The best remontant blackberry variety

In the middle lane, the cultivation of remontant blackberries is rapidly gaining popularity. Its yield is high, the berries are no worse than ordinary varieties, and the hassle with this plant is much less. Such a blackberry has proven itself especially well on plots in the Moscow region. To be convinced of this, it is enough to look at the photos with a detailed description of the varieties.

What is a remontant blackberry

Repairing varieties of blackberries, just like similar varieties of its close relative, raspberries, are capable of bearing fruit twice a season. The berries of the first harvest ripen on the shoots left over from last year, and the second harvest gives the shoots that have grown in the current year.

If desired, you can remove one harvest from remontant varieties in the fall. In this case, the shoots are not left for the winter and the bushes must be completely cut. Berries, respectively, are tied only on newly grown shoots. In this case, the fruits are large and there are more of them than in the case of double fruiting.

Blackberry is a thermophilic plant and in cool areas it must be covered in autumn. But even this in frosty winters without snow does not save the shoots from freezing. If we talk about remontant varieties, then they are not afraid of the cold - the shoots are cut out, and the rhizome is safely hidden underground. In the spring, new shoots will grow from the roots, which will bloom by the end of summer, form an ovary and bear fruit.

The harvest of remontant blackberries can be harvested 2 times a year.

It is such a blackberry that is recommended to be grown in the regions near Moscow, where winter is unpredictable. Constructing shelters for large shoots is time consuming and requires a corresponding investment in materials. In the case of remontant varieties, you can simply cut the bushes at the root for the winter.

Such blackberries are also good for mass cultivation in greenhouse farms in the middle zone. After all, getting two crops, the first of which can be harvested under the film at the end of April, is very profitable from the financial point of view.

What varieties of remontant blackberries are suitable for the Moscow region

Advice.For the region of the middle lane, it is advisable to select early-maturing remontant varieties, in view of the fact that early frosts in the fall can partially or even completely destroy the crop.

There are not many varieties of remontant blackberries, and most of them are recommended for cultivation in southern regions or in greenhouses. The varieties described below showed themselves well in the cold middle lane.

Ruben... Powerful shoots of this variety reach 2 m in length. The stem is covered with many thorns. Early ripe variety. On two-year (last year's) shoots, the beginning of berry ripening is the end of June, and on annual (this year) shoots, you can harvest already in early August. Ruben does not require tying and any special soil composition. It tolerates a prolonged absence of rain and watering. The berries are large - up to 15 g. Their sugar content is high, the sourness is practically not felt. The disadvantages of this variety are poor fruit setting during the period when the heat persists in August.

Prime Jim (Prime Jim). Endowed with powerful, erect shoots, strewn with thorns. Early variety. The first crop can be taken in early June, the second in August. It proved to be excellent in cool regions. Prime Jim is considered a very high yielding variety. Fruits are medium in size (up to 10 g), elongated, sweet with sourness. Unpretentious variety.

Attention! All varieties of blackberries are quite unpretentious, but they categorically do not tolerate stagnant water, so they can only be planted in areas with good drainage.

Prime Jan (Prime Yang). The earliest variety of its kind. The shoots of this blackberry are very strong, of medium length, covered with thorns. On last year's branches, ripening begins in June, and this year - in August. Berries of the Prime Yang variety are large (up to 15 g), elongated, dense, with an apple aroma. It tastes sweet.

Prime Jim variety

Black Magic... Blackberry stems are powerful, of medium height, while there are much fewer thorns on them than on other remontans. Summer heat does not interfere with the formation of the ovary, which favorably distinguishes this variety. The berries are shaped like an elongated cone. Small in size (7-8 g), sweet, with a pleasant blackberry aroma. Quite a lot of them ripen during the season.

Advice. Blackberries have a very poor keeping quality - only 2-3 days, so before transporting them it is better to cool them to low temperatures above zero and put them in cardboard containers.

How to grow remontant blackberries in the Moscow region

• Planting seedlings. It is necessary to plant blackberries in the regions of the middle lane in the spring. If the soil is heavy, then you must first take care of drainage. The seedlings are placed in 40x40 holes and sprinkled with earth. The plantings are slightly trampled and watered. It is advisable to immediately install trellises, since the shoots of the plant are very high.
• Caring for the remontant blackberry. The plant is not picky, so care is reduced to watering and periodic loosening of the soil. You can fertilize the soil for remontant blackberries with organic and complex mineral fertilizers. It is enough to do this when planting seedlings, and then once every few years. Pruning for the winter depends on harvest plans. If the berries are harvested twice a season, then shoots with a height of 1-1.5 m are left for the winter, and if once, then they are completely removed. In the spring, before the buds begin to bloom, the frozen shoots are removed, and the tops are pinched on the rest.

Blackberry bushes

• Shelter for the winter. It is recommended to build a shelter for blackberries in late autumn, when sub-zero temperatures begin to be constantly held. Shelter material should be selected that allows air to pass through, such as agrofiber. Otherwise, during the winter thaw, moisture will begin to accumulate under the shelter, which, when the temperature drops, will cause the kidneys to freeze or dry out. The soil under the airtight shelter can also become very wet, which will lead to the death of the roots.

Advice.To prevent moisture from accumulating on the shoots under cover, it is better to put mulch there, for example, leaves, hay or sawdust. With the same material, you need to cover the shelter with a thin layer on top.

Some gardeners are inclined to believe that it makes no sense to get two crops per season in the Moscow region. It is much easier to collect a plentiful late harvest and cut off all the shoots at the root. However, there is no definite recommendation on how to deal with a fairly new culture in our latitudes. This is a personal matter for every amateur.

Comparison of blackberry varieties: video

Blackberries on the plots of Russian gardeners are still an exotic crop. But gradually it is gaining popularity, because the berries are not only tasty, but also very useful. And about ten years ago, in addition to the usual varieties, remontant hybrids appeared, allowing two harvests per season. There are also quite frost-resistant varieties that are quite capable of surviving the climate of central Russia and stably bearing fruit in such conditions.

How does the repairing blackberry differ from the usual

The repairing blackberry is one of the recent achievements of breeders. Therefore, she is still little known, even at home. The first varieties appeared only in the middle of the first decade of the 21st century. They are rapidly gaining popularity, including among gardeners from the post-Soviet space.

At first glance, remontant blackberries are no different from ordinary varieties.

