Growing blackberries in the Moscow region: planting and care

Features of growing blackberries

Blackberries are a sun-loving culture. Of course, it can also bear fruit in the shade, as it does naturally when it grows in the forest. However, in this case, even if the plants are given the best care, the berries will be small and unsweetened. Therefore, one of the main conditions for growing blackberries in the gardens of the Moscow region is to plant a bush in a sunny and calm place. Blackberries grow best in the southern or southwestern part of the site, where the sun shines for more than half the day.

To date, many improved varieties and hybrids of blackberries have been bred, which are distinguished by large fruits, the absence of thorns on the shoots and other positive characteristics. However, they are all a variation of one of two basic forms:

• kumaniki (erect stems);
• dews (creeping blackberries, the shoots of which reach several meters).

The care of the blackberry largely depends on this feature. If of the varieties with erect stems, only a few need support, then the creeping blackberries, without exception, need vertical supports (trellises) not lower than 2 meters in height.

The planting pattern for kumaniki and dew grass is also different. The first one can be planted at a distance of 1.5–2 m between bushes, while for creeping plants, planting at a distance of 2.5–3 m and at least 3 meters between rows will be optimal.

To grow blackberries, you need the right soil. It should be light, well-drained, since the plant does not tolerate stagnant moisture. For kumanik, loamy or sandy loamy soil, with the addition of peat, is best suited. Creeping varieties are less demanding on the soil - they can grow on heavier soils, but in any case, the land must be fertile.

The lack of nutrients in the soil negatively affects the palatability of the fruit. For example, from a lack of potassium, berries grow sour and not juicy enough.

The blackberry needs regular watering in the first year, while the seedling is actively growing. Further, from the second year of the plant's life, intensive watering is needed only during the formation of the ovary and ripening of the berries. A lack of moisture during these important periods can lead to the fact that the berries do not gain juiciness, sugar content and the desired weight, and during periods of drought they can dry out and disappear altogether. However, it is necessary to water in moderation, since prolonged waterlogging leads to decay of the roots.

The most important activity that involves caring for a blackberry is pruning the bushes. It is held twice a year: in spring and autumn. Blackberries are characterized by a two-year development cycle, which means that the useful life of the shoots is only two years. In the first year, the shoot just grows, it is provided with proper care, and only in the second year inflorescences form on it and it bears fruit.After the harvest is obtained, the shoot is no longer needed, so it is cut out. Such pruning is carried out in the fall so that in winter old and useless shoots do not deplete the bush. Spring pruning is more sanitary. It is carried out before bud break, and its purpose is to harvest damaged branches that have not survived the winter.

Since blackberries are not highly frost-resistant, they need to be covered for the winter. Preparation for winter is carried out during autumn pruning: the shoots are shortened, removed from the trellises, bent to the ground and covered with insulating material. For climates where the winter temperature does not exceed -20 ° C, only a thick layer of organic mulch (peat, sawdust, pine needles, dry foliage) can be dispensed with. In regions with more severe winters, the blackberry should additionally be covered with insulation, for example, agrofibre.

Video "Blackberry varieties"

From this video you will find out what varieties of blackberries you can plant in your summer cottage.

Preparing for landing

Planting blackberries is carried out in pre-prepared soil. A competent gardener begins to prepare a bed for a blackberry in 2 years, sowing green manure on the site. It is believed that they better saturate the soil with nutrients than ready-made fertilizers applied to the soil. However, for those who do not have time for such a long preparation, you can simply add mineral and organic fertilizing directly to the planting pit.

Blackberries love slightly acidified soil. It is acceptable if the acidity is neutral, but if your soil is alkaline, it must be normalized with sulfur or ferrous sulfate. Too high acidity is neutralized with ash or slaked lime. If the seedlings will be planted in rows, then the entire bed should be dug up, and if 1-2 bushes are to be planted, then you can limit yourself to a small area by the size of the planting pit.

As mentioned above, for planting, you need to allocate a sunny and calm place where planting holes or trenches should be dug (if the plants are planted in rows). Blackberries, unlike many berry crops, are best planted in spring - this way the seedling will have time to take root before the onset of cold weather. The most favorable time for planting is May - early June, but early varieties can be planted in April as they tolerate the cold more easily.

The seedling must be carefully examined before planting. If it is not grown by you with your own hands, then you should pay special attention to the rhizome - the roots of the seedling are young, light, and in no case dry. Stems are smooth, monochromatic, not damaged. It is better to purchase a seedling in well-known nurseries with a good reputation.

Three ways to plant blackberries

Landing technology

Planting blackberry seedlings is carried out in the following order:

1. A planting hole (hole) is dug with a diameter of 40–45 cm and a depth of up to 50 cm.
2. A mixture of fertilizers is laid at the bottom of the pit (humus 0.5 buckets, superphosphate 100 g, any potash mixture 40–50 g), drainage is laid, if necessary, in the lowest layer.
3. A layer of earth is poured on top of the fertilizer so that the pit is about a third full.
4. The seedling is placed vertically on this "pillow", the rhizome is straightened.
5. The hole is covered with earth to the brim so that the growth bud of the seedling is 2–3 cm deep.
6. Then the ground is lightly tamped.
7. Around the plant, make a circular shallow hole (for watering) and slowly pour 1-2 buckets of water there.
8. When the moisture is absorbed, the near-stem circle is mulched with a thin layer of peat, sawdust or other organic material - the mulch will retain moisture, prevent the growth of weeds, making it easier to care for the seedling.

Care

Basic cultural care consists of a range of activities:

1. Watering. In the first year of life, the seedling is watered 2 times a week, and in subsequent years - only during periods of drought, as well as during ovary and fruiting. An adult blackberry bush has a rather long main root, so the plant does not need frequent watering.
2. Loosening the soil. Periodically, you need to loosen the soil in the near-trunk circles and aisles, while removing weeds. Blackberries can grow in any neighborhood, but some weeds, such as leeks, can cause significant damage to the plant's roots. You can use mulch to prevent weeds and thus facilitate plant maintenance.
3. Top dressing. Blackberries are not very demanding on fertilizers - they grow in the forest without them. And if you do not have the goal of getting large and tasty berries, then you can only do with covering mulching for the winter. But if you want to get a crop characteristic of this variety, then you need to periodically feed the bushes with organic matter (compost, humus 5 kg / 1 sq. M), and apply potash fertilizers during the ripening period of the berries.
4. Pruning. Formative care is required for all types and varieties of blackberries. The main pruning is done in the fall (September) after the end of the harvest. When pruning in autumn, all the shoots bearing fruit in this year and part of the young annuals (grown in the current year) are removed at the root. Among the young, those that are not sufficiently developed (short, thin) should be removed. It is recommended to leave 8-10 of the largest young shoots for the winter. They are shortened (trimmed tops) by a third. Spring pruning is carried out in order to remove all diseased and damaged branches during wintering. You can also trim the tops slightly - this procedure will awaken the plant and force it to develop more actively.
5. Shelter for the winter. After the autumn pruning, the shoots are tilted to the ground and covered with insulating material: organic mulch or other denser materials.

Plant care also involves preventive treatments for diseases and insects.

Blackberries are exposed to the same pests as raspberries, but to a lesser extent. To avoid this, in the spring, preventive treatment is carried out with light insecticides: Bordeaux liquid, copper sulfate solution.

Such activities are optional, but they will allow you not to be distracted by pest control in the season and will ensure you get a rich harvest.

Video "Blackberries in the Moscow region in the fall"

The author of this video tells how he grows "Thornfree" and "Black Satin" varieties in his dacha near Moscow. You will see how you can cover the blackberries for the winter so that they survive the cold.