Propagating Blackberries From Cuttings

I understand blackberries  - and all brambles - are some of the easiest plants to propagate from cuttings. They'll supposedly root from all the little "elbows" that're in contact with dirt. The same spots that leaf and branch. It looks pretty easy, because when some of my vines bend down and touch the ground, the tips will root.

So there's this wild strip in my yard. It used to be the chicken moat I had around the garden. The idea was that no bugs would make it to my garden veggies because the chickens would eat 'em before they even got close. Well, it mostly worked until too many weeds and volunteers grew in the moat. Now the chickens eye it like it's the Congo or something. Only the adrenalin junkies go in there. The rest of them  content themselves with the compost heap.

Anyway, in amongst the volunteer lemon balm and sunchokes and little redwood tree we keep hacking back and wild blackberry brambles and weeds are a few thornless blackberry vines that are poking out. A bird (probably a chicken) pooed some seeds back there sometime in the past and they've taken root.

I cut off a few of the longer ones.

And brought them into the greenhouse.

I need to know which end is up and which is down, so I cut these into pieces about 8 inches long with the bottom cut at an angle and the top cut straight across. The cuts are made just about halfway between the "elbows" or leafing-out spots. Then I strip all but the top two elbows of leaves. Because these brambles are thornless, I just ran my loosely fisted hand down the vine to knock off the lower leaves. Otherwise, I'd snip them with my garden shears.

These guys are ready to plant.

I prepared some pots by sticking a coffee filter in the bottom and adding compost. I don't have any potting soil right now, so we'll make do.

Since I want these brambles to have plenty of opportunities to root, I stuck them in the pots deeply so several elbows were in contact with the soil. Then they got watered in good, and the leaves got misted as well just to make sure they wouldn't get thirsty. I'll need to check them daily so they don't wilt or dry out.

There they are, the little beauties! If you think about it in the next few days, send out a little rooting prayer or good juju wish if you please! I'll let you know how they do.