The main difference between remontant varieties and ordinary ones is the genetically inherent ability in suitable climatic and weather conditions (middle zone and southern Russia, as well as all of Ukraine) to bring two harvests per season. The first wave of fruiting begins in mid-June, the second - in the last days of September. If you adhere to the one-year cycle of growing remontant blackberries, fruiting will occur in August-October. First, the berries ripen on last year's shoots (if they were left), then on annuals.

Repaired blackberry shoots are literally strewn with berries

It is worth taking a closer look at the remontant blackberry in central Russia. Such varieties are also appreciated for the fact that it is very easy to prepare them for winter. Most often, absolutely all shoots are cut to the state of short "stumps". Thus, the risk of freezing of the aboveground part of the bush is minimized. But it is the shoots of ordinary blackberries that are the most vulnerable place, which suffers not only from cold weather, but also from mice, hares and other rodents (even in the presence of thorns).

The climate in Russia is unpredictable, and low temperatures in spring are by no means unusual. Repaired blackberries are guaranteed not to suffer from recurrent spring frosts in central Russia.

These varieties have other advantages:

• The first berries are tried already in the year of planting a seedling in the ground, in August. At the same time, time is not wasted on growing new shoots. The shoots that have grown over the summer can be cut off for the winter and the roots can be covered with non-woven material or with a 10-15 cm thick layer of mulch. In this case, the next year the harvest will be only on annual shoots. Berries will be from early August until frost.
• With some care, you can get two crops per year. So if you want to get the maximum possible harvest from the bushes, then in late autumn the shoots that have grown over the summer should be bent to the ground and covered for the winter with two or three layers of covering white material, for example, lutrasil or spandex. With this method of cultivation, last year's overwintered shoots will begin to bear fruit in June, and from the second half of summer - the shoots of the current year.
• Minimizing the effort spent on disease and pest control. Many insects, their eggs and larvae, and fungal spores overwinter under bark or in wood.If the shoots are cut short for the winter, the pests lose their habitual shelter, which makes it possible to abandon preventive chemical treatments - insecticides and biological preparations can significantly affect the usefulness of the crop. But everyone wants to eat organic berries.
• External attractiveness. Any sort of remontant blackberry blooms practically during the whole season with large snow-white flowers with an amazing aroma, reaching 6-9 mm in diameter. Often, flowering stops only with the first frost. Such a bush adorns the garden throughout the summer and attracts pollinating insects, which is useful for other plants.
• The compactness of the bush. Repaired blackberries do not "creep" around the garden. Shoots are directed vertically upward. Their height is average - no more than 2 m, which greatly facilitates the care of the bush and harvesting. In addition, the compactness of the bush allows you to plant remontant blackberries in large tubs, buckets and other containers of suitable volume. With the onset of cold weather, they can be moved to a heated greenhouse, to a glazed loggia or veranda, thereby prolonging the fruiting period.

Repaired blackberries give a large harvest already in the year of planting

Of course, the repairing blackberry also has some disadvantages:

• The need to regularly water the plantings. The repairing blackberry reacts very negatively even to a short drying out of the substrate, although its root system goes deeper into the soil than that of raspberries. You can get a bountiful harvest only if you constantly keep it in a slightly moist state. Throwing to the other extreme, turning the garden into a swamp, is also strongly discouraged.
• The need to build a trellis for support. Since the remontant blackberry is distinguished by its yield, and the annual shoots are quite thin, they often fall to the ground under the weight of the fruits, and the berries get dirty. The tapestry will allow you to avoid this.
• The presence of many sharp thorns. But in the end, gloves can be used when collecting. In addition, the selection does not stand still, and the first varieties of the studless remontant blackberry have already appeared.
• The inability to separate the berries from the receptacle. However, this is a characteristic feature of any blackberry. But the fruits are firmly held on the bush, even when fully ripe.

Those who do not permanently live in the garden can use mulch (straw, freshly cut grass, sawdust, humus, peat chips). It not only helps to retain moisture in the soil, but also saves time on weeding.

The repairing blackberry bushes definitely need support, for which a place must be foreseen in advance

The practice of growing remontant blackberries among Russian gardeners is still very limited, but the first conclusions have already appeared. The main one is that one of the two fruiting waves can be sacrificed in favor of higher yields. All the same, the climate in almost the entire territory of Russia (with the exception of the southern regions located in the subtropics) is such that the berries do not ripen in autumn due to the lack of heat and sunlight. In this case, it will not work to eat blackberries in June, but the second wave will shift to the end of summer because of this.

In Russia, only the southern regions allow two crops to be harvested from remontant blackberries. In other climatic conditions, it would be best to plant the bush in a greenhouse to obtain this result.

Therefore, all blackberry shoots in preparation for winter should be cut off in order to guarantee a bountiful harvest for the young growth next year. The taste qualities of autumn berries are no worse, but there is a real risk that they may fall under the first autumn frosts.

How to plant a remontant blackberry

Like most horticultural crops, repairing blackberries appreciate warmth. Its deficiency negatively affects the quantity and quality of berries. But even in direct sunlight, the culture does not feel very good. Find her a site located in light partial shade.

Repaired blackberries are thermophilic, but feel bad in direct sunlight.

When planting several bushes at the same time, you need to leave 0.7–0.8 m between them, and about twice as much between the rows. Such a large distance is necessary to place the trellis. Supports are driven in between the bushes, onto which a thin wire or twine is pulled in several rows parallel to the ground at a height of about 40 cm, 80 cm and 120 cm. Shoots are tied to it. Such a bush is more evenly illuminated by the sun, and the berries receive enough heat and ripen faster. The trellis must be taken care of in advance. If you then drive supports between the bushes, it is very easy to damage the roots.

Most varieties of remontant blackberry are self-fertile and do not need pollinators for abundant fruiting, but practice shows that cross-pollination has a positive effect on the yield and taste of berries. Therefore, it is advisable to start 2–3 different bushes at once.

A gentle slope is ideal for planting, oriented so that the bushes are protected from gusts of cold north and west winds. The best time for disembarkation is the end of April or the first decade of May. The landing pit is prepared about a month before the proposed procedure. There is no very deep need to make it, 55–60 cm will be enough. It should be about the same in diameter. The ideal soil for repairing blackberries is light, not too nutritious (loamy or sandy loam).

The root system of a blackberry is more developed than that of a raspberry, so the planting hole for it should be deeper

This culture does not like alkaline soil. Bushes often suffer from leaf chlorosis. Therefore, it is necessary to find out the acid-base balance in advance and, if necessary, "acidify" the substrate with the help of colloidal sulfur, sphagnum moss, pine needles, fresh sawdust of coniferous trees or acetic acid. The optimal pH value is 6.0–6.6.

