Blackberry plant growing and pruning. Blackberry garden planting and care. Video: rooting blackberry cuttings in water

Blackberries are rarely found in the gardens of summer residents. Most gardeners consider it a capricious plant that requires careful care and does not tolerate frost well. Besides, she injects herself.

In fact, blackberry bushes differ little from raspberry bushes. And the amount of vitamins contained in the berry and the large harvest will undoubtedly please any organism.

From the article you will learn information about the varieties of blackberries and the features of caring for them.

general information

Blackberries are perennial plants. It is a shrub up to 300 centimeters in size. Shoots are arched, creeping and erect. There are thorns on the shoots. It blooms with white, lilac and purple flowers.

Blackberries are self-fertile plants. But when crossed, the harvest turns out to be tastier and larger. The blackberry fruit is a complex berry that is black, blue or black-red in color. Weighs about 7 grams. The plant blooms in mid-summer, fruits appear at the end of summer, closer to autumn.

Varieties

Blackberries can be divided into 3 types:

• Straight-growing or erect - the most frost-resistant varieties. Requires the least amount of maintenance.
• Curly - looks interesting, forms thickets.
• Semi-cresting - these varieties spread along the ground or support.

There are about three hundred varieties of berries. The most popular are:

Abundant - branched creeping shrubs. They bloom with purple inflorescences. The fruits are large and appear in late summer. The taste is sweet and sour. For the winter it needs to be wrapped up, it is not frost resistant.

Thorne free – has no thorns. Shoots are semi-creeping. Flowers are white or purple. The berries are large. Fruits in August. Afraid of frost.

Agavam - the variety appeared in the 20th century. The bush is erect, there are many thorns. Blooms with white flowers. The fruits are black and large. They taste sweet. Not afraid of frost, can survive frost -42˚.

Black Beauty is a tall three-meter bush. The fruits are large, up to 20 g. The berries appear early, in mid-summer. Afraid of frost.

Darrow is an upright plant. Medium size piece. The berries are not very large. They appear in early summer, but take a long time to mature. Resistant to frost.

Amara is a thornless variety. The berries are large, up to 15 g. The taste is bright. It bears a lot of fruit. Afraid of frost, requires careful insulation.

Landing

In order for your blackberries to grow and bear fruit well, you must follow the following planting rules:

• Bushes should be planted in April or May.
• The landing site should be exposed to as little wind as possible. Otherwise, there is a high probability of poor pollination and reduced yield.
• The landing area must be illuminated. A good place near the fence is suitable.

• Blackberries are not picky about the soil, the main thing is that it is not very dense.
• When planting, thoroughly loosen the soil to a depth of 50 cm. Add compost, 50 g, to the hole. potassium and 150 gr. phosphorus.
• Upright varieties are planted at a distance of 100 cm from each other. Creeping varieties are planted at a distance of 250 cm.

Before planting, place the bushes in water for half a day. There is no need to water the bushes after planting. Blackberries do not like overwatering. Tolerates drought better. Compact the soil under the seedlings properly.

Care

Caring for blackberry bushes is not very difficult. It is necessary to fertilize the bushes after the first flowering begins. Phosphates are suitable as fertilizers.

The main thing is to keep it in moderation. Do not forget to weed the plantings and loosen the soil. In the second and subsequent years, bushes need to be fertilized once a year. You can use peat, manure or ash.

Caring for blackberries also includes pruning bushes. Trimming includes:

• Removing dead and diseased branches. This should be done in autumn or spring.
• Trim the stems by 2-3 cm in June.

• Pinching shoots in summer. It includes cutting 60 cm of branches to 40 cm. Thanks to the procedure, the bush grows stronger, more flowers and fruits appear.
• Forming branches in the fall, after harvesting.
• It is recommended to prune varieties without thorns almost to the root for the winter.

To cover blackberries for the winter, you need to carefully lower all the branches to the ground and cover them with mulch, such as earth, dry leaves or straw.

Blackberry propagation

Blackberries can be propagated in the following ways:

• By seeds - suitable for breeding varieties.
• By cuttings.
• Root shoots - suitable for upright bushes.
• Tops - suitable for creeping varieties.
• By division.

Pros of blackberries

The following beneficial properties speak in favor of planting and growing blackberries:

• Blackberry is a very fruitful shrub.
• The plant has high immunity and is practically not susceptible to diseases.
• Tolerates drought well.

Blackberries are predominantly wild berries. Gardeners prefer to grow raspberries or strawberries, while blackberries remain in the shade due to their thorny and uncontrollable structure. But unlike other fruit crops, blackberries do not require special care or specific preparation for planting seedlings. However, before starting planting work, you should refresh your knowledge of rooting young cuttings.

Blackberries are planted in the spring if the shrub is not planted in the fall. To do this, you should choose the optimal time, focusing on weather conditions. If you bury the selected seedling at an earlier date, the root system may freeze when return frosts occur in the spring months.

It is recommended to plant in mid-spring, at a time when the air temperature remains at +10-15 degrees and the soil warms up to a depth of 10-12 cm. Such air temperatures have a beneficial effect on the development of the root system of a young seedling; it grows faster.

Attention! Favorable times for planting blackberries are mid-March and April. At this time, most regions are already feeling the breath of spring, and the soil has begun to warm up.

It is best to focus not on a specific date, but on weather conditions and return frosts. If March turns out to be cold and cloudy, then it is better to postpone the rooting of the shrub until the onset of warm and sunny April days.

According to the lunar calendar in 2019

This can help you choose the optimal date for planting seedlings. Moon calendar.

So favorable days for spring planting blackberries in 2019 according to the Lunar calendar are:

• in April - 11-17, 21-26.

Yes, this is not a mistake; according to the Lunar calendar, seedlings of fruit and berry crops are recommended to be planted only in April.

Of course, it is not always possible to get to the dacha on favorable days, so the main thing is not to land on unfavorable days.

Unfavorable days according to the lunar calendar for 2019 The dates for planting blackberry seedlings in the spring are as follows:

• in March - 6, 7, 21;
• in April - 5, 19;
• in May - 5, 19;
• in June - 3, 4, 17.

According to the lunar calendar from the magazine “1000 tips for a summer resident.”

Advantages and disadvantages of planting in spring

Blackberries are planted in the spring as needed. Carrying out planting work has its advantages and disadvantages. Almost equal numbers of both are detected. Therefore, the farmer will have to decide when it is better to plant a young seedling or cuttings.

