Blackberries in a container garden?

[Boron Elgar]

Has anyone been successful growing blackberries in large tubs or half barrels? If so, what varieties do best? I am zone 6.

Thanks for any ideas.

Boron

[Steve Newport]

Can't help with the answer but I have exactly the same question. However, we have bought a blackberry - it just says its a bramble - doesn't give any more specific details about its type. Also, sorry, newbee question, what's zone 6?

[Boron Elgar]

Sorry about the zone mentions..here in the US, the entire country has been designated with a number, by, IIRC, the US Dept of Agriculture. When buying perennials, they are categorized by these zones. This way, someone will not wind up buying a tender shrub which will thrive in a mild climate, but fail to make it through a harsh winter.

Here is the map for my state.

[Steve Newport]

Thanks. Interesting.

[simy1]

Since you got no other bites, my .02 say it is a bad idea. Brambles just require too much space. Unless you could put a large trellis behind the tub, train them, then water them diligently. Still, if you only have tubs, I'd put them to more productive use. With brambles you'd get a pound of berries out of a container that will give you ten pounds of other things.

[Boron Elgar]

Sigh...that is pretty much the conclusion to which I came. Still, the plants are cheap, and I have a big barrel that I can fill with compost. What the heck...

Boron

[LJ]

[simy1]

how about melons? This year I am trying the Galia (green inside, cool season). And they love compost and have taproots that go all the way down the barrel.

[Doug Freyburger]

the last year. I suspect that most of the world has such maps available somewhere. Having zones that work across a continent is very usefull. Having them work worldwide would be even better.

I'm in zone 5b suburban Chicago. This spring I plan on starting some European billberries. Since blueberries and blackberries will grow here I figure their European kin should also. Still undecided ground or container, though. Open to suggestions and following this thread because of the similarity.

[Boron Elgar]

I would not hesitate to grow blueberries in a container, as long as it was winter protected, as they are compact & bushy, but the blackberries fruit on new canes & I do not know what will happen in a container. Still it is worth a 10 dollar experiment to find out.

Boron