Pine needles are a natural remedy that allows you to bring the acid-base balance of the soil back to normal

Of the fertilizers, the remontant blackberry prefers natural organic matter, so the fertile turf extracted from the planting pit is mixed with 25–40 liters of humus or rotted compost and a liter can of sifted wood ash. All this is poured back to the bottom, covering the pit with something waterproof.

Wood ash - a natural source of potassium and phosphorus for future planting

Saplings should only be purchased from reputable nurseries or specialist stores. When buying at a fair or from hands, there is no guarantee that you will get exactly the variety that you need, and that this is generally a remontant blackberry. It is desirable for the seedling to have a closed root system - plants planted in the ground together with a lump of old earth can withstand this "stress" much better. You need to choose a one- or two-year-old seedling. It consists of one or several branches about 0.5 m high and 4–6 mm thick. It is necessary to have a formed growth bud and a developed fibrous root system (if it can be seen).

When choosing a repairing blackberry seedling, the main attention should be paid to the root system and the condition of the bark.

The procedure for planting a seedling itself looks like this:

1. Soak the roots of seedlings, if they are open, for 20-24 hours in water at room temperature or a solution of a biostimulant (Epin, Heteroauxin, potassium humate). It is also helpful to add a little potassium permanganate (for disinfection).
2. Moderately water the soil in the planting pit. Let the water absorb.
3. Place the seedling on a mound of earth at the bottom of the hole. Straighten the roots so that they point down and out to the sides.
4. Fill the hole with soil in small portions, periodically tamping it gently from the edges of the hole to its middle. Root buds should be buried 3-4 cm in the ground. Eventually the hole will turn into a shallow (2-3 cm) hollow. This configuration helps to save water when irrigating.
5. Wait for the moisture to absorb. Mulch a tree circle with a diameter of 30-40 cm with freshly cut grass, peat chips or humus. Cut all existing shoots by about half, to a length of 25-30 cm.
6. A light-colored covering material can be stretched over the bushes for 7-10 days to provide them with light shade while they adapt to their new habitat.

After planting the remontant blackberry, the main thing is not to overdo it with watering. The soil should be slightly damp

Good precursors for blackberries are cabbage, carrots, beets, radishes, herbs and grains. It is undesirable to plant it where Solanaceae grew (tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, bell peppers) and any berry bushes.

Important nuances of caring for remontant blackberries

Blackberries are deservedly considered quite a demanding crop. But the remontant varieties have their own advantages that make it easier to care for them. First of all, this concerns pruning and preparation for the winter.

Since one of the advantages of the remontant blackberry is a consistently high yield, it quickly "draws" nutrients from the soil. Therefore, the culture needs regular feeding. In the spring, as soon as the soil thaws enough, the soil is loosened well, bringing in humus, rotted manure (10–15 liters per plant) and nitrogen-containing fertilizers in dry form (15–20 g). This macronutrient helps build green mass, but you shouldn't get carried away with it. Its excess reduces the plant's immunity. In this case, the blackberry can become infected with gray mold. In addition, if all the forces of the bush go to the leaves, they simply will not remain for the fruits.

Urea, like other nitrogen-containing fertilizers, is applied under blackberry bushes only in spring.

Potassium is very important for fruit set. The appropriate fertilizer is applied after flowering in dry form or in the form of a solution (per 10 liters of water), spending 30–35 g per plant. But it is worth remembering that any blackberry does not like chlorine, therefore potassium chloride as a top dressing is categorically excluded.

If dry manure is used as mulch, then the repairing blackberry does not need additional sources of phosphorus. Otherwise, once every three years, simple superphosphate (40-50 g per bush) is added to the soil simultaneously with potassium-containing fertilizer. Or it can be replaced with wood ash (glass annually at the same time).

Dry manure is a natural source of phosphorus

Also, remontant blackberries are sensitive to magnesium and iron deficiencies. Do not forget about the appropriate feeding. During the summer, you can spray the bushes 2-3 times with a solution of potassium magnesium, and the soil under them with a solution of ferrous sulfate.

Watering for repairing blackberries is a very important procedure. It is important to find the "golden mean" here. With an excess of moisture, the berries become watery and tasteless, the roots rot, and with a lack of moisture, the growth and development of the bush is inhibited, the fruits are unsweetened and not juicy.

So that the soil does not dry out too quickly, it must be mulched after each watering, waiting for the moisture to be absorbed, creating a layer at least 5-6 cm thick. Experienced gardeners recommend planting it several times during the season at a distance of 80-100 cm from the bush in a circle or in the aisles any green manure plants, mowing them as necessary and using them as mulch. By the way, this is also a very effective, absolutely natural fertilizer.

Water the plant abundantly, the soil should be saturated with water 50-60 cm deep. The best method is sprinkler irrigation, which simulates natural rainfall, or drip irrigation, which saves water. If the summer is not too warm, once a week is enough; in the heat, the intervals between procedures are reduced to 3-4 days.

Repaired blackberries are very sensitive to moisture deficiency in the soil.

Preparing for the winter for repairing blackberries is a very simple procedure. All available shoots are cut as close to the ground as possible.The trunk circle is cleared of weeds and other plant debris and covered with a thick (10–12 cm) layer of mulch.

Pruning repairing blackberries is a very simple procedure, the most important thing is to use a sharpened and disinfected tool

If, nevertheless, a decision is made to save the shoots of this season for next year, they are detached from the trellis, tied in several pieces and bent as close to the ground as possible. All those on which the slightest symptoms are noticeable, similar to traces of the vital activity of harmful insects and microorganisms, are cut to the point of growth and burned. Then the bush is covered with any material that allows air to pass through in several layers. As soon as enough snow falls, they rake a snowdrift about half a meter high. During the winter, it will certainly settle, so the structure will have to be renewed 2-3 times, while breaking the surface layer of the hard crust. Practice shows that blackberries rarely undercut.

In the fall, blackberry shoots need to be bent as low as possible to the ground, but only carefully so as not to break them

Unfortunately, the shelf life of any blackberry is short. At room temperature, it will last for a maximum of 3-4 days. Under optimal conditions (temperature 0–2 ºС and air humidity 85–90%) - no more than three weeks. Therefore, it is best to consume the berries fresh, as well as use them for home canning or as a filling for baked goods.

Unfortunately, any blackberry is stored for a very short time, only 3-4 days without a refrigerator. But this period is enough to make jam from berries or bake delicious pies.