Advantages of spring planting:

1. Planting in the spring allows the plant to quickly grow new roots, take root normally, without worrying that cold weather may suddenly set in.
2. Planting is carried out in the warm season, so you can immediately see whether the plant is viable or not, as the blossoming buds begin to grow.
3. It is possible to control the rooting of the plant - moisten it in a timely manner, apply mineral and organic fertilizers.

The disadvantages of planting are warm weather, which does not allow moisture to remain in the soil for a long period. Therefore, if watering is not carried out on time, the bush will quickly dry out under the scorching rays of the sun.

Important! The shrub, in addition to the root system, develops a ground part. If the blackberry does not have enough strength to stretch both the developing roots and the growing foliage, it may die without taking root.

In the spring, seedlings or cuttings that were not sold in the autumn are sold. It is better to choose from trusted suppliers or those who provide guarantees for quality products. Otherwise, there is a possibility of restoring a seedling that was destroyed in the fall.

Therefore, before carrying out work on planting blackberry seedlings, you should carefully weigh all the pros and cons, so that later you do not regret about lost time and a lost seedling.

When to plant blackberries - in spring or autumn

Each period is good for planting in its own way. It is impossible to say with certainty that planting blackberries in the fall is the optimal time. At the same time, spring also has its disadvantages for rooting seedlings.

In addition, planting before winter hardens and stimulates the production of immunity. But if you incorrectly calculate the optimal planting time, the seedling will not have time to prepare for winter and will freeze at the first drop in air temperatures.

Important! Spring planting in a new place of residence stimulates the plant to develop faster, produce young roots and tender leaves. At this time, it is easier to control the condition of the plantings. But with improper care, there is a chance of losing the seedling due to drought or invasion of diseases and pests.

How to plant in spring: features and step-by-step instructions

Blackberries cannot be called a demanding plant. It is recommended to plant it with certain requirements for a certain rooting depth. You should take into account your closest neighbors, because not everyone can get along with the bush. Otherwise, it will be crushed by larger plants.

What should a seedling be like?

When choosing a blackberry cutting to plant, you should consider it carefully. Don't buy second hand from mass markets. This culture should be purchased in specialized stores or trusted nurseries.

When purchasing, it is recommended to pay attention to the root system of the seedling; it should be sufficiently developed - 3-4 roots no less than 10 cm in length, as well as a basal bud. The above-ground part of the plant should be 2 stems with green leaves.

Attention! If the rhizomes are open, then their structure should be healthy, without rotten parts. There should be no mechanical damage or wrinkled areas of bark on the stem, which indicate that the seedling has long been dug out of the ground.

Before purchasing, it is recommended to test the seedling - carefully pry off the bark on the trunk. If the cut is green, then the cutting will take root well; if it is brown, your money and time will be wasted. In the latter option, the seedling cannot be revived.

If you want propagate blackberries yourself, then you can read more about this!

Landing location

To board you must select sunny plot. Blackberries can grow in the shade, but their shoots will become very elongated and bear little fruit. The main factor for good growth is absence of areas with prolonged stagnation of accumulated moisture after watering or rain.

Attention! Strong wind can cause mechanical damage to the plant, so it is more advisable to place the bush under a fence or on the south side of the building.

What you can’t plant with

Blackberries are not recommended to be planted in places where vegetables were previously grown. The roots of these plants may contain a disease that is dangerous for the shrub - late blight (or phytoflora). It remains in the ground and, if possible, moves to an unprotected young plant.

Raspberries are a good neighbor to blackberries., because caring for crops and their requirements for growing conditions are very similar.

At what distance

Blackberries are planted from other fruit crops at a distance of 1.5-2 meters. This distance is enough for the bush to spread its lashes and grow. In this case, neither the blackberry nor the neighboring plant will interfere with each other.

Important! It is of great importance that fruit trees do not block the sunny side of the berry plant. Otherwise, the blackberry harvest will be sour and small.

Also, if you place blackberries close to other trees, they will spread to their neighbors and begin to choke them, entwining them with their shoots. This can cause the death of fruit plants, as well as the appearance of bacteria and pests in the area.

What kind of soil is needed

The best option for the growth and development of blackberry seedlings will be light, fertile loamy soil. It is surprising to note that the plant prefers acidic soil. The best option for it would be to keep the bush on soil with a pH level of 6-6.7.

For planting, a hole in the ground is first prepared. It should be dug to the level 40x40x40 cm. This depth is necessary in order to add mineral and organic fertilizers to the middle of the hole, and then place an earthen ball with the grown cuttings.

The distance between seedlings should not be less than 1.5 meters. A 2.5 m gap should be maintained between rows. Such an area will allow, if necessary, to install supports and move freely between overgrown bushes.

How and what to fertilize before planting

A hole prepared in advance for a blackberry seedling should contain not only garden soil, but also fertilizing. The latter has a positive effect on the development of cuttings or seedlings after they have been placed in a new place of residence.

The following additives are additionally added to the soil:

1. rotted manure – up to 6 kg;
2. potassium – up to 60 g;
3. phosphate – up to 150 g.

All ingredients are mixed with garden soil. The amount of soil to be filled should not exceed half of the recess. The preparation of the pit should be done long before the planned planting work, so that the additives have time to be absorbed into the soil.

Note! The minimum period from soil preparation to planting is 1.5 months.

Planting methods

If the plant is purchased with bare roots, then planting work should be completed in a short time. If the seedling is pre-planted in the ground and is in a flowerpot, then rooting can wait until warm weather.

The following planting methods are distinguished depending on the external condition of the plant:

1. Open root system– the rhizomes are examined, if necessary, damaged or diseased areas are removed, the sections are sprinkled with ash or activated carbon. When installing a seedling in a hole, all roots must be carefully straightened. They are sprinkled with earth; as you deepen, you should shake the seedling slightly so that the soil fills all the hollow spaces near the roots.
2. The seedling is in the ground– the plant should not be removed from the soil, the soil should not be shaken off from the roots. Before transplanting, water generously so that the lump of earth can easily jump out of the flowerpot. Afterwards, the seedling is placed in the middle of the dug hole and covered with earth. The surface should be lightly compacted.

Thus, planting blackberries is carried out in 2 ways. There is no need to apply additional mineral fertilizers for 2-3 years. The plant has enough nutrients that were provided at the time of planting.

