How to grow Boysenberry in Australia
Boysenberries are hybrid cane berries with large, juicy, deep red-black fruit and a rich sweet-tart flavour. Like blackberries, they fruit in early summer on canes grown the year before, and they need a trellis to keep the long trailing canes in order. They do best where winters are cool.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Boysenberry in Australia
At a glance
When to plant by region
| Region | When to plant | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | May to August | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | May to August | |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | May to August | |
| Melbourne & Victoria | May to August | |
| Adelaide & SA | May to August | |
| Perth & WA | May to August | |
| Tasmania | June to August | Plant Jun to Aug. Cane berries excel in Tasmania. Heavy summer crops. |
| Canberra & ACT | May to August | |
| North Queensland | Not suited | Not suited. Cane berries need winter dormancy. Grow native raspberry instead. |
| Darwin & Top End | Not suited | Not viable. Cane berries need winter dormancy. No chill in Darwin. |
Where to plant
Plant in full sun in fertile, well-drained soil with plenty of compost, sheltered from strong wind. Boysenberries do not tolerate waterlogged soil. Put up the trellis before planting: sturdy posts at each end of the row with two or three wires.
They need a winter rest and crop best in cool and temperate climates.
- Hobart, Melbourne, Canberra and Adelaide: excellent; cane berries do particularly well in Tasmania.
- Sydney, Perth, South East Queensland and the Northern Rivers: possible, though crops are lighter where winters are mild.
- North Queensland and Darwin: not suitable, as cane berries need winter dormancy.
Choosing a variety
- Thornless boysenberries are much easier to train, prune and pick.
- Mapua is a variety bred in New Zealand, where boysenberries are an important crop.
How to plant
- Set up the posts and wires first, with wires about 45 cm apart.
- Dig in compost and plant bare rooted canes in late autumn or winter, about 1.5 to 2.5 m apart.
- Plant at the same depth as before, water in and mulch.
- Tie new canes to the wires as they grow through spring and summer.
Watering and feeding
Water deeply in dry weather, especially from flowering while the berries swell. Water the soil rather than the fruit, and keep a thick mulch over the roots to keep them cool and moist.
Feed with compost or a balanced fertiliser in early spring as growth starts. Plants in well-mulched soil need little more.
Pruning and care through the year
- Boysenberries fruit on canes grown the previous season. Canes that have fruited will not fruit again.
- After harvest, cut all the fruited canes off at ground level.
- Spread out and tie in the current season's canes to fruit next year. Training them in bundles or a wave along the wires keeps them manageable.
- In winter, remove weak or damaged canes.
- Keep cane tips off the ground, where they root and spread.
- Net plants against birds before the berries colour.
Harvesting
Berries ripen from about mid December into January. They are ready when they turn from red to a deep red-black, are soft and come away easily. Pick every day or two in the cool of the morning and refrigerate straight away.
Boysenberries are soft and keep only a day or two. Freeze surplus on trays, or make jam, sauces and desserts.
Growing in pots
A boysenberry can grow in a large pot, at least 50 cm wide, with a sturdy trellis or frame. Water regularly, feed in spring and prune as for plants in the ground. Expect smaller crops than in the garden.
Companion planting
Flowers that bring in bees help pollinate the berries. Avoid planting boysenberries where crops that carry soil-borne wilt diseases have grown.
Good companions
- Marigold Draws hoverflies and other helpful insects.
- Garlic Takes little room along the edge of the row.
- Tansy Traditionally planted near berries for its strong scent; keep it contained.
Keep apart
Avoid planting these close to boysenberry.
Pests and diseases
Birds take the most fruit, and grey mould rots ripe berries in wet weather.
Pests to watch for
- Birds Ripening berries pecked or stripped. Net the row.
- Fruit fly Soft, collapsing berries with small maggots, in fruit fly areas.
- Spider mite Fine yellow speckling on leaves and fine webbing in hot, dry weather.
Diseases to watch for
Common questions
When do boysenberries fruit in Australia?
From about mid December into January, on canes that grew the previous season.
How do you prune boysenberries?
After harvest, cut the canes that have fruited off at ground level. Tie the new canes that grew this season along the trellis, as they will fruit next summer. Remove weak or damaged canes in winter.
How do I know when boysenberries are ripe?
When the berries change from red to a deep red-black, feel soft and pull away easily. Pick in the cool of the morning and refrigerate them straight away.
Do boysenberries need a trellis?
Yes. The canes are long and trailing, and a post and wire trellis keeps them off the ground, makes picking easier and separates this year's canes from last year's.
Can I grow boysenberries in Queensland?
In South East Queensland they can be grown, but crops are better where winters are cool. They are not suitable for the tropics.
What is the difference between a boysenberry and a blackberry?
A boysenberry is a hybrid cane berry with larger, softer, deep red-black fruit and a tangier flavour. It is grown and pruned in the same way as a blackberry.
Sources we checked: Gardening Australia: Pruning Berries; RHS: How to grow blackberries and hybrid berries; GrowVeg: Boysenberry growing guide (Australia and NZ); Agriculture Victoria: Verticillium wilt of deciduous fruit trees.