Absolutely! Here’s a fully optimized, detailed, and beginner-friendly guide answering the question:
🍓 Can You Grow Strawberries With Blackberries?
Everything You Need to Know About Growing These Popular Berries Side by Side
When it comes to growing berries, strawberries and blackberries are two of the most beloved fruits in any home garden. They’re both sweet, nutritious, and incredibly rewarding to harvest. So, it’s no surprise many gardeners wonder: Can you grow strawberries and blackberries together?
The short answer is: It’s possible, but not ideal. While strawberries and blackberries can technically grow near each other, they have conflicting growth habits, space requirements, and pest concerns that make them poor companions in most situations.
In this in-depth guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know—from growing conditions and potential issues to smart strategies for keeping them nearby but happy. Let’s dig in!
🌿 Quick Answer: Should You Grow Strawberries With Blackberries?
Technically, yes—you can grow them together. But for best results, it’s wiser to plant them in separate beds or containers. They compete for space and attract similar pests and diseases that can quickly spread between the two.
However, with good planning, adequate spacing, and proper maintenance, you can make it work in a larger garden or landscape setting.
🧬 What Makes Strawberries and Blackberries Incompatible?
Let’s take a closer look at why these two popular berries don’t make the best neighbors.
1. Different Growth Habits
- Strawberries are low-growing groundcovers that spread via runners.
- Blackberries are sprawling canes or brambles that can reach 5–8 feet tall and wide.
This makes competition inevitable. The vigorous blackberry canes can shade out and overtake strawberry plants, reducing light and airflow.
2. Aggressive Spreaders
Both plants spread rapidly:
- Strawberries creep along the ground, forming dense mats.
- Blackberries shoot up suckers and runners, often forming dense, thorny thickets if not pruned regularly.
When planted together, they quickly tangle, making maintenance difficult and harvesting frustrating.
3. Shared Pest & Disease Pressure
Unfortunately, both berries are attractive to the same insects and diseases, including:
- Spider mites
- Aphids
- Japanese beetles
- Spotted wing drosophila (SWD)
- Gray mold (Botrytis)
- Verticillium wilt
Growing them side-by-side makes it easy for these problems to spread rapidly from one plant to the other.
4. Soil Nutrition & Root Competition
Both plants are heavy feeders, especially when fruiting. If planted too close together, they compete for nutrients and water, leading to:
- Smaller fruits
- Weaker plants
- Reduced yields
Blackberries have deeper, more vigorous roots and often outcompete strawberries if planted nearby.
✅ When It Can Work: Conditions for Growing Both Successfully
Though not recommended in close quarters, strawberries and blackberries can coexist under the right conditions. Here’s how to make it work:
1. Plant in Separate Beds or Rows
Leave at least 5–6 feet of space between strawberries and blackberries. This allows:
- Better airflow
- Easier access for pruning and harvesting
- Less chance of diseases or pests jumping from one to the other
💡 Pro Tip: Use raised beds or borders to clearly separate them.
2. Container Growing
One of the easiest solutions is to grow strawberries in containers or hanging baskets near your blackberry patch.
- Containers prevent runner spread.
- You can easily move them to avoid excessive shade or pest pressure.
3. Install Physical Barriers
If you’re short on space and must grow them near each other, install barriers like:
- Root barriers to prevent blackberry suckers from invading strawberry space
- Trellises to train blackberry canes vertically
- Mulch paths or landscape fabric between them to control spreading
4. Rotate Crops or Use Berry Zones
Design your garden with “zones” for different berry types. For example:
- One raised bed for strawberries
- A trellised corner for blackberries
- Separate mulch paths in between
This minimizes competition while still keeping your berry garden compact and organized.
🌸 Companion Plants That Work Well With Each
If you’re looking for better berry bedmates, here’s what works best for each:
🥕 For Strawberries:
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Borage (attracts pollinators, repels worms)
- Thyme
- Onions and garlic (repel pests)
🌼 For Blackberries:
- Nasturtiums (trap crop for aphids)
- Tansy (repels beetles)
- Yarrow (attracts pollinators)
- Comfrey (great mulch plant)
- Marigolds (general pest deterrent)
🛑 What Not to Grow With Them
❌ Avoid planting these with Strawberries:
- Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli—too competitive)
- Potatoes (carry verticillium wilt)
- Tomatoes (same disease risks)
❌ Avoid planting these with Blackberries:
- Raspberries (same pest/disease profile)
- Nightshades (disease risk)
- Grapes (can overwhelm vines and roots)
🧑🌾 Maintenance Tips for Growing Both
If you’re determined to grow strawberries and blackberries in the same garden, follow these tips for best results:
1. Prune Often
- Keep blackberry canes under control.
- Trim strawberry runners unless you’re propagating them.
2. Mulch Well
- Use mulch to reduce weeds, preserve moisture, and prevent soil splash that spreads disease.
3. Monitor Pests Weekly
- Check for signs of aphids, SWD, and spider mites early.
4. Practice Crop Rotation
- Move strawberry patches every 3–4 years to reduce soil-borne diseases.
5. Feed & Water Consistently
- Both need balanced fertilizer (10-10-10 or compost-rich soil).
- Water deeply, especially during fruiting.
Table of Contents
❓ FAQ: Strawberries & Blackberries in the Garden
Q1: Can I grow strawberries under blackberry bushes?
Not recommended. Strawberries need 6–8 hours of full sun, which blackberry canes will block as they grow.
Q2: Will blackberries choke out strawberries?
Yes, if left unchecked. Blackberries are aggressive spreaders and will overrun the more delicate strawberry plants.
Q3: Do strawberries and blackberries have similar soil needs?
Mostly yes—both like well-drained, slightly acidic soil (pH 5.5–6.5). But their watering needs can vary slightly, with strawberries being more sensitive to overwatering.
Q4: What’s a good alternative to planting them together?
Plant them in separate beds, or grow strawberries in containers and keep blackberries in a dedicated trellised patch.
Q5: Can I plant strawberries near raspberries instead?
No. Raspberries carry similar disease risks and are just as aggressive as blackberries. Keep all brambles well away from strawberries.
Q6: Can I grow both in a small backyard?
Yes, with planning! Use vertical space for blackberries and raised beds or containers for strawberries. Just make sure they don’t compete for sunlight or space.
Q7: What’s the best time to plant each?
- Strawberries: Early spring or late fall
- Blackberries: Late fall or early spring (dormant season)
🌿 Final Thoughts
While it may be tempting to grow strawberries and blackberries together to create a berry haven, it’s best to give each plant its own space. Their different growth habits, aggressive nature, and shared vulnerabilities make them challenging neighbors.
But with smart garden planning—like using containers, spacing properly, or designing separate beds—you can enjoy a bountiful harvest of both berries without one overwhelming the other.
Happy growing—and may your berries be sweet, plump, and pest-free!