Video: how to plant blackberries in open ground in spring

Care after landing

Cultivation care involves periodic watering as needed and during dry summer periods. Excessive irrigation should not be carried out due to the fact that the shrub does not tolerate marshy soils, which leads to the death of the root system.

Important! A mandatory procedure is loosening and removing weeds. In addition, during loosening the soil is saturated with necessary oxygen. The procedure also has a beneficial effect on the rapid penetration of moisture deep into the roots.

It is also recommended to carry out mulching. It contributes to less evaporation of nutrient moisture from under the bush. In addition, mulch blocks the germination of weeds and prevents branches from laying on the ground during fruiting. The latter provokes rotting of the fruits and the acquisition of pathogenic bacteria. A must-do in the fall.

Features of planting in different regions

Blackberries are a southern plant and are mainly planted in warm climates. Therefore, its cultivation in the central zone and in the northern regions did not always have positive results.

So, in outskirts of Moscow It is recommended to plant blackberries immediately after warm days arrive. Be sure to cover it for the winter and fertilize it in every possible way. Planting of young cuttings is carried out mainly in late March - mid-April.

In the zone of risky farming - in the Volga region, in order to achieve ripe and large berries, you will have to try. The landing is delayed until it is warm. To carry out rooting, you should focus on weather conditions.

Siberia and the Urals for a long period of time they were not a place for growing southern berries. All attempts ended in failure. This continued until new selective varieties with increased frost resistance were developed. Only after this did it become possible to grow blackberries in these regions. But planting in these regions in the spring is usually not carried out due to the fact that the event takes place in early June, and the ripening of the berries occurs at the moment when frost occurs. Therefore, the bulk of the harvest is lost.

Possible mistakes when planting blackberries in spring

Even experienced gardeners, without thinking, can make mistakes when rooting cuttings and seedlings. The most common mistakes when planting blackberries are:

• wrong seedling– non-viable will not be able to germinate;
• buying second hand and trusting on your word of honor– in order not to end up with an unknown variety, you should purchase it in specialized stores or at the breeding site (in a nursery);
• close placement– free space between plantings and air circulation are required. The latter is necessary for the complete ripening of fruits and the absence of pathogenic bacteria;
• increased amount of fertilizer applied– it is better to apply less fertilizing than to feed the plant, causing its death.

Important! In order to avoid making such mistakes, it is recommended that before planting you familiarize yourself with some of the nuances of burying seedlings in the ground in the spring.

Thus, in the spring, blackberries should be planted as prepared seedlings in optimal soil, having previously fertilized it. After planting, you should not leave the plant to its fate; without proper care, it may die.

Video: description, planting and caring for blackberries

In contact with

Many people think that in order to enjoy blackberries, you need to look for places where they grow. But this is not entirely true, because blackberries can be grown in your garden! Planting blackberries does not take much time, and caring for them is very simple and brings only pleasure.

Types and varieties - what you need to know before buying a seedling

Blackberries have many advantages over raspberries, which grow in most gardeners' gardens. It is much more productive (2 and even 3 times) than raspberries, and the berries of blackberries are larger. The plant is less demanding on soil fertility and watering, and is resistant to diseases and pests.

Blackberries bloom and bear fruit in mid-July-August, and remontant varieties even before the onset of cold weather. Therefore, you can enjoy tasty and healthy berries even when raspberries, strawberries, wild strawberries, and cherries have already borne fruit for a long time.

Blackberries, regardless of variety, belong to one of three groups:

1 Kumanika– the stems of the bush are erect, with thorns, propagated by root suckers. More winter-hardy varieties belong to this group.

2 Rosyanika– the shoots spread along the ground, the berries are large and juicy, the harvest is high. Creeping shoots make it possible to form an impenetrable thorny fence from the bush.

3 Semi-creeping– these plants belong to intermediate forms and can simultaneously have the characteristics of bramble and dewberry.

Recently, breeders have developed many varieties of blackberries, including frost-resistant ones (can withstand up to -40 without shelter) and thornless ones.

Blackberry varieties that deserve attention:

1 Apache– high yield, disease resistance, excellent taste and transportability. There are no thorns. Harvesting lasts more than 4-5 weeks.

2 Kitatini– very large berries (15 g) and record yield (more than 300 berries can be collected from one branch, about 20 kg from a bush). Transportability and taste are excellent. The shoots are thornless and grow more than 2 meters, so the bush should only be grown on a support.

3 Flint– the most winter-hardy variety, suitable for growing in the northern regions of the country, where temperatures drop to -30 and even -40 degrees. The berries taste sweeter than raspberries and can be harvested mechanically. Shoots grow 3 m or more.

Garden centres, shops and nurseries have a wide selection of varieties. Therefore, every gardener is sure to find a plant to suit his taste.

Selection of seedlings

Modern garden centers offer plants with both open and closed root systems.

Advantages and disadvantages of buying blackberries with OKS and ZKS:

• OKS– the buyer can assess the degree of development of the root system, see damaged or diseased roots (if any). However, the transportability of such seedlings is lower, and it is better to plant them immediately after purchase.
• ZKS (container)– such seedlings can be transported and stored for a long time; planting can be done anytime – even in summer. But such plants are more expensive, and the development of their root system may be weaker, since it grew in cramped container conditions.
• ZKS (roots are packed in matting with an earthen lump)– most likely the manufacturer of such seedlings is a foreign company, but domestic producers also use this type of packaging. The sales period is short, you need to ask how long the plant is stored in the store. Pay attention to the integrity of the packaging and the moisture content of the earthen ball, as well as the location of the root collar; it should be on the surface of the earthen ball. Planting is possible only in spring and autumn.

Annual seedlings with a well-developed root system are better suited for planting. There should ideally be 2 stems, each 0.5 cm in girth. A necessary condition for purchasing a seedling is the presence of a formed root bud.

Before you buy a seedling, you need to ask if there are any special features of planting and growing this particular blackberry variety.

If a gardener decides to start growing blackberries, when choosing a site for planting, he needs to keep in mind:

1 One bush can produce lashes 2-3 meters in length and height. To prevent the seedlings from being crowded later, you need to leave enough free space between them (1 m for erect varieties and 3 m for creeping varieties).

