Blackberry
Rubus fruticosus
A perennial bramble fruit producing sweet-tart berries on biennial canes. Blackberries are well-suited to Zones 5–9 and offer high per-acre returns for small and mid-scale farms. With both thorned and thornless cultivars available, they can be grown in diverse climates. Primocane-fruiting varieties extend the harvest season and simplify pruning management.
Crop Snowflake Score
/acre
/acre
/acre
years
Overview
Blackberry plants have perennial root systems with biennial canes: first-year primocanes grow vegetatively, then fruit as floricanes the following summer. Primocane-fruiting cultivars produce fruit on first-year growth, enabling fall harvests and simplified winter pruning (mow all canes). Plantings typically reach full production by year 3 and remain productive for 15+ years. Trellising is essential for erect and semi-erect types. Common pests include spotted wing drosophila, Japanese beetle, and raspberry crown borer. Disease management focuses on anthracnose, orange rust, and double blossom. Well-drained soil is critical — blackberries are intolerant of waterlogged conditions. High tunnel production can double field yields and extend the marketing window.
Growing Season
- Plant
- early March – late April
- Harvest
- late June – mid August
- Frost-free days
- 140+
- GDD (base 50°F)
- 1,500 – 2,200
Yield
- Typical yield
- 6,000 lbs/acre
- Productive lifespan
- 15 years
- Years to full prod.
- 3
- Labor
- 250 hrs/acre
Market Fit
Active Regional Buyers
No buyer on record for this crop in the catalog's buyer network.
Price Trend Stable/Up
3-year price trend not recorded for this crop.
Supply Below Demand
No buyer network on record — cannot establish that regional demand absorbs additional supply.
Multiple Buyer Channels
0 recorded buyers and 6 documented market channels. Multiple routes to market.
Value-Added Potential
6 documented market channels, including value-added and direct-to-consumer routes.
Market Growth Projected
Specialty fruit segment; consumer demand for regional specialty produce has been expanding.
Market Channels
Climate Fit
Hardiness Zone Match
Crop tolerates zones 5-9; region spans 5-6. Overlaps.
GDD Sufficient
Crop needs 1500 GDD (base 50F); region accumulates 2500+. Sufficient.
Precipitation Compatible
Crop needs ~35 in; region receives ~38 in/yr. Compatible, irrigation available as supplement.
Frost-Free Season OK
Crop needs 140 frost-free days; region provides ~180. Sufficient.
Chill Hours Met
Perennial. Region's zone 5-6 winters deliver well over 1,000 chill hours, ample for temperate perennials.
Climate Trend Favorable
Crop spans 5 hardiness zones (5-9). Wide adaptive range buffers against warming trend.
Soil Compatibility
Soil Texture
Drainage
Infrastructure Fit
Equipment Compatible
13 documented equipment requirements. Unusually equipment-intensive (13 distinct requirements), implying significant capital outlay.
Storage Available
3 documented storage/handling requirements, all achievable with conventional on-farm or third-party facilities.
Irrigation Compatible
Requires ~35 in. High water demand — may exceed typical farm irrigation capacity.
Field Layout Suitable
Suited to the small-to-mid-size fragmented parcels typical of the region.
Labor Availability
250 labor hr/ac vs catalog 75th percentile 250 hr/ac. Manageable with typical farm labor.
Processing Proximity
No processing or cooperative buyer on record for this crop; product would need to travel or be sold fresh.
Equipment Requirements
planting
General-purpose tractor for site prep, mowing aisles, and spraying. Fixed cost shared across small fruit enterprises.
Helpful for breaking hardpan and improving drainage before planting; critical on clay or compacted sites since brambles are perennial and poorly drained soils accelerate disease.
Posts (line posts every 20-25 ft, heavy end posts), high-tensile wire, wire tighteners. Essential for all training systems (I-trellis, T-trellis, rotating cross-arm).
PTO or skid-steer mounted post pounder for trellis posts. Hand augers workable for <0.5 acre installations.
irrigation
Drip line under trellis row delivering 1-2 inches of water per week during fruit development. Critical for consistent berry size and sustained yield.
spraying
Trellised bramble rows require airblast or vertically-directed boom sprayer for fungicide/insecticide coverage. Backpack sprayer adequate only for small plantings.
cultivation
Mows aisle cover crop and, for primocane-fruiting alternate-year systems, removes all canes to ground after harvest.
Hand tools for annual floricane removal after harvest and primocane thinning. Battery-powered pruners increase productivity on larger plantings.
harvesting
Vented picking lugs plus clamshells (half-pints standard for fresh market). Direct-to-clamshell picking reduces handling damage.
Over-the-row shaker harvester for processing-grade thornless semi-erect cultivars. Not used for fresh market. Only economical at 10+ acres.
post_harvest
Pre-cool to 34°F within 1-2 hours of picking. Walk-in cooler with forced-air tunnel. Essential for the 3-5 day fresh shelf life.
