Blackberry Ruben: description and characteristics of the variety, planting and care, reproduction, harvesting

Among remontant blackberries, the Ruben variety has gained its popularity not only by its ability to bear fruit several times a season, but by large-fruitedness, relative unpretentiousness to the conditions of detention. Growing Ruben blackberries in your summer cottage is available even to a novice gardener, the main thing is to know the basic intricacies of planting and care.

History of selection

The Bushy Reuben is the result of the efficient work of renowned breeder, Professor John Reuben Clark. In 2005, he conducted an experiment and crossed promising blackberry lines APF-44 and 2292T2.But this was only the first part of his work, then in 2006 in an English nursery he used a seedling HPB3.

Ultimately, Ruben's bred blackberry successfully passed the test and appeared on the market in 2009. On the territory of Russia, a high-yielding variety was introduced in 2011-2012.

Description and characteristics of blackberries

Remontant blackberry Ruben is distinguished by its ability to form large fruits on the shoots of the current year. This plant belongs to the varieties of early ripening. The height of its erect shoots is 170-200 centimeters; there is no need for support. The thorns of the Ruben blackberry are small, there are not so many of them, they do not create difficulties when harvesting.

The flowering phase of blackberries occurs at the end of June (in the Moscow region). In diameter, the flowers reach 5 centimeters, they are distinguished by a white color. The collection of the first fruits begins in early August, the fruiting period lasts until the onset of cold weather.Blackberry productivity indicators are almost 6 kilograms per bush. The weight of the berries is in the range of 10-16 grams, their size is about 4.4 centimeters.

For information! The tasting score of blackberry Ruben out of 5 points is 4.5, and transportability is 4.7 points.

Fruits stand out with a rounded shape. They are black in color and have a glossy finish. The consistency is quite dense, elastic. A fruitful plant has a high degree of frost resistance, up to -16 degrees. If Ruben blackberries are grown on the territory of the Middle Strip, then additional shelter is indispensable.

Main advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Among the positive characteristics of Ruben blackberries, experienced gardeners note:

• repairability;
• not demanding care;
• no need for arranging supports, garters;
• large-fruited;
• high palatability of fruits;
• extended fruiting period (from August to frost);
• high productivity bush;
• causes no difficulty when sheltering for the winter.

But Ruben's blackberry also has its weaknesses, including:

• low drought tolerance;
• insufficient winter hardiness;
• cannot stand excessive heat.

Features of growing blackberries Ruben

To achieve the desired result, it is necessary to carry out planting work in a timely manner and not neglect the simple rules of agricultural technology.

When is the best time to plant

The optimal time for planting blackberry seedlings in the southern regions is autumn (end of October).The main thing is to have time 2-3 weeks before the onset of frost. But on the territory of the Central region, the Urals and Siberia, it is recommended to plant young plants in April, before the start of the bud break phase.

For information! If Ruben blackberry seedlings have a closed root system, then planting can be carried out at any time.

How to choose and prepare a landing spot

Remarkable is the fact that Ruben blackberries are able to effectively produce crops in one place for 10-15 years. But this is subject to the right location. Given that the variety does not tolerate heat well, it is better to determine it in light partial shade. The site must be protected from cold winds by various outbuildings, structures, fencing.

Planting seedlings stands in the place where green manure, legumes, cereals and pumpkin crops grew before. It is not rational to place blackberries after strawberries and raspberries, since these plants suffer from the same fungal infections and rot.Also avoid damp or wetlands.

Important! For blackberry Ruben, the best option is a soil with sufficient air and moisture permeability, a neutral (slightly acidic) environment.

To get large and tasty fruits from Ruben blackberries, it is necessary to add 500 grams of lime per 1 square meter to acidic soil, and 1 bucket of sand to loamy soil. If the soil is sandy, then 1 bucket of peat or rotted vegetation is used per 1 square meter.

How to plant a Ruben blackberry

First of all, you need to choose the right planting material. A quality seedling has 1-2 stems with a thickness of 5 millimeters or more. There are no suspicious foci, cracks, signs of illness on the bark. The underground part should consist of 2-3 roots with a length of 10 centimeters, and many small adnexal processes. For quick rooting, the roots should be treated with a solution of Kornevin, heteroauxin, which is prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions.