2 The plant is light-loving; in extreme cases, it can tolerate partial shade. But if the planting site is constantly in the shade, then the blackberries will gradually become smaller and lose their taste, and both the yield and frost resistance will decrease.

3 Blackberries do not tolerate waterlogging. Therefore, the depth of soil under the planting should be more than 1 meter. If you place the plant on a hill, melt or storm water will definitely not flood the area.

4 It is advisable that the landing site be protected from the north wind and from winds in general. After all, blackberries are pollinated by insects, and a strong wind can not only break the branches of the plant, but also interfere with pollination.

5 If you plant blackberries along a fence, leave a space of 0.5-1 m between the fence and the bush in order to have access to the berries during harvesting and to the bush during care. If the fence is mesh, in order to prevent blackberry shoots from penetrating into the territory of the neighboring plot, it is better to dig sheets of slate along the fence.

Soil requirements: drained, breathable loam or sandy loam soil. If the soil is fertile, blackberries will produce a good harvest, but this soil indicator is not critical. Planting on carbonate (limestone) and saline soils leads to the death of the plant.

Preparing the site and pit for planting

Site preparation can have two options:

1 If crops were previously grown on the site, which depleted the soil, fertilizers need to be applied. When preparing a hole or furrow for planting, the soil that is brought to the surface must be mixed with organic (compost, humus - 10 kg/1 m2) and mineral (superphosphate, potassium sulfide - 10-30 g/1 m2) fertilizers . If the soil on the site is very clayey, you can “dilute” it with sand and peat.

2 If the land where blackberries will be planted is a fallow land or a fallow area, then most likely the soil does not require fertilizer. Excessive fertilization of blackberries is harmful, because they begin to grow a lot of greenery instead of bearing fruit. Also, fertilizing the land will not be necessary if the predecessors of the blackberry were legumes, cereals, green manure, or vegetables fertilized during cultivation.

It is better to dig up the area for planting in the fall, remove weeds, eliminate pests and pathogens. If the land was fallow, then wheatgrass can be destroyed by repeated disking (as the weeds grow 5 cm), or by using herbicides.

The hole for planting the plant should have approximate dimensions of 40x40x40. It needs to be prepared 1-3 weeks before planting, and preferably in the fall (when planting in spring) or in spring (when planting in autumn). For upright varieties, you can drive a peg into the center of the hole to support the bush.

Time to plant seedlings

The time for planting is selected depending on the area where the site is located, as well as the type of root system of the seedling:

• if the garden is located in the southern region, you can plant blackberries before winter
• if the garden is located in the middle or northern zone, it is better to postpone planting until early spring
• if the plant was grown in a container, it can be planted in spring, summer or autumn

However, most gardeners agree that the best time to plant a blackberry bush is still spring. This way the plant will have a lot of time to adapt well to new conditions, take root, and prepare for wintering in a new place.

If seedlings were purchased in the fall, this does not mean that they will have to be planted in any case. Plants can simply be buried in trenches (sprinkle the roots with earth or sawdust), stored in a basement or cellar - in this form they will overwinter well without trying to take root. And in early spring you can plant according to all the rules and at the optimal time.

Before starting the procedure, the seedling must be inspected and its root system must be shortened if it is too powerful. If the roots are dry, they should be placed in root solution or plain water for several hours before planting. The tops of the shoots also need to be trimmed - so that the plant rises 25 cm above the ground, the fruit branches are removed completely.

The roots need to be straightened, the plant should be placed in a hole and, holding it with one hand, the roots should be covered with soil. At the same time, the growth point, which is located at the base of the stem, was buried in the ground no more than 2-3 cm. Otherwise, the fruiting of the blackberries will shift by one season, since the plant will need to form new buds located above.

When covering the roots of a plant with soil, you need to take simple fertile soil, and not the one that the gardener has previously fertilized. When the roots are completely covered, then you can fill the hole with soil and fertilizer. This way you can avoid possible burns to the root system.

After the bush is planted, the soil must be compacted and watered abundantly. It is better to immediately pour 1-1.5 buckets of water under each bush, into pre-formed watering holes. The last important stage in planting blackberries is mulching the soil; straw or sawdust, peat manure compost or other similar materials are suitable for this (the height of the mulch layer is 3-4 cm).

To save water when watering blackberries, and also to ensure that the plant is watered as well as possible with rain and melt water, by filling the planting hole with soil, you need to get a little less sleep. If the level of the planting hole is 1 cm below the level of the site, water will flow into the hole.

Location of bushes on the site

There are several types of planting bushes of this plant:

• Bush– planting holes are dug in the corners of an imaginary square with sides of 2 m.
• Tape(suitable for large plantations) – several furrows (ribbons) are formed at a distance of 2 m from each other. Plants are planted in furrows at a distance of 1-3 meters from each other (depending on the variety).

It is not recommended to plant blackberries in an area where raspberries grow. These are related plants, they have common diseases and can infect each other “in a circle.” Moreover, the strong and aggressively growing root system of blackberries will simply strangle and crowd out raspberries.

Care throughout the season

Caring for this shrub involves the following activities:

The last point is the most important, since not only the appearance and size of the plant, but also its productivity will depend on the quality and professionalism of its implementation.

Installation of trellises for blackberries

In early spring, as soon as the soil has thickened, you need to install trellises on which the plant's vines will be tied. Without trellises, the plant will grow randomly, spread along the ground, have an unkempt appearance, and the harvest will quickly deteriorate. And at the same time, the blackberry quickly turns into impenetrable thickets.

Blackberry trellises can be of the following types:

1 Posts with galvanized wire stretched between them.

3 A special mesh stretched over the wall of a house or other permanent structure, or a high fence, can also serve as a trellis for gartering blackberries.

For upright blackberry varieties, trellises are usually not installed. For such plants, one support pole driven near the center of the bush may be sufficient.

Installation diagram of a trellis made of poles and wire

If the gardener has chosen poles with wire as a trellis, then they need to be installed on the sides of the blackberry planting - at the beginning and at the end. If the planting length is more than 10 m, then an additional pole must be installed for every 10 linear meters. They must be made of durable material (iron, concrete, wood), be 2 meters in height and securely fastened to the ground.

Galvanized wire is stretched and firmly fixed between the supports, you can, as a last resort, use a strong clothesline. The first level of wire is located at a distance of 50-75 cm from the ground surface, the second - at a height of 100-125 cm, and the third - at a level of 180 cm from the soil.

