A reader asked me why his blackberries didn’t fruit this year. Since blackberries are less cold hardy than raspberries, the flowers might have frozen with a late cold spell. Or, bees may not have been available to pollinate the flowers. On the other hand, ill-timed pruning could be the culprit. Blackberries grow best in full sun and well-drained soil, high in organic matter with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5 where they are protected from strong hot or cold winds. Hot summer winds can dry out the fruit. Cold winter winds cause winter injury, such as cane breakage or drying …