Kiowa Blackberry Bush

Largest Blackberry Fruit You’ll Find

The Kiowa Blackberry is not just a really big berry, it’s considered the world’s largest blackberry fruit! Measuring up to 3-inches long, a mere 10 of these giants can top-off a half-pint container. Their sheer size alone can cut your harvest and production time in half!

Long Harvest Season Means More Berries
A robust grower, one plant yields about 8 to 10 pounds of ripe-from-the-vine-fruit each year. And with a harvest season that’s about six weeks long, it easily surpasses many of its blackberry counterparts. As early as May, berries begin to plump and ripen. By mid-June, you’re on your way to afternoons porch-side with a fresh-picked bowl of fruit nestled in your lap.

Enjoy Summer Greatness All Year
Unlike some fruit, these blackberries can be frozen and enjoyed in the winter months. They’re a delicious and nutritious addition to smoothies and yogurt.

Of course, during the summer months, your fresh Kiowa berries are packed with a sweet sugary tartness that’s ideal for cobblers, salads, even juices and wine.

During harvest season, storing the fruit properly is key to getting the most out of your crop. Blackberries can be delicate, so refrigerate any fruit that doesn’t get eaten the same day. The Kiowa are firm making them relatively robust; however, they still fair best stored in a single layer, loosely covered.

You’ll KNOW When These Berries are Ready for Pickin’
Growing your own berries is all about enjoying fresh fruit at the peak of ripeness. To maximize flavor, don’t pick them too early.

Blackberries ripen on the vine, so wait until they’ve turned all the way to blackish purple before making your move! During the harvest season, you’ll want to pick berries every 2-3 days.

Easy to Grow & Maintain
These plants require little winter chilling, only about 200 hours, and flourish in a wide range of climates (zones 6-9). Look for a sunny spot to plant your bushes, and expect to reap the rewards quickly. Although they can be trained to grow on a trellis, they don’t need the additional support that many blackberry species do. The Kiowa is an erect-cane species, meaning it stands up on its own.

As a self-pollinator, you can get started with just one plant making them a great option for small spaces or those wanting a container plant. However, if you have some elbowroom, a hedgerow is the best way to manage this thorny variety.

Strategically positioned, they are a tasty natural barrier for any unwanted traffic patterns across your garden or yard.

The Kiowa berry bush is low maintenance and resistant to disease. As an upright, trimming the new shoots a few times each growing season and cutting back the producing canes after the season ends goes a long way in keeping berries within easy reach when it’s time to start picking.

Ready for a large harvest of big, juicy berries this upcoming season? Order your Kiowa Blackberry bush now and we’ll ship it right to your door.

Planting & Care

Location: The Kiowa blackberry grows best in USDA plant hardiness zones 6 to 9. It grows to a height of 5 feet and a width of 4 feet so plant the bush in an area that offers adequate growth room. When planting as a hedge, space the plants 3 to 4 feet apart.

Pollination: Self-pollinating, the Kiowa blackberry requires no pollinator to produce its ample berry crop.

Planting Instructions: Choose a planting site that offers full sun. The Kiowa blackberry grows best in sandy loam with a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0. It cannot tolerate a soil pH above 8.0. Utilize sulfur to lower the acidity if overly acidic.

Dig a hole that is twice the size of the shrub’s root system and just as deep. Mix ample humus into the soil and around the planting hole if the soil is in need of amending. Place the shrub into the planting hole and spread out its roots across the soil’s surface. Backfill the hole with the soil mixture. Press the soil down firmly around the shrub’s roots to remove any air pockets.

Apply a three-inch layer of mulch beneath the shrub to keep the soil moist and discourage unwanted weed growth.

After planting, water the Kiowa blackberry thoroughly to remove any air pockets in the soil and encourage root growth.

Watering: The Kiowa blackberry must have regular irrigation to produce a crop of blackberries. It does not tolerate drought well. Begin irrigation in March and continue watering the shrub regularly through September. Keep the soil around the plant moist but not overly wet. During excessive heat or drought you may need to water 3+ times a week.

Fertilizer: Fertilize the Kiowa blackberry with complete fertilizer such as 10-10-10 in the spring and again after berry harvest is complete. Follow the instructions on the fertilizer’s label for application ratios.

Pruning: After berry production, prune the canes that produced berries down to the ground. The Kiowa blackberry shrub only produces berries on two year old canes. Once the cane bears berries, it should be pruned away.

Disease and Pest Resistance: The Kiowa blackberry is highly disease and pest resistant.