Read also:

• Trellis: reliable support for climbing stems (cucumbers, tomatoes, raspberries, clematis and other plants). Original ideas and drawings (110+ Photos & Videos) + Reviews

How to trim and shape a bush

The highest, that is, the third wire, is the place where the shoots of the second year will be tied. It is on these branches that the harvest will be located this season. Young shoots that will not bear fruit do not need to be tied; it is enough to periodically guide them along the lower tiers of the trellis, and they will braid the wire themselves.

There are also these types of bush formation and branch directions:

• Separate placement– branches that bear fruit are directed in one direction, and those that do not bear fruit are directed in the other.
• Fan– fruiting canes are attached to the trellis, one at a time, fanned out, and new ones are left unattached in the center of the bush.
• Forming with ropes– the branches on which there will be a harvest are tied to the trellis in any direction, and the young ones are left in the center of the bush.

Young shoots, as they grow during the season, are also directed to the free tier of the trellis. Those branches that have already produced a harvest should be cut off close to the ground at the end of the season.

Straight-growing blackberries will most likely not produce a harvest the year they are planted.

And in order to get a harvest next season, you need:

1 Trim the bush as soon as it grows 1-1.2 meters (remove 10 cm from the top). This will ensure the growth of side branches.

2 Side branches are shortened, not allowing them to grow above 50 cm.

Thus, the bush will look neat and compact, at the same time, pruning will not affect the yield of blackberries.

And we must not forget about sanitary pruning of the bush in spring and autumn - all diseased, broken, dry, thickening, fruit-bearing, frostbitten shoots are completely removed.

Watering the plant and protecting it from the sun

Young seedlings should not be watered abundantly, but regularly during the first 1-2 months after planting. Also, watering will be necessary in the future if the weather in summer and autumn is dry. Bushes that are already bearing fruit need watering during flowering and fruit formation - regularly once every 7 days.

It is not recommended to use cold or well water for irrigation. The best option is to collect precipitation or tap water in a special barrel or other large container (for example, in an old bathtub). This liquid should sit and heat in the sun for 1-2 days before watering.

In the second and subsequent years after planting, the first watering is carried out in the spring after the cover has been removed from the bushes. The first watering should be plentiful - up to 5 buckets per bush. The same moisture-recharging procedure is carried out in the fall, when the plant is preparing for winter.

In addition to watering, the bushes need shading from direct sunlight, but only during the ripening period of the berries. Otherwise, black blackberry fruits may get sunburn, and their presentation and shelf life will deteriorate. For the purpose of shading, you can stretch a special or camouflage net over the plants.

Weeding, loosening, mulching

In the first years, green manure or row vegetable crops can be grown between bushes or rows of blackberry bushes. Next, the ground near the bushes should be kept under black fallow.

If weeds appear near the plant, they must be promptly removed. You need to loosen the soil once a month from spring to autumn, the loosening depth is 10-12 cm. In close proximity to the bush, the loosening depth is higher - up to 6-8 cm.

If it is possible to mulch the ground on the site with pebbles, gravel, straw, hay, sawdust, pine needles, fallen leaves or other available materials, then the problems of weeds and loosening will automatically disappear. And if you use compost for mulching, the plant will receive an additional source of nutrition, which is especially important during the flowering period.

Top dressing

It is advisable to apply fertilizers only at the beginning of the growing season.

The following types of feeding will be needed:

• Nitrogen fertilizers, for example, urea - 20 g/1 sq. m. They contribute every year.
• Potash fertilizers that do not contain chlorine, for example, potassium sulfate - 40 g/1 sq. m. They contribute every year.
• Phosphates – 50 g/1 sq.m., applied once every 3 years.
• Organics with a high nitrogen content - 4 kg/1 sq. m. They add it every year, and in this case phosphates are not needed at all.

In principle, given that fertilizers have already been applied to the planting hole, fertilizing does not need to be done for the first year or two. When deciding whether a bush needs fertilizer, you can focus on its appearance, the speed of shoot growth and the abundance of fruiting.

Read also:

• Blackberries: description of the 17 best varieties, cultivation features, propagation and care (30 Photos) + Reviews
• Raspberries: description of the 22 best varieties, characteristics and reviews from gardeners (Photo & Video)
• Currants: description of 22 selected varieties with PHOTO + reviews from gardeners
• Honeysuckle: description of 19 popular varieties, their diversity and features, how to distinguish poisonous fruits (35 Photos & Videos) + Reviews

Preparing for winter

Blackberries, despite the fact that they have good frost resistance, still need shelter for the winter. Perhaps insulation for a plant is not a vital measure. But having overwintered in comfortable conditions, blackberries will definitely thank the gardener with rapid growth and a bountiful harvest next season.

To cover the bushes, they need to be laid on the surface of the soil. The question is how to arrange the shoots without injuring the plant or spending a lot of time untying the lashes from the trellis. There is such an option (if the support pillars are not cemented) - the shoots along with the trellis are laid flat on the ground; just carefully remove the supports.

The bush should be covered with peat, fallen leaves, straw, corn husks or other materials. When snow falls and frosts begin, the pile is additionally insulated with snow.

In spring, it is important to open the bush on time, that is, not to miss the moment of strong swelling of the buds. The trellis needs to be put in place and another formative pruning done.

How to cover upright blackberries

Straight-growing blackberry bushes are more difficult to cover, since their tough shoots practically do not fall. If possible, a shelter in the form of a greenhouse on a frame is installed above such bushes. Or they can be wrapped in any breathable material.

Before sheltering, the bush is pruned, and the ground around it needs to be mulched with dry material - sawdust, peat. To prevent disease or pest damage in the next season, the bush and the soil under it should be sprayed with copper sulfate and actellik.

There is also an option on how to cover upright blackberry bushes without severe pruning - starting from the last month of summer, you need to hang weights (plastic bottles filled with water) on the branches. Under the weight of the load, the branches of the plant will gradually bend towards the ground, making it easier to bend them down without breaking them. Covering the bush with polyethylene is allowed, since blackberries are not prone to damping off during thaws and in the spring.

Reproduction

It is enough to plant a certain variety of blackberry once, and you don’t have to worry about propagating or purchasing other bushes of this variety. There is simply no need for a purchase, because propagating the plant is not difficult even for a novice gardener.

