How to care for blackberries: planting and growing in the open field with a photo

Blackberries are often referred to as black raspberries. Although these plants are relatives, they are different in terms of cultivation. In the gardens of the European territory, culture is rare, but in America it is very popular. Our blackberry settled in the forests, on the banks of reservoirs. But they are already beginning to cultivate the berry in gardens. And here, in order to achieve good yields, you need to know how to care for blackberries.

Description of garden blackberries

Garden blackberries can be recognized by:

• powerful rhizome;
• flexible branches covered with small thorns or without thorns;
• trifoliate green leaves with serrated edges;
• white flowers with a pleasant fragrance that attracts bees;
• black berries, consisting of drupes and a white stem, sometimes with a bluish bloom.

Most often, blackberries are grown in central Russia, although it is also found beyond the Urals.

Popular varieties

Blackberry breeding is successful, so there are different varieties of the plant on the market:

1. Thornless Tonfri is known for its unpretentiousness, frost resistance.
2. Polar, in addition to resistance to frost, gives high yields of sweet berries.
3. An abundance of black fruits ripen on the numerous branches of the Chester bush.
4. Kiev's large berries are sweet, juicy and stored for a long time without losing their presentation.
5. Black Magic Blackberry is a remontant variety that manages to produce crops throughout the season in the southern regions.
6. Blackberry Ruben ripens early, but may die from return frosts.

Each gardener can choose the appropriate variety, taking into account the climate and weather. There are also plants with long, 4-5 meters, shoots and compact - 2 meters.

Methods of propagation of blackberries

You can increase the blackberry plantation by breeding. Usually the procedure is performed in the fall, although it is possible in the spring and even in the summer. Getting he althy new specimens of the plant is within the power of the novice gardener.

Layers

Horizontal layers are bent to the surface of the soil, sprinkled with earth. And so that they do not rise, they pin. You can fix the escape just with a stone. Stop the growth of the branch by cutting off the top.Also sprinkle layering with mulch. Be sure to water it. After 2 months, you can separate the child branch from the parent, as it has already taken root. The seedling is cut off and transplanted to a new place.

Top shoots

One-year-old cuttings are cut, leaving 2-3 buds on them. It is better to cut off the leaves, and then place the shoots 15 centimeters long in a cool place. In February, they are taken out and put into the water. The upper kidney at the same time looks down and is in the water. It is necessary to constantly add liquid as it evaporates. When a sprout with roots appears from a bud, it is separated and placed in the ground. Similarly, all the kidneys are awakened by placing them in turn in water.

Offspring

You can expose the root system of blackberries in the fall and cut cuttings 1.5 centimeters thick and 6-9 long. In the package they are stored in the cellar or refrigerator. Then, at the end of winter, they germinate by immersing the container in the ground.You can cover the containers with a film for the greenhouse effect. Blackberry seedlings will take root and put out leaves. In April, they are planted in the garden.

Shanks

For cutting blackberry cuttings, annual lignified shoots are suitable. In length, planting material reaches 40 centimeters. It can be kept through the winter by burying it in the ground, or in the cellar, wrapped in a bag. At the same time, the cuttings must be ventilated. In the spring, after the snow melts, the branches are slightly cut off and planted. A film is stretched from above, preferably black. When the roots are formed, they organize the planting of the shoots.

Seeds

The purchased blackberry seeds are planted either in spring or autumn. A seed is able to awaken in the soil heated to 25 degrees Celsius. Place the seeds for seedlings in peat tablets or pots with nutrient soil. The planting depth of blackberry seeds is up to 4 millimeters.And the distance between them is 3 centimeters. Seedlings need to be watered regularly. And when 4 true leaves appear on them, they are planted on the beds.

How to properly plant a crop

Growing blackberries requires compliance with the rules of agricultural technology. If seedlings are not planted on time, they may die. The plant needs the right soil. And the distance between the bushes is selected optimally so that the plants have enough food and water.

Blackberry planting dates

Unlike other Rosaceae, brambles are best planted in the spring when the soil is well warmed up. At this time, planting will be successful in areas with early frosts and severe frosts.