Video: tips for growing and caring for blackberries

How the plant reproduces

Blackberries, including remontant, are easier to propagate than most other berry bushes found in garden plots. New bushes take root quite easily. Interestingly, the “offspring”, even when propagated by seeds, inherit the varietal characteristics of the “parent” bush.

Rooting layers

Reproduction by layering is a method that takes a minimum of time and effort from the gardener. The remnant blackberry cut is a part of any shoot, or it is the whole. With this reproduction, the branch is fixed by attaching it to the ground with a hairpin or a piece of wire, and this place is covered with fertile soil. If it is watered regularly and abundantly, roots and new shoots will appear quickly enough. By autumn, the young bush can be completely separated from the mother plant and transplanted to the chosen place.

When propagated by horse layering, only one bush will turn out, but it is very powerful and developed

Reproduction of remontant blackberries by horizontal layering is also practiced. In this case, the entire shoot fits into a specially dug shallow (5–6 cm) groove and is covered with earth. It produces several bushes, but these plants are not as strong and developed as in the first case.

The method allows you to get several seedlings at once, suitable for those who grow berries for sale

Video: growing new blackberry bushes from cuttings

Cuttings

In order to get planting material, an adult bush must be carefully dug up with its roots. They are carefully cleaned of the ground and those that reach a length of about half a meter and have a thickness of at least 0.5 cm are selected. Each root is cut into pieces 10-15 cm long. This is the stalk.

Cuttings should be 10-15 cm long and at least 0.5 cm thick

The best time for disembarkation is the end of August or the first half of September (it depends on the climate). But if there is a risk that frosts in the region will come unexpectedly, you can postpone the procedure to spring.

The landing procedure itself is as follows:

1. Trenches 10–12 cm deep are dug in the garden bed and covered with humus about half.
2. The cuttings are soaked for several hours in a solution of any biostimulator prepared according to the instructions. Place them flat in containers.
3. The planting material is placed in the grooves, horizontally laid out. Then the cuttings are covered with fertile soil.The soil is watered moderately and carefully compacted.
4. The first harvest can be expected in the second season after planting the cuttings in the ground.

Parts of the shoots can also be used as cuttings. They are planted in individual containers filled with perlite or vermiculite, and covered with glass jars, cut off plastic bottles or plastic wrap, creating a moisture content of at least 90–95%. After about a month, roots are formed, and the cutting can be planted in a permanent place.

Parts of blackberry shoots quickly grow roots in water

Video: blackberry cuttings

Germinating seeds

The repairing blackberry has a unique trait. For most horticultural crops, seed reproduction is a kind of "lottery". It is not clear what will happen in the end, and the probability of preserving the varietal characteristics of the mother plant is very small. This does not apply to repairing blackberries, however, this method is rarely used by amateur gardeners.

Reproduction of blackberries by seeds is a rather time-consuming procedure, and success is not guaranteed (they cannot boast of germination)

The fact is that seeds do not differ in germination. In order to increase it, experienced gardeners advise, before planting, to slightly scratch the shell with a scalpel or razor blade (the so-called scarification). Stratification is also practiced - keeping seeds for 7-10 days in a refrigerator.

Sowing remontant blackberries with seeds is carried out as follows:

1. Repaired blackberry seeds are planted in late winter or early spring. Small boxes are filled with peat chips, coarse river sand, or a mixture of them in approximately equal proportions.
2. The substrate is moistened from a spray bottle and leveled, the seeds are buried into it no more than 6-7 cm.
3. As soon as the second true leaf appears on the seedlings (after about 2–2.5 months), they are dived, transplanted into a universal seedling soil in individual containers. If the climate permits, you can plant the plants directly in the garden. Otherwise, at the beginning of June, the blackberries will have to be transplanted again.

The first harvest from the bushes of remontant blackberries obtained from seeds will have to wait 3-4 years

The harvest will have to wait at least 3-4 years. This is another objective reason for the unpopularity of the method.

Root buds

Thus, old bushes that need rejuvenation are most often propagated. In the spring they are dug up, the roots are cleaned of the ground and cut into several parts with a sharply sharpened clean knife so that each has at least one growth point. The cuts made are sprinkled with wood ash, colloidal sulfur, crushed chalk and activated carbon. The rest of the rhizome can be discarded.

Blackberry propagation by dividing the bush is most suitable for old plants

Repaired blackberry varieties in Ukraine

The climate of Ukraine, especially its southern regions, is mild. It most closely resembles the conditions of Arkansas - the homeland of most remontant blackberry varieties. Therefore, Ukrainian gardeners can be quite trustworthy regarding the description of the culture and what results it shows when growing.

Prime Ark Freedom

The first sort of remontant blackberry, completely devoid of thorns, with perfectly smooth shoots. It appeared on the free market in 2013, and reached the post-Soviet space in about a year and a half. Like the entire series of Prime varieties (he is the fourth in it), it comes from the USA. In the southern states (primarily in Arkansas and California), it almost immediately began to be grown on an industrial scale, since the dense berries were distinguished by good transportability, and the fruiting period lasted from April to October.

Prime Arc Freedom - the first studless variety of remontant blackberry

When growing berries on annual shoots, the harvest ripens early enough, at the end of July or in the first decade of August. The fruits are one-dimensional, regular in shape, glossy black in color, reaching a weight of 12-16 g and a length of 4-4.5 cm.In the presence of two waves of fruiting, the berries become smaller up to 9–10 g. The taste of blackberries is very pleasant and balanced - sweet, with a slight sourness. The yield is high - up to 50 berries in each flower cluster (6–8 kg per bush).

With proper care, Prime Arc Freedom rarely suffers from diseases, but individual mistakes of the gardener can provoke the development of anthracnose. Another disadvantage is relatively low frost resistance (up to -15 ºС). In central Russia, this variety will not survive (unless it is grown in a greenhouse), but it is quite suitable for the mild climate of southern Ukraine. At the same time, which is very atypical for blackberries, the variety is relatively insensitive to drought.

Video: the appearance of the Blackberry Prime Arc Freedom

Prime Ark Traveler

The fifth grade (and the second thornless) from the same series is another development of the agricultural department of the University of Arkansas. Patented in 2016. It was bred specifically for growing on an industrial scale, but no one forbids planting it on personal personal plots.