If you plan to plant several bushes, then you need to maintain a distance between them of 100-130 centimeters. The distance between rows should be 200 centimeters. The landing work algorithm provides for the following actions:

1. Free up the planting area from weeds.
2. Introduce useful components into the soil based on 1 square meter of 10 kilograms of compost (humus), superphosphate (100 grams), potassium sulfate (30 grams) and wood ash (100 grams).
3. After 2-3 weeks, form planting pits 45 centimeters deep.
4. Lay expanded clay drainage at the bottom.
5. Fill the pit with a fertile composition in the form of a mound.
6. Place a seedling in the center, straighten its roots, deepening 2-3 lower buds.
7. Sprinkle with soil and compact it gently.
8. Irrigate at the rate of 10 liters of water per planting.
9. Fill to the top with dry earth.

At the end of planting, the bush is mulched and shortened to a height of 15-20 centimeters. Thanks to this technique, it is possible to improve not only the quality of survival, but also the growth of lateral branches.

Specific culture care

Since the Ruben blackberry is a remontant plant, for its normal growth and development, you need to know some rules of care.

Irrigation

To overdo it with irrigation measures in this case is not worth it, there is a high probability of root rot. But the lack of moisture also has a detrimental effect on blackberries - pollination worsens, the ovaries pour weakly, and soon crumble. Irrigation should be done once every 7 days, spending 10 liters of water per plantation. It is more efficient to perform procedures in the evening, and transfer loosening to the morning.

To prevent evaporation of moisture, it is necessary to mulch the soil. From the scorching sun, the bushes should be shaded with a net, which will also increase pollination rates. At a temperature of +30 degrees pollen becomes sterile. Watering is especially important during the flowering period.

Feeding

When planting, a sufficient amount of nutrients is introduced into the hole, which is enough for a bush for 2 years. But on the third it is already required to carry out feeding procedures:

• use urea in April (3 tablespoons per 5 liters of water);
• superphosphate (100 grams), potassium s alt (30 grams) are used in September-October.

At the flowering stage, blackberry Ruben will be useful to feed with wood ash at the rate of 100 grams per 10 liters of water. It is not worth applying nitrogen-containing fertilizers in the second half of summer, otherwise, with intensive growth of green mass, the level of resistance to low temperatures will deteriorate.

For information! Boric acid, used at the flowering stage, improves the quality of fruit set.

Pruning and winterizing

Complete removal of all shoots is made in November. This makes it possible, and rejuvenate the bush, and increase frost resistance. Before winter, the root zone is protected by mulch. Cut branches are disposed of, burned.

Diseases and pests of the bush

One of the main advantages of blackberry Ruben is increased immunity to diseases and parasitic individuals. Gray rot affects the berries below, only with excessive moisture. It is possible to save the crop by spraying the plant with Bordeaux liquid 1% (at the beginning and at the end of the flowering stage).

If the summer turned out to be dry, then blackberries can be attacked by colonies of small aphids. This pest feeds on the sap of the plant and destroys it.Since the carriers of this misfortune are ants, it is necessary to fight with them. The most suitable for these purposes are Anteater, Cypermethrin. The affected shoots are cut off, and the bush is sprayed with Aktara's solution (2 grams per 10 liters of water) before and after the flowering phase or Aktellik (2 milliliters per 2 liters of liquid).

Reproduction methods

Breed Ruben blackberries effectively in several ways:

• Layers. They are instilled into pre-fertilized pits near the mother bush, fixed with staples. After the formation of their own roots, separate.
• Seeds. The method works, but the fruits can only be harvested in the third year.
• Shanks. In the middle of summer, green cuttings are divided into fragments 10 centimeters long, seated in separate containers, moistened as the topsoil dries, covered with a mini-greenhouse.Carry out regular airing, watering. Determined for a permanent place after 1 month.

Harvest and storage of crops

Blackberry Ruben is a plant with an early ripening period, so you can already harvest the first crop in the last days of June, and the next - in September-November. The fruits should be plucked along with the stalk, but it is better to cut them so that they are stored longer. Ruben Blackberries have a shelf life of 4 days at room temperature and almost 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Blackberry Ruben rightfully belongs to promising varieties. It is unpretentious and produces large berries. It is enough to adhere to the correct agricultural technology to reap a rich harvest.

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