How to grow loganberries – for heavy and reliable crops of large, juicy raspberry-like fruits

Loganberries are a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry. They produce large, dark red, juicy, sharp-flavored berries through mid-to-late summer.

Despite not being commonly seen in grocery stores, loganberries are very versatile and ideal for making jams, jellies, juice, pies, and much more - or just eating fresh off the plant. If you want a reliable harvest of loganberries, your best bet is to grow your own.

The good news is that loganberries are vigorous plants that are easy to maintain. I grew a wide variety of soft fruits, including blackberry hybrids, in kitchen gardens and am here to tell you how simple it is to grow loganberries at home. From planting to harvesting, here is all you need to know.

What are loganberries?

Loganberries are a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry and were accidentally bred by James Harvey Logan in California in the 1880s when attempting to create new blackberry cultivars.

The plants ramble like blackberries but the dark-red, juicy fruits look like raspberries. To make things easier for growers, loganberries are self-fertile plants - so you only need one - and reliably produce heavy crops. Some types of loganberry have spikes, while there are thornless varieties.

How to grow loganberries - planting tips

Loganberries can grow in sun or shade but will crop best when planted in a sunny position in a fertile well-draining soil type. The plants benefit from adding organic matter, such as compost or well-rotted manure, to the site before planting to increase the fertility and moisture-holding capacity of the soil.

Loganberry plants are available from specialist fruit nurseries as bare-root plants during the dormant season, or container-grown specimens can be bought year-round. Whatever route you choose can impact your planting options.

The ideal time to plant both bare-root and container-grown loganberries is early spring when the soil is moist and the temperatures rising. Alternatively, bare-root plants can be planted in the fall before the first frost.

Container plants can theoretically be planted year-round but will need lots of watering if planted in summer to ensure they are established.

Dig a large hole and plant the loganberry at the same level it was previously planted, either where it was in the pot or signified by where the color changes on the stems of bare-root plants. Apply a layer of mulch around the plant and cut canes down to 12 inches from the ground after planting.

Loganberries develop into large, trailing plants that need space to grow. Give them at least eight feet of space and have a garden trellis to train them against. Loganberries are often grown as fans or trained along wires on walls or fences.

Using such vertical garden ideas is more efficient and space-saving, compared to letting canes vine along the ground.

How to grow loganberries - care tips

• Watering - Water loganberries regularly for the first year to help the plants establish. Going forward, loganberries are drought-tolerant fruit bushes but will crop best with regular deep watering during dry periods. The most important time to water plants is when the fruits are ripening. Mulching plants annually will help to keep moisture in the soil.
• Fertilizing - Established loganberries do not need lots of additional fertilizer. However, for best results, they will benefit from feeding with balanced fertilizer in spring when they start actively growing and again after harvesting. An example of a balanced feed to use is this all-purpose plant food at Burpee.
• Pruning - Loganberries fruit on one-year-old wood and that makes them very simple to prune. Cut all the fruited canes down to the base after harvesting with clean and sharp pruning shears and tie in the new, replacement canes onto the supports. These new canes will carry next year’s fruit and are paler green than the ones you will be removing.
• Harvesting: Loganberries turn deep red to purple when ripe in mid-to-late summer. The fruits do not ripen all at once and should be regularly picked. You harvest loganberries by gently tugging them from the vine - they should come free of the central core similar to when picking raspberries. Loganberries are best used fresh and are ideal for jams, syrups, and pies, as well as a substitute for blackberries or raspberries in recipes. The berries can be frozen to store for longer.

FAQs

Can you grow loganberries in a pot?

Due to their vigorous growth habits, loganberries are not ideal for planting in a container garden. If you do want to try growing loganberries in containers, you will need a large pot at least 24 inches wide and 12 inches deep. Reduce the number of canes on the bush when growing loganberries in pots and regularly feed plants during the growing season so they get enough nutrients.

Is a loganberry a bush or vine?

A loganberry is usually classed as a bush, but it has the growing characteristics of a vine. Each ‘bush’ produces around ten canes that grow vigorously and want to be tied to a structure or support.

How fast do loganberries grow?

Loganberries are fast-growing plants that can produce a small crop in their first year after planting. However, the bushes will start fruiting strongly from their second year onwards.

How tall do loganberries grow?

Loganberries can grow six to eight feet tall and have a similar-sized spread, though the height and spread will depend on the variety.

If you know how to grow loganberries, you can also enjoy success with other blackberry hybrids such as tayberries or boysenberries. All blackberry hybrid plants enjoy the same growing conditions and are pruned in the same way as loganberries.

For inspiration on some great varieties, see our guide to the best brambles. It includes types of raspberry, blackberry, tayberry and more, all recommended for their berries and blooms.