Blackberry Prime Arc Traveler is a very promising variety for growing on an industrial scale

Differs in medium size (7-9 g) and presentable appearance of elongated berries. There are practically no "doubled" fruits. Ripens in the second decade of July. The taste is very sweet, the berries are dense, but juicy, spreading an amazing aroma. They tolerate transportation well, including over long distances, retain their taste and shape after defrosting. Harvest - 3-4 kg per bush.

The plant is very hardy, rarely suffers from anthracnose and rust. Flower buds have good frost resistance, but this does not apply to shoots. The quality of berries in the first and second waves of fruiting does not change, but autumn fruits are more sensitive to heat and drought. If the temperature is kept at 30 ºС and higher for a long time, the bushes do not bloom so actively, the berries become smaller, their taste deteriorates.

Video: all about Blackberry Prime Arc Traveler

Thornfree

Blackberries are native to the United States, specifically from the state of Maryland. A fairly old, bred in 1966, the studless variety is not remontant in the full sense of the word, but in optimal climatic conditions it can bring two harvests a year.

Blackberry Thornfrey is an old variety that still has not lost its popularity; under optimal conditions, it can bear fruit twice a year.

The variety is still the standard of taste. Berries weighing about 5 g, one-dimensional, oval. As they ripen, they turn from purple to almost black, the flesh loses much in density. The fruit acquires its characteristic taste and aroma only when fully ripened. Therefore, it is quite difficult for a novice gardener to understand when to pick berries.

Unripe blackberries of the Thornfrey variety are sour and devoid of aroma, while overripe berries are unpleasantly soft, freshly sweet.

The main crop ripens in mid-August. It is very abundant - 20-25 kg per bush (about 100 berries per shoot). The branches hang down almost to the ground under the weight of the fruit. If the climate is suitable, a second fruiting is possible somewhere in the second decade of October. Winter hardiness at the level of -16-18 ºС.

Blackberry Thornfrey rarely suffers from diseases, but it is sensitive to heat, even sunburn is possible. A significant drawback of this variety is its vigorous growth (shoots reach a height of 3–3.5 m). The flowering bush is very beautiful - the flowers are pale pink, 3-4 cm in diameter.

Amara

Unlike the vast majority of remontant blackberry varieties that are bred in the United States, Amara's homeland is Chile. It is distinguished by its large (up to 15 g) size and wonderful berry taste, without the bitter aftertaste typical for many blackberry varieties. Another undoubted advantage is the absence of thorns. Sufficiently dense pulp makes the berries suitable for transportation.

A new variety of blackberry Amara was bred not in the USA, but in Chile

Berries ripen for a long time. From the moment of flowering to harvest, 2.5 months pass.Blackberries ripen around the beginning of September. As the bush ages, the quality of the berries and the yield practically does not deteriorate.

Black Magic, aka Black Magic

One of the best varieties of remontant blackberries. Bred in 2001 at the University of Oregon. Thorns are present, but in small numbers and only at the base of the shoots. Heat and drought have no effect on the formation of fruit ovaries. Shoots reach a height of 2.5 m or more, so a support is required for this variety. The ovaries are very powerful, so those that are left for the winter are difficult to bend to the ground. It blooms earlier than most varieties - already at the end of April. Resistant to rust, but is often affected by anthracnose. Frost resistance - at the level of -12-15 ºС.

The taste of Black Magic is rated very highly even by professionals.

The first crop is harvested in mid-June, the second - towards the end of August. The berries are large (11–12 g), inky purple. The taste is sweet, but without sugary, very balanced, the pulp is dense, aromatic. Professional tasters evaluate the taste of the Black Magic variety very high - 4.6 points out of five. The shape is correct, reminiscent of an elongated cone. Blackberries tolerate transportation well.

The fruiting period when growing berries only on annual shoots stretches for 45-50 days. When it gets colder outside, the berries acquire a slight sourness (similar to that of black currants), but this does not make them less tasty. Average yield is 5–6 kg per bush.

Video: Blackberry Black Magic

Repairing varieties of blackberries in the Moscow region

The climate in the Moscow region, as well as in most of the European territory of Russia, is unpredictable. Winters can be both abnormally warm and quite cold. Therefore, when choosing a variety of remontant blackberries for this region, it is imperative to pay attention to frost resistance.

Reuben

It was named after its creator, a professor from the University of Arkansas, John Reuben Clark. It is this breeder who owns most of the achievements in the field of breeding remontant blackberry varieties. Ruben is one of the most popular blackberry varieties in the world, although it was only patented in 2012. The early ripening of berries allows you to get a harvest not only at home, but also in areas with a temperate climate.

Ruben is one of the most popular varieties of remontant blackberries, not only at home (in the USA), but also abroad.

The average weight of a berry is about 10 g, some specimens reach a weight of 15-16 g. One bush bears 5-6 kg of fruit. The first blackberry ripens in mid-August, fruiting lasts almost until the first frost. The fruits are highly valued for their taste and aroma; their flesh is firm but juicy.

Read more about the variety in our article: Ruben is the world's first remontant blackberry.

The shoots of the bush are medium-sized, erect, can be grown even without support. There are thorns, but they are small and not very often located. The plant cannot be called compact, but it is quite neat.

The Ruben blackberry bush is easy to identify by its characteristic feature - after all the berries are removed from it, the thorns fall off.

The Ruben variety is not devoid of disadvantages. First of all, these are problems with pollination that arise in hot dry weather. At the same time, the second crop suffers especially, which may simply not have time to ripen before the first frost. For some reason, aphids also pay special attention to this blackberry, although it practically does not suffer from diseases.

Prime Jim

One of the very first varieties of remontant blackberry, it was bred in 2004. Named after Dr. James Moore, pioneer of the University of Arkansas' breeding program.

Blackberry Prime Jim is prized for its large size and balanced taste

It has a large size (12–15 g) and a balanced sweet-sour taste of berries (an interesting aftertaste with a mulberry aroma is characteristic).It is rated 4.5 out of five by professional tasters. Erect shoots. In the spring, the bush, covered with pale pink buds and large snow-white flowers, is very reminiscent of a bouquet.

The fruits ripen at the end of the first decade of August. Their collection is significantly complicated by the numerous sharp thorns. The shape of the berries is slightly elongated, the flesh is quite dense.

Prime Jan

The earliest of the varieties of remontant blackberries. It was named after Dr. Moore's wife, Janita. Shoots reach a height of 2 m or more, therefore they need support. One of the main advantages of the variety is cold resistance. Prime Yang survives where other types of blackberries cannot exist.

Prime Yang is the most cold-resistant of the remontant blackberry varieties, which means it is well suited for the climatic conditions of Russia.