Reefer van or truck for wholesale deliveries. Direct-market sales can manage with ice chests for short trips.
general
Over-the-row netting on hoops or trellis extensions prevents severe bird damage, particularly for thornless cultivars near woodlots. Reusable 5-7 seasons.
Storage Requirements
Fresh cold storage
Temperature
31–32°F
Humidity
90–95%
Max Storage
3 days
Modified atmosphere (15-20% CO2)
Temperature
31–32°F
Humidity
90–95%
Max Storage
7 days
Frozen (IQF)
Temperature
-10–0°F
Max Storage
365 days
Finance Fit
Revenue Above Average
Gross revenue $10,000/ac vs catalog median $5,500/ac. Above median.
Input Costs Acceptable
Input cost not recorded; not penalising. Catalog 75th percentile is $5,387/ac.
Payback Period OK
Reaches full production in 3 years. Acceptable payback.
Insurance Available
No federal crop insurance recorded for this crop; risk sits with the grower.
Revenue Per Labor Hour
Net return per labor hour $10.00 ($2,500/ac over 250 hr/ac) vs catalog median $13.16. Below median.
Grants/Subsidies
Fruit crops are eligible under the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
Economics Breakdown
| Avg Price/Unit | — |
| Gross Revenue/Acre | $10,000 |
| Annual Operating Cost | —/acre |
| Establishment Cost | —/acre |
| Total Input Cost | —/acre |
| Net Return/Acre | $2,500 |
| Revenue/Labor Hour | — |
| Crop Insurance | Not available |
Source: NC State Blackberry/Raspberry Budget; Penn State Extension (2025)
Risk Fit
Manageable Pest/Disease
10 documented risk factors. Within the range manageable by conventional IPM.
Market Diversified
0 buyers, 6 channels. Not dependent on a single outlet.
Low Establishment Risk
3 years to full production. Multi-year capital commitment before first full return.
Climate Resilient
Tolerates zones 5-9 (5 zones). Moderate tolerance; sensitive to years at the edge of its range.
Regulatory Burden Low
No crop-specific licensing or reporting regime beyond standard food-safety and pesticide rules.
Diversifies Portfolio
Adds a fruit revenue stream distinct from the region's grape-dominated base.
Known Risks
disease
Systemic fungal disease unique to blackberries and black raspberries. Infected plants are permanently systemic — all canes produce rust-colored spore masses and fruit yield is destroyed. Cannot be cured once established.
Fungal diseases (Leptosphaeria coniothyrium, Elsinoe veneta) that lesion and girdle floricanes, causing cane death before fruit ripens.
Soil-borne water mold causing root decay, cane collapse, and plant death. Thornless trailing and semi-erect cultivars are particularly susceptible in wet soils.
Fungal disease prevalent in warm, humid climates causing witches'-broom flowers that never set fruit. Most significant on erect thorny types.
pest
Invasive fruit fly that oviposits in ripening blackberries, causing larval contamination. A near-universal threat in blackberry production regions.
Clearwing moth whose larvae tunnel in crowns and lower canes over a 2-year life cycle, weakening and killing canes.
Adult beetles skeletonize foliage during July-August, reducing vigor. Heavy populations can defoliate younger plantings.
weather
Floricanes of erect and semi-erect blackberries are injured below -5°F to -10°F; trailing types are hardy only to about 0°F. Cane kill eliminates the upcoming fruit crop.
Open blackberry flowers are killed at 28-30°F. Primocane-fruiting types are less exposed since they flower after frost risk passes.
market
Fresh blackberries hold only 3-5 days refrigerated. Reversion to red after harvest ("red-drupelet disorder") reduces buyer acceptance.
Nutritional Yield
Macronutrients
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per acre |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 43 kcal | 1,111,749 kcal |
| Protein | 1.4 g | 35,938 g |
| Total fat | 0.5 g | 12,669 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9.6 g | 248,463 g |
| Fiber | 5.3 g | 137,030 g |
| Sugar | 4.9 g | 126,171 g |
Key micronutrients
Uncertainty: Per-acre values are estimates that compound the yield range, edible-fraction assumption, and a single representative nutrient panel. Treat them as order-of-magnitude planning numbers, not nutritional advice. Confidence: high.
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem service data pending.
The next research-agent rotation will document this crop's contributions to pollinator support, soil health, water quality, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.
Nearby Buyers
Eden Valley Growers
Eden, NY · 30.0 mi
Data Sources
Every data point on this page is traceable to its source. Below you'll find the complete provenance trail — which sources were used, when data was last verified, and a full change history.
Primary sources: Oklahoma State Extension, Alabama Extension ANR-0896, Michigan State Raspberry & Blackberry Production Guide, Clemson HGIC, University of Maryland Extension
Economics data year: 2025 · Region: lake_erie View economics source →
55 tracked changes across 8 data categories