Propagation of creeping blackberries

In the spring, any shoot of the mother bush that reaches the ground in a bent state is bent down and its end is covered with earth. When the buds that are underground begin to grow and new shoots appear from them, the daughter plant can be separated from the mother plant and replanted.

You can also sprinkle not the top of the branch, but the entire length of the branch. In this case, several bushes will grow from one branch, which can be divided and replanted.

Propagation by bush or erect

This type of plant constantly produces root shoots under the bush. They are excellent for propagating blackberries if they have already grown 10 cm or more. It is best to transplant in late spring or early summer, since in this case the young seedlings will have enough time to recover from stress and take root before frost.

If a variety is planted that does not produce root shoots, the plant can be propagated by dividing the bush. In this case, you need to divide the blackberries so that both parts are well developed and have a strong root system.

The cut area that will be immersed in the ground must be powdered or treated with any root-forming preparation. Cuttings should be planted in cups or cassettes filled with peat-sand mixture. If you place the cups in a mini-greenhouse and maintain 95% humidity, the cuttings will take root within 30 days.

Diseases and pests

It is known that blackberries are resistant to negative external factors, but if they are weakened by improper agrotechnical care, they can quickly “catch” both diseases and pests.

Both blackberries and raspberries suffer most often from common misfortunes:

• rust
• powdery mildew
• anthracnose
• septoria or white spot
• didimella or purple spot
• botrytis or gray mold
• spider mite
• hairy raspberry mite
• bud moth
• weevil
• raspberry beetle
• gallworm
• gall midge
• butterfly caterpillars

To prevent the development of diseases or insect damage, blackberries need to be processed 2-3 times per season, starting from the moment the first leaves bloom. Otherwise, you can lose up to 60% of the entire harvest and expose other plants in the garden to infection.

Treatment against diseases is carried out with Bordeaux mixture or a solution of colloidal sulfur. Actellik, karbofos, fitoverm, akarin will protect blackberries from pests. tomatoes

Blackberries, what to do with them, how to care for them, prune them

Growing garden blackberries - a description from purchasing a seedling and planting it in open ground to caring for and harvesting from the Moscow region to Siberia (Photo & Video) + Reviews

You rarely see blackberries at Russian dachas; many prefer raspberries to them. But these berries are so different! It is worth planting both on the site. Blackberries are thermophilic and need shelter for the winter. But under a reliable “blanket” the bushes are not afraid of any frost. Even Siberian.

Planting blackberries correctly

In order for blackberries to please you with a harvest every year, you need to plant the plant correctly.

Selecting a location

The place for planting needs to be sunny; in the shade, blackberries almost do not set berries. In the south, light partial shade or shading during hot daylight hours is better. Blackberries do not grow on swampy soils.

Blackberries are grown in well-lit places

Bushes need space. Leave 3 m between rows. The distance between bushes depends on the variety and climate. But to the question, is it possible to plant blackberries next to raspberries, the answer is unequivocal - no. And the point is not that these crops have common pests. The danger lies elsewhere. Raspberry roots grow in all directions, and after a couple of years, raspberry shoots can grow in the blackberry root zone.

You cannot plant blackberries in the place where raspberries grew before.

Preparing the planting hole

The roots, unlike raspberry ones, go to a depth of up to 80 cm. Therefore, planting holes, even in fertile areas, are made 60 cm deep and 70 cm in diameter.

Pits for spring planting are prepared in the fall.

If the soil on the site is clayey, sand or peat is added to it. A bucket of compost is poured into the bottom, with which a glass of sifted ash is thoroughly mixed. Then fertile soil, also mixed with ash, is poured. The soil will settle over the winter.

Blackberries do not like acidic soils. Therefore, if there is no ash, chalk or dolomite flour is added to reduce acidity on acidic soil: 200 g per plant when preparing the pit, and then half a glass per year per plant.

A blackberry bush can grow in one place for 10–12 years.

Landing Features

You need to purchase seedlings for spring planting either with a closed root system or on site in the nursery. The kidneys should not be swollen.

Planting a seedling with a closed root system:

Planting a seedling with an open root system:

The need for a trellis

It must be taken into account that grown shoots must be tied to a trellis - a wire stretched between supports in several rows. They are made so that the bushes are illuminated by the sun all day. The trellis is installed 2 m high. On flat areas, bushes are oriented so that the rows are in the north-south direction.

Blackberry shoots are tied to a trellis (support)

It is useful for beginners or experienced gardeners who are encountering blackberries for the first time to know some of the secrets of planting and replanting them: https://klumba.guru/yagody/posadka-ezheviki-vesnoy.html

Formation of a blackberry bush

According to the type of structure of the bush, they are distinguished:

• dewberries - creeping, like wild blackberries,
• brambles - tall, reminiscent of raspberries,
• remontant, which bear fruit on young shoots.

It is believed that creeping blackberry varieties are less resistant to frost. But this does not mean that they should not be planted in cool regions, rather the opposite. After all, it is easier to remove a flexible vine from the trellis and lay it on the ground than to cover a tall bush.

Bush formation is an important element of blackberry agricultural technology. Process details:

In adult remontant blackberry bushes, limit the number of shoots by removing excess, diseased and broken ones. There is no need to pinch or trim anything. For the winter, all stems are cut out at the base, so covering them is easier than other types. But for regions with short summers, remontant blackberries are not suitable.

Blackberry without thorns

Blackberries without thorns are much more pleasant to care for. And it is more difficult to reproduce. Stem cuttings of such varieties take root worse, and more often plants with thorns grow from the root shoots.

Some gardeners claim that thornless varieties are less frost-resistant, but this is not confirmed.

Disease resistance is higher in non-thorny varieties. But slugs and snails are afraid of thorns, but thrive on smooth stems. Other dangerous pests include the mole cricket and the larvae of the cockchafer. Since they do not sit on branches, it is not easy to notice their appearance. To protect against mole crickets, poisoned bait is laid out near the bushes in spring and autumn (a little bit so as not to attract the pest from neighboring areas). It is recommended to use biological products against beetle larvae, for example, Boverin. It is harmless and, when used correctly, gives an excellent effect. Antikhrushch is also suitable. The insecticide is applied during planting along with humus. And since the first harvest is obtained 1.5 years after planting, there will be no toxic substances in the berries.

