Online Blackberry School
The following is a self-guided online course on the basics of commercial blackberry production. The six classes cover the major management activities and production considerations that impact blackberry growers. Follow along to learn how to set up, manage and grow your blackberry operation.
These recordings were made as a part of the 2026 Southeast Blackberry School, a six-part class virtually hosted by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture with collaboration from multiple universities in the surrounding region. Funding was provided by the Southern Region Small Fruit Consortium.
Recordings by Webinar:
- Blackberry Plant Growth and Cropping Cycle- Amanda McWhirt, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
- Scaling Up- Karen Blaedow, North Carolina State University
- Small Scale Blackberry Production- Ryan Neal, Owner/Operator of Neal Family Farm and Benton County Extension Agent, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
- Southeast Regional Caneberry Production Guide
- Southeast Regional IPM Guide
- How-to Use the MyIPM app
- Key Varieties from Arkansas Grown in the Southeast - Dr. Margaret Worthington, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
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Regional Variety Recommendations:
- Zilfina Rubio Ames, University of Georgia
- Jayesh Samtani, Virginia Tech University
- Amanda McWhirt, University of Arkansas
- Shahid Muhammad Adnan, University of Florida
- Pruning Management- Dr. Amanda McWhirt, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
- Insect Management- Dr. Aaron Cato, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
- Nutrient Management- Dr. Amanda McWhirt, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
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Disease Management:
- Overview of Diseases and Spray Schedules- Dr. Aaron Cato, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
- Fusarium and Grey Mold- Sarah Villani,
- Viruses- Ionnis
- Irrigation- Taunya Ernst, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
- Trellis Selection- Dr. Amanda McWhirt, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
- Weed Control Options- Wayne Mitchum, North Carolina State University
- RCA Trellis in Blackberry Systems
- Drip Irrigation for Specialty Crops
- Harvest and Post-Harvest Best Practices- Angelos Deltsidis, University of Georgia
Additional Resources