lower cholesterol, reduce blood sugar levels, and ward off cardiovascular disease, cancer, and strokes.

And to be sure you have everything you need to grow your own blackberries, we’ve included a Resources about Blackberries section—so that you can easily find additional tools and information about blackberries.

Finally, our Blackberry Glossary section gives you the explanation of key blackberry-gardening terms and concepts—so, you’re never in the dark or confused about important blackberry-gardening ideas.

Check out this premium gardening guide now—Blackberry Heaven—The All-in-One Guide to Choosing, Growing, Harvesting, and Cooking Blackberries—and you’ll really learn everything you need to know about blackberries!

Mary Van Doren, Norann Oleson, Victoria Arnold, and Samantha Pulcherz contributed to the creation of this gardening guide.