The best varieties of thornless blackberries and features of their cultivation: https://klumba.guru/yagody/sorta-ezheviki-besshipnoy.html

Secrets of blackberry propagation

Blackberry propagation has many subtleties that gardeners often do not know about:

Video: rooting blackberries in the garden

Stem cuttings of remontant blackberries are rooted indoors.

Video: rooting blackberry cuttings in water

You can root not only lignified stem cuttings, but also root cuttings in an apartment or greenhouse. Some varieties (for example, Columbia Star) propagate better from root cuttings, while others quickly sprout from stem cuttings (for example, the thornless variety Thornfree).

Cuttings can be rooted immediately after cutting them.

Cuttings can be rooted immediately after cutting them in the fall. But the leaves on them will begin to grow within a week after being placed in a moist substrate. It turns out that before planting, you will have to keep the young plants in the house. The seedlings will be overgrown and weak. It is better to lay out for germination from the end of January to the beginning of March (taking into account the time of planting seedlings in a greenhouse or greenhouse). After long-term storage, sprouts do not appear so quickly. Therefore, they are planted not in the ground, but in a container with steamed sawdust or agroperlite (sold in garden centers). Peat or soil for seedlings cannot be used for germination - mold will appear.

Root cuttings are preserved worse than stem cuttings. Therefore, experienced gardeners dig up the mother bush with roots in late autumn and store it in the cellar in a box with soil. Cuttings are cut shortly before planting. The roots are taken from a match thicker or thicker.

Video: how to get 4 blackberry seedlings from one cutting

Blackberries from seeds

Of course it's worth a try. But keep in mind that the berries will appear only 3.5 years after sowing. You can, of course, wait. But even vegetative propagation does not provide 100% repetition of parental properties in all offspring. The seedlings may contain large sweet berries, as well as small or sour ones.

Growing blackberries from seed for breeding purposes in an attempt to develop a new variety is a fun and rewarding endeavor.

Blackberries are usually grown from seeds for breeding purposes.

In addition, it is worth sowing blackberries by seeds in regions with a harsh climate. Seedlings adapt much better to unusual growth conditions than seedlings from cuttings. And the strongest of the seedlings can later be taken for vegetative propagation.

All the subtleties of blackberry propagation in the garden, in the greenhouse and on the windowsill at home: https://klumba.guru/yagody/kak-razmnozhit-ezheviku.html

Growing blackberries in different regions

The Dutch grow blackberries with success, but in Russia the climate is no worse. In the 80s of the last century, all cold-resistant varieties were sour, but now summer residents, even in the Far East, grow berries of excellent taste.

In the Leningrad region

A characteristic feature of the region is its damp and cold climate. Of course, only early ripening varieties are suitable for planting. Choose a place for blackberries that is sunny, but at the same time protected from cold winds. It is important that the selected area does not flood in the spring. It is useful to make a high bed, but it will also have to be insulated from the sides for the winter. To prevent fungal diseases, use Fitosporin or chemical fungicides.

The only difficulty in care is the shelter for the winter. The problem is that even under the agrospan there is increased humidity. The winegrowers suggested a solution.

How to cover blackberries for the winter:

The convenience of such a shelter is that in the spring the blackberries are opened gradually. There is no risk of being late or rushing. On a fine day, the greenhouse is opened and the agrofibre is removed. If the threat of serious frost remains, then you need to first lay non-woven material on the arches (frame). Then the film is secured on top so that it is not blown off by the wind.

In Bashkiria

The climate in Bashkiria is not similar to the conditions in the vicinity of St. Petersburg. There is no such dampness and the summer is warm. But winters are harsh, and without reliable double shelter, blackberries will not survive the winter. You need to feed 4 times a season, water often, but little by little.

In Siberia

Planting time is only spring. With reliable shelter for the winter in Omsk, large-fruited and thornless varieties, for example, Thornfree and Black Satin, bear fruit. For successful wintering, it’s a good idea to build a collapsible mini-greenhouse in which the bushes will both overwinter and grow in early spring.

Due to lack of heat, the berries may have a sour taste. Don't wait for them to get sweeter. Ripe berries are collected, and the remaining ones will ripen on the bushes.

In Ukraine

There are ideal conditions here not only for the growth of blackberries, but also for their pests. Sweet, productive and large-fruited varieties require attention all season long. The berries ripen on hot July days, and not in August, as in the Moscow region. Therefore, without shading, the berries bake in the sun.

In hot weather you will have to water often, and, of course, not with ice-cold water from a hose. Tree trunk circles are mulched with buckwheat husks, old straw or rotted compost. Grass from a lawn mower will also work. To prevent the appearance of aphids on the bushes, spray the bushes with a daily infusion of ash twice: before budding and again before flowering.

In Belarus

Difficulties with growing - in damp areas that are flooded in spring. If there is no place on the slope where water does not stagnate, make a raised bed and a drainage layer at the bottom of the hole. Acidic soil can be neutralized with ash.

It is necessary to cover it for the winter, the main thing is not to rush into it. The bed is covered with a layer of dry leaves, on which the lashes removed from the trellis are laid, and non-woven material is placed on top, everything is secured. No film is used!

Tall varieties are covered like roses, lightly covered with peat or humus.

Blackberry varieties

During the Soviet Union, new products from foreign selection were almost never brought into the country, and cultivated blackberries were not cultivated in Russia. Modern varieties were bred in America.

In the mid-90s, the Agawam variety, which is unpretentious and does not require shelter for the winter, mainly grew at Russian dachas. But now nurseries offer summer residents a large selection of varieties that require shelter for the winter and careful care, but with berries weighing up to 15 g of dessert taste. The yield for many of them is two buckets from an adult bush.

The most famous varieties of blackberries:

• Giant. Thornless variety with huge berries (15–18 g). Blooms in June. The taste of the berries is dessert. The disadvantage of the variety is considered to be extremely low drought resistance. Requires mulching and regular watering. Frost resistance down to -25 o C. For the winter, cover the base of the bushes with humus or compost, 1–2 buckets per bush. Two layers of agrospan are enough on top.