Berries have an interesting aftertaste: to some they resemble a cherry, and to others - an apple. The average weight of the fruit is 7-9 g. The first wave of the harvest falls on mid-June, the second - at the end of summer.

Prime Ark 45

The variety was patented in the USA in 2009. Differs in drought and frost resistance, has a high immunity to diseases. Shoots are strong, covered with single thorns below. They hardly interfere with harvesting. During flowering, the bush is very beautiful, the flowers seem to be "fluffy".

Blackberry Prime Arc 45 practically does not suffer from diseases, the only exception is anthracnose

The first fruits ripen at the end of June, the second harvest at the beginning of September. If berries are grown only on annual shoots, fruiting begins in August and stretches almost to frost.

The berries are glossy black, elongated, with dense pulp. The aroma is pronounced, somewhat similar to cherry. Average weight - 8-10 g. Blackberries tolerate transportation well.

Gardeners reviews

Repaired blackberry is a new culture in Russia, but it is steadily gaining popularity. It is valued mainly for its high productivity, long-term fruiting, the absence of the need to fiddle with winter preparation, and the extreme simplicity of the pruning procedure. The practice of growing it among Russian gardeners is not yet too extensive. However, most varieties are very promising, including for cultivation in Russia.

Blackberries are less popular among Russians than raspberries. But all the same, she also has her fans. Blackberry fruits are incredibly useful, even diabetics can eat them without fear. If we talk about which variety is better to plant, then the region where cultivation is supposed to be of great importance, as well as taste inclinations. Consider the best varieties of blackberries for the Moscow region.

What is kumanika and dew grass?

The Moscow region (and more northern ones) prefers frost-resistant varieties with juicy, not very large berries, which are represented by erect plants up to three meters high with a drooping crown. This is kumanika. There is a great similarity between kumanika and raspberry. This group includes varieties such as Eldorado, Kittatinny, Lawton, Erie, Darrow.

But in more southern regions, where winters are not so cold, creeping varieties, which are united by one name - dewweed, take root better. The dewdrop can grow up to six meters long, its fruits are much larger than those of kumanika.

The best varieties of blackberries for the Moscow region

In the middle Russian regions and specifically in the Moscow region, specially bred blackberries are grown, suitable for the harsh climate of these places. Despite its ability to withstand frosts of thirty degrees, nevertheless, the stems should be bent closer to the ground before winter and preferably covered.

Frost-resistant varieties of blackberries for the Moscow region

This is what kumanik bushes look like. Although they are erect, it is better to tie them up on a support.

Frost-resistant varieties include:

1. Agave is one of the best varieties for the Middle Lane, it tolerates even forty-degree frosts without shelter, however, with the loss of a small part of the fruit buds.The plant is powerful, tall, so it is not possible to bend it down for the winter, prickly, but unpretentious. As proof of unpretentiousness, it continues to grow and even bears fruit successfully in a long-abandoned area. From one bush, you can remove about four kilograms of black fragrant sweet and sour berries, each of which weighs at least five grams. And if you properly care for this variety, feeding it on time and cutting it off without regret, then the yield will be at least five kilograms, and the weight of one berry will reach ten grams.
2. Darrow - high winter hardiness, tolerates 35-degree frost without problems. A plant with a powerful, tall trunk and thorny thorns. The yield is good, the weight of one berry is about 4 grams.
3. Wilson Earley - tolerates winter cold well, is considered one of the earliest, ripening of berries begins in July. Has good disease resistance. The plant is tall with straight shoots drooping to the ground, because of this, it is necessary to tie them to a trellis. The black-purple berries are not very large, only about two grams, they resemble an egg in shape.

Shipless blackberry varieties for the Moscow region

This is what dew bushes look like. Their long lashes must be tied up on a trellis.

Blackberries in the wild are impassable thorny thickets. At the mention of a bush, such a picture arises in the imagination. And it is precisely because of these qualities that many gardeners do not have a desire to plant this plant in their area. But time does not stand still, breeders work conscientiously, and varieties of blackberries have already appeared absolutely without thorns, to the delight of lovers of this delicious and wholesome berry. Such varieties, of course, are gaining frenzied popularity, since they do not cause much trouble in harvesting and caring for plants. Usually these bushes have a strong root system. They are comfortable with the lack of water.

The most famous studless grades include:

1. Thornfree – the first studless American variety to appear in Russia. From the genus of large-fruited mildew, if not cut off, it can reach five meters in length. A plant with large, fragrant, very sweet (without a hint of acid) berries weighing up to six to seven grams and up to four centimeters long. The fruits become soft when fully ripe, so they have a short shelf life. In the climate near Moscow, this variety requires a mandatory winter shelter. Usually, the shoots are pressed to the ground and covered with soil or mulch, which will be covered by a snowdrift in winter.
2. Black Satin - we crossed several varieties (including Thornfree) and got a studless Black Satin. When it starts to grow, it looks erect, and later the shoots become drooping and, if they are not cut off, grow up to 4.5-5 m.A plant with large sweet and sour berries (up to 8 g) does not matter frost, so it should be shelter for the winter.
3. Apaches are an excellent thornless variety of medium ripening (from about July) with black, sweet, large (up to 10 grams) berries. This variety is characterized by a very high yield, frost resistance and disease resistance.

This group of blackberries also includes such varieties as Loch Tay, Boysenberry, Orcan, Dirksen, Smutsen, Chester.

Thornfree, Black Satin varieties are great for hedges

Repairing varieties of blackberries for the Moscow region

Low compact bushes of remontant blackberries still need a garter to the trellis when the harvest begins to ripen. The main feature of this variety is that the plant gives two harvests in one season. One - in June, it is harvested from last year's shoots, the other - in August, the berries ripen on the current shoots, the harvest is much larger than the first... In the case of complete pruning of shoots before winter, two harvests will not work, since there will be no last year's branches, there will be one, but what a! The best remontant blackberry varieties: Prime Yang, Prime Arc 45, Black Magic, Prime Jim.

The most famous and most productive of the remontant blackberry is the Ruben variety.It belongs to the upright blackberry. Bushes with thick strong shoots up to two meters high bear very large berries (up to 14 grams). This variety is renowned for its resistance to disease and frost. It does not show special requirements for the ground, a garter is not needed. Last year's shoots bear fruit in June, current shoots bear fruit from late August to late autumn.

Tip # 1. If, after fruiting, all the bushes are completely cut to the ground, they will winter safely, covered with snowdrifts, and in the spring the root system will throw out many new young shoots, which will give only one harvest, but very high.

