If everyone knows and loves raspberries, then blackberries are not so common. However, you can grow it in your garden, however, you will have to make some efforts.
Blackberry varieties
All modern shrub varieties belong to two groups of this species. Namely: blackberry (cumanica) with erect stems and dewdrop - creeping form. There are also intermediate varieties. Many cultivars with high winter hardiness have been bred, which allows them to be grown in the middle zone of the Russian Federation, in the Urals. Some varieties of mildew require mandatory shelter for the winter. We bring to your attention the most popular:
- Blackberry Black Satin. Planting and caring for it are quite simple, do not cause difficulties, especially in the southern regions, where it can grow like a vine. This is a non-bearing form with berries weighing 10-15 g and high productivity - up to 3 buckets from a bush 3-4 years old. A sufficiently heat-loving variety, it is not worth wintering without shelter.
- Thornfrey. Berries grow 3.5-4 cm in length, fruiting is plentiful, 25-30 kg from one bush. If you plan to plant a shipless blackberry, then choose Thornfrey. It is recognized as the most promising variety. Bred in the USA in 1966 and to this day is extremely popular in commercial cultivation.
- Blackberry Abundant. The variety was bred by I. Michurin. It has powerful creeping shoots with long strong spikes. The berries are large, weighing up to 10 g, late ripening. In central Russia , shelter for the winter is required. Blackberry planting recommended in spring.
- Agaveam. An old American selection. One of the most winter-hardy, able to withstand temperature drops to -40 ° C. The average yield is 3-4 kg from a bush, berries weighing 3 g, high resistance to anthracosis, rust.
- Darrow. Frost-resistant cultivar, can withstand up to -35 ° C. The berries are conical in shape, weighing up to 3.5 g.
It is also worth noting the varieties Lohness, Hall Thornless, Smootset. All of them are studless and low resistance, therefore they require shelter.
Planting a garden blackberry: choosing a place
Blackberries and raspberries are the closest relatives, both species belong to the same genus. However, the first is more resistant to drought (due to deep rooting) and less demanding on the soil. Although, of course, any plant will be well in fertile soils. Choose sunny places for the blackberry, but well protected from winds and drafts. Bushes planted along the fence will feel good, which will give them additional support.
Planting a blackberry in the spring should be carried out until the moment when the buds begin to bloom, and in the fall - before the onset of cold weather.
Blackberry soil
Preference should be given to fertile and well-drained soil. Both loams and sandy soils are suitable, the optimum level of acidity is 6-6.2 pH. High soil moisture is also contraindicated for shrubs, as this delays the formation of fresh shoots that do not have time to ripen until late autumn, which entails a decrease in the plant's overall resistance to frost and cold. Limestones (carbonate soils) are completely unacceptable for blackberries, on which, due to a lack of magnesium and iron, blackberries, like raspberries, are affected by leaf chlorosis.
The best previous crops for blackberries are field herbs, perennial legumes, cereals, and fallow. It is undesirable to plant a shrub after representatives of nightshade (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers).
Planting a blackberry: spring or fall?
Most favorable is the first option. Planting sprouts or seedlings is desirable in early spring, so you will avoid the threat of freezing of young plants. The landing pit should be deep enough, 40-50 cm. The soil needs to be removed, 5-6 kg of compost or humus, superphosphate (100-150 g), potassium fertilizer (50 g) must be added to it. Mix everything thoroughly and fill the pit for 2/3 of the total volume. Then make a small layer of the fertile substrate, gently spread the roots of the blackberry on it and finally fill it with the prepared soil.
Planting blackberries in Siberia should be done only in the spring, even in central Russia this season is desirable, since autumn seedlings can freeze.
Leave the distance between the individual bushes depending on the variety, so for upright species it should be from 0.7 to 1.5 m, and for creeping forms even more - 2.5-3 m. You can reduce the scheme with the help of supporting structures and garters.
Watering and feeding
Although the shrub is a drought-tolerant crop, it will feel much better with enough water. If you have chosen to plant a blackberry in the spring, then be prepared to water the bushes regularly the first year of growth. This is necessary for good growth and increased survival. In subsequent years - only in severe drought and during the period of mass ripening of berries. The use of warm water is recommended. Blackberry bushes love light hilling, so that the depth between their rows is about 12-15 cm.
The first fertilizer application is necessary only two or three years after planting a seedling. Moreover, nitrogen preparations will be enough for a start. In the future, if the soil is not very fertile, 6-8 kg of humus or compost is applied per spring per annum in the spring, and in the fall superphosphate (100 g) and potassium fertilizers, but not containing chlorine (20 g). Dosages are given per bush.
Bushes
Creeping blackberry varieties, of course, are interesting, but caring for them is quite laborious. Therefore, if you plant a large number of bushes, then choose erect forms and those that are cultivated on supports. For example, planting Thornfrey blackberries (one of the oldest varieties) requires the use of trellises 2.5-3 m high, since the shoots themselves can grow up to 6 m without pinching. This design is a column located at a distance of 6-10 m from friend. Between them, the wire is pulled in three rows, the first at a height of about 1 m from the ground, the second, third and fourth through 20, 30 and 40 cm, respectively. There are several ways to fix shoots:
- distribution between three rows of wire vertically;
- fan arrangement, so the branches grow more freely and better illumination;
- cultivation of fruit shoots in different directions and tying to wire rows at a height of 1.5 meters.
Blackberries also require regular pruning. In the spring, remove frozen branches, and only slightly shorten the rest, leaving them about 2 m long for upright varieties and 2-3 m for creeping ones. Autumn pruning is expressed in the complete removal of diseased and prolific shoots.
In addition, you need to make a pinch - this will increase productivity. For the first time in spring (May or the end of June) at substitution shoots when they reach a height of 0.8 m.
Preparing a blackberry for winter
Warming of shoots in order to prevent freezing is carried out either for non-resistant varieties or in regions with severe winters. For example, blackberry Black Satin. Planting and caring for it are the same, but for the winter you need to cover it, otherwise you risk being left without a crop.
The branches of the bush should be carefully bent to the ground and tied. The base of the bushes on top must be covered with a mixture of peat and leaves, and later thrown with snow for additional shelter. In spring, you need to open the plants before the buds swell, and immediately trim the bush forming a bush. In the conditions of the Urals and Siberia, absolutely all varieties require shelter.