In autumn, you can plant in areas with a warm or temperate climate. Depending on the region, shoots are planted from the second half of October to the end of November. To grow a crop successfully, you need to prepare a site for it in advance.

Precursors

Not every place in a summer cottage is suitable for a berry crop. The plant needs a lighted place with fertile soil. Do not plant where vegetables once grew. It is necessary to restore the balance of soil bacteria after garden plants. And it will take 3-4 years.

From the predecessors of blackberries, legumes and cereals will be the best, which will saturate the soil with useful elements.

Preparing supports

The trellis for the blackberry garter is prepared in advance. The columns are dug along the edges of the intended beds. To keep them better, it is necessary to deepen into the ground by 50 centimeters. The height of the columns reaches 2 meters. The wire is stretched in parallel rows in 2 layers at a height of 70 centimeters.

Preparing a site for planting a seedling

Culture feels great on a personal plot with well-drained soil. In addition, the place for the blackberry should be:

• with groundwater at 1.5 meters from the surface;
• well cleared of weeds;
• lit by the sun;
• protected from cold winds;
• filled with nutrients.

It is imperative to determine which soil is on the site: acidic or alkaline. Berry suitable soil with a neutral pH. The depleted soil is dug up and humus and mineral fertilizers are applied. Hydrated lime is added to neutralize acidity.

Distance between bushes

Planting begins with digging holes, which are prepared in 3-4 weeks. The branched root system of the plant needs holes measuring 35 x 35 x 30.The gaps between the bushes should be 1 meter for upright blackberry species and 1.5-2 meters for creeping ones. Rows of brambles are spaced 2 meters apart.

Plant pattern

According to step by step instructions:

• 5 kilograms of humus, superphosphate and potassium s alt are added to the planting holes;
• having mixed the nutrient mixture with the soil, fill the holes by 2 thirds;
• the seedling is held vertically, spreading the roots;
• sprinkle the soil, lightly tamping;
• deep the basal neck no more than 2 centimeters.

It is better to plant a plant together. After landing, a notch should remain around the shoot. It will be used in the country for watering and fertilizing crops. If the seedlings were prepared on their own, at home, then they are placed in a permanent place under the film for adaptation.After all, the transition to open ground will be painful for them.

Transplanting blackberries to a new location

In spring or autumn, you can transplant blackberry shoots to a new place. Transfer needed when:

1. The plantation grows in one place for more than 10-12 years.
2. The soil is contaminated with pathogenic fungi.
3. The soil is oxidized or saline.
4. The site has turned into a swamp.
5. Conditions are not suitable for growing blackberries.

Preparing for the transplant in advance. Digging up the bed, making nutrients. In order for the berry to take root better, you must follow the planting instructions.

General blackberry care rules

Berry farming includes the usual procedures. Most care is required when the shrub begins to bloom and set fruits.Particular attention is paid to blackberries in July when the fruits ripen. They are harvested as they reach consumer ripeness. In August, berries are still developing. In some varieties, it lasts all of September. In the summer there is enough work on the plantation. It consists in loosening, weeding, top dressing. Improves yields and ties shrubs to trellises.

Water, loosen and mulch blackberries

Soil condition is important for blackberry vegetation. Humidify berry beds often in the first month after planting. The plant needs watering during the ripening of berries. Although the culture is drought-resistant, but without sufficient moisture, the fruits will be small and hard. Distilled water is used for humidification. Watered in the grooves located between the rows of brambles.

Between the rows of the berry plant, loosening and weeding are constantly carried out. This makes it possible for plants to quickly receive the elements necessary for development.Mulching can kill 2 birds with one stone: both retain moisture and stop weed growth. Mulch is spread around the stems after planting with a layer of 6-8 centimeters, using needles, sawdust, straw or peat, humus.

Cutting

One of the important points of berry care is pruning: both shaping and sanitary. The procedure should be carried out constantly so as not to stop fruiting, to increase berry yields.

When to hold

Starting from the first year of life, inflorescences are removed from the bushes. Then, next spring, before the awakening of the buds, the shoots are cut off, leaving them 1.5 meters long. In 2-3 year old plants, spring pruning will be mandatory. It will provide an opportunity to improve the bushes after the winter, to encourage shoots to bear fruit. In the fall, they are pruned in order to lighten the crown, eliminate its thickening.