★ The best blackberry varieties by ripening time

There are three groups of varieties according to the ripening period of blackberries:

1. Early. The ripening period of the earliest blackberries is the beginning of summer, June. The berries of these varieties are juicy enough, but not sweet enough, one might even say sour and do not have the proper aroma. But on the other hand, this is one of the first berries of the season. The most popular among early and mid-early varieties are Natchez, Helen, Loch Tay, Arpaho, Asterina, Agavam, Columbia Star, Karaka Black.
2. Medium to mid-late. Take the baton from the early maturing blackberries, continuing the harvest period from about mid-July. These varieties yield a more amicable harvest, and the juice from the berries turns out to be thicker and richer. The most popular varieties: Triple Crown, Bristol, Auchita, Jumbo, Marion, Loch Ness, Black Satin, Lawton, Chachanska Bestrna.
3. Late. Mid-August - late blackberries are ripening. The berries are preserved or for juice. Most popular varieties: Navajo, Chester Thornless, Texas, Chokeberry.

The most productive varieties of blackberries

New varieties of blackberries appear every year. But many gardeners - conservatives by nature - are not even aware of the success of breeders, continuing to grow well-known, but, unfortunately, outdated varieties.

Familiar varieties of blackberries

These varieties include Thornfrey, which appeared more than fifty years ago. Of course, it has a number of advantages: tenonlessness, which means convenience in growing, good yield, early ripening, unpretentiousness, winter hardiness, etc. In industrial cultivation, blackberries are one of the best varieties.

Older blackberry varieties are prized for their long-term acclimatization. But there are also many new varieties, sometimes even superior in quality to the old ones, which are grown in local nurseries. Such varieties are better adapted to the climatic conditions of the growing region, they tolerate transplanting better, as a result of which they begin to bear fruit faster. Agave blackberries, which were described above, can also be ranked among the time-tested varieties.

The latest varieties of blackberries

One of the largest blackberry varieties Kara Black. It is of commercial interest due to its appearance and good transportability.

Breeders all over the world are making truly seven-league strides in breeding new varieties. If earlier new items appeared mainly in America, now other countries are delighting with new types of blackberries.

For example, the Karaka Black variety came to the world from New Zealand. This variety can rightfully be called an ordinary miracle and the most promising of the newest varieties. Kara Black is a super early variety, and the berries ripen and ripen on the bushes until late autumn. They are just huge! The weight of one berry reaches 30 grams! For taste, you can put "excellent", sweet and very juicy. Despite their juiciness, they have good transportability, and, accordingly, are of commercial interest. It tolerates drought very well and is immune to any disease. The bush is rather compact, with small (up to 3 m) lashes, with a few thorns. The only drawback is that it does not tolerate frost well. But if you properly cover the whips, which bend perfectly and do not break, then there will be no problems with wintering.

But the biggest fruit comes from Natchez, a new breeding product developed in the state of Arkansas.A bushless bush of a semi-standing shape is very convenient to lay for a winter shelter in a trench. The berries reach 4 cm in length and ripen at the end of June. The taste is excellent, not even ripe, the fruits are still sweet with a pleasant cherry aftertaste. They tolerate transportation very well, and if we add super early ripening here, then the commercial interest is obvious.

The most popular varieties from this group: Lucretia, Thornfrey, Eldorado, Erie, Izobilnaya, Agavam, Smustem, Boysen, Black-fruited, Texas.

How to prepare the soil for blackberries in the Moscow region?

The soil for planting blackberries must be prepared. Lightness of the soil and good drainage are the main indicators, since stagnant water in the soil is not for blackberries. Kumanika prefers loamy or sandy loam soil. The dewweeds have less soil requirements - heavier soils are also suitable, as long as they are fertile. In any case, if the soil lacks the necessary substances, this, of course, will affect the taste of the berries. For example, a lack of potassium will lead to excessive acidity and insufficient juiciness of the fruit.

The soil under the blackberry requires fertilization at least once a year, usually when the blackberry begins to bloom. The right fertilization will give your plants vitality and increase yields. But you can't overdo it with feeding either - excessive nutrition will negatively affect the blackberries.

Tip # 2. It is necessary to regularly loosen the soil, remove weeds, and periodic watering. In general, everything is as usual.

Blackberry care (highlights)

Leave only 6 or 7 stems during fall pruning

Blackberries are easy to care for. But still, she needs some measures:

1. Watering. More frequent watering (twice a week) is needed only for a first-year seedling, from the second year of life it should be watered only when necessary (during a dry period), and also when the fruits are tied.
2. Loosening. You need to do this procedure regularly, preferably after watering, at the same time removing weeds. To facilitate the work, you can use mulch - and the looseness of the soil will be preserved, and will protect from weeds.
3. Top dressing. Blackberries may well be satisfied with covering mulch before winter. But if we are talking about increasing yields, then organic fertilizing with compost or humus is needed at the rate of 5 kg per square of soil, and during the ripening of the crop - fertilizing with potash fertilizers. Read also the article: → "Top dressing of bushes in spring"
4. Pruning. The main pruning is in the autumn, done after the berries have been removed. It is necessary to cut out all the shoots, leave about six to eight strong current ones, shortening by 1/3. In the spring, diseased and broken branches are removed. Pruning the tops will awaken the plant and provoke more active development. Read also the article: → "How to properly prune a blackberry?"
5. Shelter. Protects from frost. To cover the blackberry, it is necessary to bend it to the ground and cover it with some covering material or mulch. Read also the article: → "What mulch to choose for blackberries?"

Answers to frequently asked questions about the blackberry

This ideally looks like a blackberry prepared for wintering. It remains only to cover

Question number 1... How to water a blackberry?

Despite the fact that blackberries do not like stagnant water in the soil, they need to be watered abundantly when the fruits are tied and the ripening period begins. Lack of water will lead to crushing of the berries, they will not gain the necessary juiciness and sweetness.

Question number 2... Is it possible to plant a blackberry next to a fence, will it have enough sun?

Indeed, for the climate of the Moscow region, sunshine is an urgent problem. But the fence here, in principle, has nothing to do with it. On the contrary, there are advantages: planting along the fence, firstly, will eliminate the need to make a trellis, and secondly, it will serve as a hedge.