  

  Blackberry Giant needs regular watering

• Ruben. A relatively new variety, classified as remontant. Experienced gardeners recommend growing it like a regular 2-year-old blackberry. When the shoots are completely cut out before winter, the berries often do not ripen even in the south of Ukraine. But on last year's shoots, blackberries ripen a week earlier than on early varieties with small berries. The fruits are round, sweet, very large, each weighing 8–10 g. Claims that this variety has a unique keeping quality are not confirmed. You can pack berries in small containers with holes. The main advantage of the variety is its rare, small and thin thorns. The bush is erect, the side shoots are short. Harvesting is easy and scratch-free. Bushes in a row are planted at intervals of 80 cm. Row spacing can be reduced to 2 m. Ruben blackberries produce a full harvest only in the 3rd year after planting. It is not difficult to cover for the winter; the stems bend well and are not brittle. They are secured with pins or hooks. It does not overwinter without shelter. Cover with dense agrofibre, 60 g/m in one layer. Remove the cover when the buds begin to bloom, remove the pins that were used to press the stems to the ground. And they immediately trim the tops, cutting off 15–20 cm.

  

  You can try Ruben berries in the 3rd year after planting the bush.

• Thornfree. The most common variety. Not prickly at all. Unpretentious, the berries are sweet and begin to ripen at the end of July. There are 30 or more berries in a cluster, weighing from 5 to 8 g. When planting, the shoots are shortened to 20 cm. The fruiting ones are tied to a trellis, the young ones are allowed to grow freely up to 2 m. Fully ripened berries are very soft and are only suitable for fresh consumption or making wine. You need to collect slightly unripe, sour fruits for harvesting. The variety is winter-hardy, but in central Russia and further north it needs shelter.

  

  Thornfree is the most common blackberry variety.

• Triple Crown. Translated from English - triple crown. Thornless, large-fruited, productive variety. The bush is semi-upright, an intermediate form between upright and creeping species. Vigorous, requires trellis. Winters under cover. The taste is dessert. The average weight of the berry is 8 g. Ripens in August. You can collect up to 13 kg from a bush. Transportability is excellent. The berries do not become smaller by the end of summer and do not bake in the sun. They grow in clusters. Planted frequently, with a distance of 1.5 m in a row and 2.5 m between rows. In the Moscow region and to the north, replacement shoots are normalized in the bush. The fewer you leave, the greater the chance of harvesting the entire crop before frost. In addition, early in the spring they make a temporary shelter.

  

  Triple Crown blackberries do not shrink by the end of summer and do not bake in the sun

Blackberry diseases

Even strong plants can get sick in damp, cold summers. Therefore, prevention should be taken care of from the moment the bushes open in the spring until they are covered for the winter.

Common ailments:

• Fusarium. A healthy, strong plant suddenly withers. In hot weather it may seem like you need to water it, but more often the disease appears a few days after heavy rain. A diseased bush is usually dug up and burned. And the rest (within a radius of 3 m or more) are watered generously with Fitosporin.
• Bacterial root canker. It affects blackberries, raspberries, plums, and less commonly apple and pear trees. Sick plants are stunted, yields are reduced, and so is their resistance to other diseases. But if you water the plant with a fermented infusion of mullein or weed with the addition of nettle, 1 liter per adult bush, this will help cure the blackberry. Such watering is needed from spring to mid-summer, twice a month. Even when blackberries grow well. The causative agent of root canker gets into a bed with infected seedlings. The cones crumble over the winter and remain in the soil; the growths on the roots are hardly noticeable. Therefore, seedlings must be disinfected. Before planting, they are immersed entirely for 2–3 minutes in a 1% solution of copper sulfate or for 1 hour in a solution of the drug Fitosporin. The treatment will destroy pathogens of bacterial and fungal diseases.

  

  Root cancer is difficult to notice because growths form on the roots

• Non-infectious diseases often include chlorosis - yellowing of leaves, without spots and wilting. This is a sign of a lack of trace elements, usually iron or manganese. When watering, manganese sulfate or ferrous sulfate is added little by little (0.5 g per plant dissolved in several liters of water), alternating. And additionally, foliar feeding is done with a complex of microelements, preferably in the form of chelates.

  

  Yellowing of the leaves of the plant indicates a lack of microelements

• Potassium deficiency is less common, usually in sandy soils. The leaves acquire a purple tint, the edges become brownish and dry out. This disease is called “marginal burn.” If measures are not taken immediately, the fruits on the branches turn black and dry out. It is necessary to fertilize with potassium by spraying the bushes with a sulfate solution. It is better to apply complex fertilizers with microelements at the root or fertilize with ash. It is poured with boiling water at the rate of 2 tbsp. for 10 liters, leave for 24 hours. You can boil for 15 minutes and leave until cool. When fertilizing, if the soil is dry, dilute with water. A bush of undiluted solution requires 0.5 liters.
• A lack of boron causes the leaves to become small, turn pale and begin to curl. Some of the flowers fall off. If measures are not taken, with the onset of hot weather the ovaries will also fall off. The disease is treated with a solution of boric acid (2 g per plant at the root and 5 g per bucket of water for spraying).

  

  A lack of boron causes the leaves to become pale and begin to curl.

Against fungal diseases of leaves and stems, use a 1% Bordeaux mixture, spraying immediately after bud break. And before flowering, foliar feeding is carried out with a daily infusion of ash.

How to grow blackberries on the balcony

Breeders have developed blackberries that can grow in a pot. This is a compact ampel variety Black Cascade. Its lashes are only 50 cm long.

Black Cascade blackberries can be grown on the balcony

Of course, it will not be possible to collect a full harvest of berries on the balcony. But do not plant seedlings rooted on the windowsill in the ground in the spring, but leave them until autumn, or even spring planting on the balcony - an excellent idea.

There are no difficulties here:

1. Initially, seedlings are planted in low seedling containers with a volume of 1 liter.
2. At the beginning of May, the pots are cut and transplanted into 5 liter containers.
3. Drainage must be poured at the bottom.
   

   Important! The soil needs to be loose, but vermiculite is used as a loosening agent, not peat or sand.

4. Seedlings should be exposed to the sun 2 weeks after planting.

Regular care: watering, fertilizing with complex fertilizers with microelements. To protect the roots from the sun, sprinkle the surface with a 1 cm layer of perlite. With careful watering, it does not compress and does not mix with the soil.

In winter, before frost sets in, the pots are kept on a glassed-in loggia. If the balcony is not glazed, it is better to bury the pots in a greenhouse for the winter and cover them, and plant the seedlings in place in the spring.

Blackberries are responsive to care. He will thank you for your warmth and care even in the cool summer. The modern selection of varieties makes it possible to grow this crop in almost all regions of Russia. But in areas with cold winters, it is necessary to take care of shelter.