Formation of an upright bush

Blackberry bushes at 3-4 years of age should not have more than 10-12 annual shoots, not counting fruit-bearing shoots, otherwise yields will decline. Therefore, the extra shoots break off near the ground. There is a need to remove those branches that are weak and dense. The branches should be 5-7 centimeters apart from each other. Thinning is done before the blackberries bloom.

The tops of annual shoots can be shortened by 10 centimeters in early spring. Then the germination will go faster into the fruitful shoots of the buds located below.

Formation of a bush of creeping varieties

When pruning branches, root suckers, the strongest, are preserved. Leave them at 12-15 pieces per linear meter. The rest, located further than 15 centimeters from each other, are removed. Shortening the branches can lead to an increase in the yield of berries. In autumn, break off dry branches, as well as sick and thin ones.

Feeding crops

Annual fertilization of the blackberry plantation will increase crop yields. If the mulch acts as an organic top dressing, then in the spring it is necessary to make ammonium nitrate, dissolving 15-20 grams per square meter in 5 liters of water. A week before the ripening of the berries, the bed is shed with mullein, diluted in a ratio of 1:6, or bird droppings - 1:15. For 2-3 bushes leaves a bucket of solution. In the autumn it is necessary to feed the plants with superphosphate and potassium s alt. Suitable and the introduction of wood ash, 50 grams per meter.

Shelter for the winter

In the southern regions, blackberries can not be prepared for winter. But where the temperature drops below 20 degrees, it is necessary to cover the berry bushes. To do this, remove the branches of the plant from the support, bend them to the ground. You can sprinkle the tops with soil so that the shoots do not straighten. It is best to sprinkle the bushes with dry hay, straw, and throw non-woven material on top.Bending the blackberry shoots should be careful not to break them off. It is necessary to prepare the plants for wintering during the period when the temperature began to drop to -1 … -3 degrees during the day.

Disease and pest control

Fungal diseases spread to blackberry plantations during the wet periods of summer. Plants get sick more often:

• anthracnose;
• white spotting;
• botrytis;
• powdery mildew.

Among drugs that fight pathologies, those that contain copper are more effective. To prevent diseases, pruning should be carried out in time to eliminate the thickening of the bushes. Loosening row spacing up to 5 times per season will destroy pathogenic microorganisms in the soil.

From pests, aphids, spider mites, weevils prefer to parasitize on blackberries. They are fought with both insecticide treatment and folk remedies.

Harvesting blackberries

Berries ripen in the 2nd year after planting. They sing within 35-40 days, so they are removed from the bushes gradually. It is better to make a gap in harvesting for 3-5 days. Berries are plucked without a stalk, putting them in baskets. It is not recommended to pour blackberries from dishes to dishes, as it will wrinkle, leak juice and lose its presentation. Blackberries are stored for a short time, so it is better to process them into jam, compotes, wine. You can freeze berries and enjoy blackberry pies and jelly in winter.

Caring for blackberries after fruiting

After all the berries are harvested, it is necessary to start preparing the bushes for winter. Be sure to release the shoots from the garter, which is installed when the bushes begin to bear fruit. The plantation is well watered, creating the possibility of charging the soil with moisture. If the soil is depleted, then it is necessary to saturate it with fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium.

Wood ash can be used by embedding it in row spacings.

First, the fruiting shoots are cut off, and the soil around the bushes is mulched with peat or sawdust. The shoots are laid on the ground, sprinkling the tops with earth or hanging a load on them. It remains to sprinkle the bushes with straw or sawdust, cover with spruce branches or material.

Why doesn't it bear fruit

The occurrence of a situation when blackberries grow, but an adult plant does not have berries, is due to the fact that;

• climatic conditions are not suitable for the selected plant variety;
• bushes are constantly in the shade;
• pathogenic microorganisms and pests have a negative effect on the development of the berry;
• soils are dry, they lack moisture and nutrients;
• soil with high acidity or highly saline.

If there are no fruits on blackberries, it is better to replace the variety or plant it in another site suitable for the crop.

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