Until now, blackberries have been associated more with forests. Since blackberries can be grown in the garden, more and more people choose to find a place for them. Blackberry is not only very tasty, but also has many unique healing properties. Additionally, cultivate blackberry without thorns It is not difficult at all, and even novice gardeners can do it.
For this reason, we are going to dedicate this article to tell you about the main care of the thornless blackberry.
Contents
blackberry without thorns
Thornless blackberries are one of the most interesting and popular varieties to grow in our garden. It is a hybrid of several wild species. Therefore, the habits of blackberry varieties are cleaner and thornless, making them suitable even for small gardens. It really pays to have fun – growing blackberries in the garden is quick and easy, and the fruit is a special gift for everyone.
A characteristic of these particular plants is that the thornless berries will develop slightly slender brown shoots that are completely free of thorns. Its stems vary in length, reaching some varieties up to 5 meters, but much more around 3 meters. Thornless blackberries produce small, unattractive flowers in May that have no decorative value but attract many flying insects to the garden.
However, the cultivation of blackberries in the garden is aimed at the beautiful and delicious fruits on the branches, which begin to appear individually in July. Their true eruptions don’t appear until late August and September, when they’re also at their mildest. Blackberries usually have a black or dark blue structure, similar to raspberries. They have a distinctive slightly tart flavor that is difficult to remove from the stalks. Its dark red juice is dirty and difficult to wash off.. Blackberry leaves have a distinctive lobed shape and dark green color.
Curved blackberry and blackberry
The thornless blackberry isn’t the only variety of blackberry you can invite into your garden. Blackberries and blueberries also do well in cultivation. They are easily distinguished from the former mainly by the presence of spines, but there are more differences. Blackberry is a low shrub, about 110 cm high, with many strongly twisted branches that do not climb very far.. It is a widespread plant, common in the forests of Poland and all of Eastern Europe, and produces more acidic fruits than thornless blackberries. Blackberries, like mulberries, are considered a medicinal plant. The latter is also weak and occurs only in the lower mountainous regions of the country. You can find more information about medicinal plants here.
It is possible to grow blackberries in the garden thanks to the efforts of breeders, who annually provide more resistant and valuable varieties. One of the most popular varieties in Europe is the Polish variety Orkan, which it is characterized by fairly good frost resistance. The blackberries of this variety produce a delicious and aromatic fruit, black in color and of large size, of great dessert value.
The most valuable variety of blackberries without thorns
Other interesting varieties are Loch Ness and Navajo. Both are known for their very high frost resistance, which is why they can grow in our climate. Loch Ness Mulberries they are large, black and unique in the market for their sweetness and high juice content. The Navajo, on the other hand, is known for its enormous fertility, which is why it is often used in commercial plantations. These blackberries are so delicious that they all came out at the end of August.
Other varieties of blackberries are not very useful to grow in Poland, as they may not have sufficient frost resistance. However, it is sometimes chosen, especially in warmer parts of the country, because of its fruity flavor. However, they should be carefully protected from frost in winter, preferably with a cover of agricultural fabric.
Thornless Blackberry Care
To successfully grow blackberries in the garden, the soil must be rich in organic matter, so it is worth enriching the place with compost or fertilizer, or at least a multi-component fertilizer, before planting. planting. Thanks to them, the seedlings will be better accepted and will begin to grow faster. Like raspberries, growing blackberries requires mulch to keep the substrate moist and suppress weeds.
The best solution is to plant balloton: these cuttings do not inhibit development and their roots are in better condition than bare roots. Seedlings of all varieties can be easily found at various garden stores, so there are plenty of options. Blackberries are planted 1.5-2 meters apart because they grow quickly and require a lot of space. Sow in spring and fall.
Growing garden berries, like raspberries, can be demanding, especially in the beginning. Young plants need frequent watering, as they cannot tolerate even a temporary lack of water. At a later stage, you don’t have to worry about it, water plants only during standard garden watering in hot weather. However, one of the most important treatments is fertilization to make the fruit sweet, juicy and very large.
In the spring, the plants should be fertilized regularly every few weeks, preferably with multi-component fertilizers, especially NPK fertilizers, which are fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to maintain proper soil pH for lusher, stronger plants. In the fall, it is worth giving the bushes a small amount of autumn fertilizer to prepare them for winter frosts. If you prepare the medium by adding fertilizer or any other type of fertilizer, you do not need to fertilize the seedlings.
Care and cutting of thornless blackberries after fruiting
Pruning is the most important method of caring for garden blackberries. As a result, the bushes quickly thicken and bear more fruit. In the first year, the plants grow just right, so there is no need to prune them. In the second year, the first such treatment can be carried out, but only after harvesting. The plant bears only once on last year’s shoots, so cut the fruit back in late summer. In the spring, however, renew the treatment: carefully inspect the plant and remove any frozen or dead branches.
Some varieties of thornless blackberries are hardy, but they deserve protection from frost. The shoots can be placed in the ground and covered with leaves, evergreen branches, burlap or good quality winter agricultural canvas. You can also build small mounds around the trunks, so plant roots will be better protected. This is important because the plants can die quickly in very cold winters.
Hopefully with this information you can learn more about thornless blackberry care.