You could have blackberry plantlets from the root pieces (along with seeds from fallen fruit left in the soil sprouting more blackberries). If you're willing to keep an eye on this soil, vigilantly removing any sprouts, it can be used. Screening the soil might help if there's a lot of root...getting some of the stronger roots out of the soil. Some chicken wire on a frame (or something similar) screening it into a barrel/wheel barrel/tarp/etc. If the berries grew extremely well in this patch the soil itself might be a bit low in pH, too...so that might be a concern adding it to a garden in large amounts unless it could help the pH of the soil you're applying it to. This post was edited by nc-crn on Wed, Jun 12, 13 at 17:45

Sorry it took me so long to get back, but our "Baby" graduated high school last night & it has been a roller coaster of activities! Thanks flora uk, I love the pictures you shared and the link gave me so much information. I planted my rhubarb in a 4X8' raised bed that was prepared last fall when we built it. I'm very excited to try new recipes with it. Some information I've read said to give it 3-4 years after planting to allow better root growth before harvesting. These were pretty large plants with many large leaves (maybe not quite as large & lush as your picture). Do you think I should still wait that long before harvesting any? Thanks gardengal48, I learned so much from the link. I'm thinking of keeping both the raspberries & blackberries outside the garden in their own garden box, especially the raspberries since they can spread. Thanks sleevendog, for sharing your experience with the rhubarb, especially the tip about using the leaves as mulch. I'm getting a little closer to my dream garden that will supply lots of fruit & veggies for our family. Thanks again Everyone, Betty

I would think that your area would grow some decent blackberries. I was surprised to see SanFranBay is USDA zone 10a, but I guess you don't get much freezing due to the sheltered water. Select varieties known to do well in your area. Plant with southern exposure (which means runs of east to west), up against a wall or fence is ideal. Some blackberries do not need trellising (erect) and others do (trailing). Some fruit their second season in the ground (floricanes; flower) and other newer varieties have been developed that fruit in their 1st year canes (primocanes; but they are called primocanes in either variety). Floricanes are removed as soon as fruiting is finished and harvested (although some varieties can produce a second late crop on their floricanes) leaving the primocanes for next spring's crop. New replacement primocanes come up the next spring. 8 feet of growth is possible. Netting is put on just before the fruit is ripe. And stored when harvest is done. Otherwise you have blackberry growing through the netting. Since you have a lot of humidity/fog in the area, you would likely want to prune to open it up for drying so mildew is not a problem. Fortunately, you have a wonderful CRFG branch in your area. http://www.crfg.org/chapters/golden_gate/Berries.pdf http://www.crfg.org/chapters/golden_gate/images/Bay_Area.pdf http://ucanr.org/sites/gardenweb/Berries/?uid=9&ds=466 http://homeorchard.ucdavis.edu/8261.pdf http://smsf-mastergardeners.ucanr.org/ http://cesanmateo.ucanr.edu/ Here is a link that might be useful: CRFG Bay Area

If the 'blackberries' are in the pic with the mailbox, then I agree with donnaz5. I don't think they're blackberries. either. The way new branches seem seem to come off the old canes looks like rose, not blackberry. I agree with her that they are probably Rosa multiflora, an invasive wild rose. Against a sturdy fence, they can be pretty, but they get big and heavy after just a few years, as they put out more and more canes. I wouldn't bother to transplant any. The ones there will take over the fence before too long :]. You'll want to cut them back every few years, so they don't take the fence right down. Of course, as far as the cows are concerned, it would be a 'living barbed wire fence'.... So maybe that would be ok.