Gardeners' mistakes when growing blackberries in the Moscow region

Blackberry is a thermophilic plant, and it is not easy for it in the climate near Moscow. In general, you don't need to help her, the main thing is not to interfere, and not to make mistakes in leaving, namely:

1. Watering with ice water. Well or tap water is absolutely not suitable for watering blackberries. In principle, not the water itself, but its temperature. Do not use too cold water, let it be rainwater or heated in a barrel for a day.
2. Berry burns with sunbeams due to lack of shelter. If you are not lazy and shade the area with blackberries, when berries ripen on it, you can avoid sunburn of delicate fruits and preserve their presentation and quality. A shading mesh stretched along the bushes, for example, will help with this.
3. Forcibly bending down thick stems for shelter for the winter. This can lead to branch breakage and destruction of the bush. It is not worth bending down forcibly. But how to protect them from frost in the climate near Moscow? For the entire last summer month, you need to hang some heavy object on the tops of the shoots. The branches will bend by themselves under its weight. All that remains is to cover.

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In recent years, more and more gardeners have begun to plant blackberries on their plots. Despite the fact that this culture is relatively new for us, nurseries offer a large selection of seedlings. The choice is so large that it is easy for an unprepared person to get confused. To prevent this from happening, we will now try to figure out what varieties of blackberries are and what is their difference.

On this page, the most promising and demanded varieties of this plant are selected, with a description of each variety, photographs and brief planting recommendations.

Depending on the structure of the bush, these plants are conventionally divided into:

1. Kumaniks are more like raspberries. The stems of the old varieties are thorny, grow upward and require support. They reproduce, like raspberries, by root suckers. Kumanik winter hardiness is high, but most still need shelter for the winter.
2. Rosyaniki - similar to a wild blackberry with long creeping shoots. There are varieties with thorny shoots, and there are no thorns at all. It is also grown on trellises. Propagated by dropping shoots. The yield is higher and the berry taste is usually better than that of kumanik. Frost resistance is low, it is necessary to cover for the winter.

Blackberries, like raspberries, have a two-year development cycle: in the first year, the shoots grow, lay fruit buds, the next year they bear fruit and after harvesting they are cut out. The exceptions are remontant blackberry varieties that bear fruit on both young and last year's shoots.

In most of our country, winters are quite harsh and in this regard, most gardeners are interested in frost-resistant plants. Thornless varieties and remontant blackberry varieties are in great demand. They all have their pros and cons.

Frost-resistant blackberry varieties for the Moscow region and the middle zone

Blackberry variety Agavam

Agave

Agave Is an old and very frost-resistant blackberry variety. It is even included in the State Register of varieties recommended for cultivation in the Russian Federation. It can be grown not only in the Moscow region, but also in Siberia.

• Productivity 3 - 6 kg. sometimes up to 10 kg. from one bush
• Berries weigh 3 - 5 grams, sweet taste, ripen in July - August.
• Fruiting lasts at least 15 years
• Shoots are erect, powerful, rigid with sharp thorns, 2.5 - 3 meters high
• Withstands frosts down to -40º, no shelter required for the winter

Advantages of the variety: beautiful flowering, stable fruiting, no need to cover for the winter, drought-resistant and shade-tolerant, grows on any soil and is generally very unpretentious.

Flaws: thorny shoots cause a lot of inconvenience, gives a lot of overgrowth.

In the south, Agaves can be grown both in the shade and in the sun. In the northern regions, berries in the shade may not have time to ripen, so planting in the sun is recommended. When planting, the root collar is deepened a few centimeters. The distance between the bushes is 1 meter, between the rows 1.8 - 2 meters. Although the shoots are strong, it is better to tie them up with a fan to the trellises.

Reviews - very controversial.There are ardent supporters of this variety, but there are also ardent opponents who complain that Agavam shoots have filled the entire garden.

Blackberry Polar

Polar

Polar - frost-resistant, thornless, early, large-fruited garden blackberry of Polish selection.

• Productivity 5 - 6 kg. berries from each bush (when wintering without shelter)
• The berries are very large, 10-12 g, sweet, in the southern regions they begin to sing in early July.
• Withstands frosts down to -30º shelter is not necessary. But most gardeners note that if the bushes are covered for the winter, the yield increases several times. From this it follows that the fruit buds still freeze slightly and the shelter will not be superfluous at all.
• Stems are upright up to 2.5 m, strong, without thorns. They can break when bent to the ground. To facilitate the task, it is necessary to start tilting the shoots in advance, until they are lignified.

Advantages of the variety: frost resistance, large and tasty berries, thornless shoots, disease resistance, early ripening of the crop, good transportability.

Flaws: perhaps only one - it is difficult to bend the shoots to the ground for the winter.

Prefers to grow in the sun, on drained loamy soils. Dislikes damp, waterlogged places.

Reviews: only positive.

Unfortunately, the choice of frost-resistant blackberry varieties is not great. Only Agavam and Polar can winter without shelter, but it is better to cover Polar for the winter. All other varieties of this plant require mandatory shelter.

New thornless blackberry varieties

Currently, surprisingly productive varieties of kumanik and dewdrop have appeared on the market. From one bush, you can collect 2 - 3 buckets of healthy and tasty berries. The mass of these berries is so great that buyers in the market refuse to take them, thinking that they are stuffed with all kinds of chemicals. After reading the description of these varieties, you will understand that this is not an exaggeration.

Natchez

Natchez

Natchez - early ripe, very large-fruited, thornless blackberry variety.

• Productivity up to 20 kg from each bush
• The berries are very large, weighing 10 - 12 grams. sweet taste, begin to sing in June. Fruiting lasts 35 - 40 days
• Semi-erect bushes, shoots up to three meters long.
• For the winter, a cover with agrofibre is required, which is removed only after the soil thaws and the buds swell. If the bush is opened earlier, then the shoots may dry out and the plant will die. This rule also applies to other varieties of blackberries.
• When planting, you must maintain a distance between bushes 3 and between rows 2 meters

Advantages: high yield, large-fruited, early ripening, good keeping quality and transportability of berries, extended fruiting period

Flaws: low winter hardiness, a small number of replacement shoots.

Reviews: The reviews are very good, with a little controversy about Natchez's taste. The fruits of this blackberry variety have a sweet taste, but there is a slight bitterness in it, some do not like it, others believe that it is the bitterness that gives such a unique and refined taste to these berries, and many did not feel bitterness at all.

Ouachita

Ouachita

Ouachita - thornless, large-fruited blackberries of early ripening

• The declared yield of this variety reaches 30 kg. from every bush
• Large berries 6 - 7 gr. and with a very original taste, they begin to ripen in June. Fruiting is extended and lasts almost two months.
• Bushes are powerful erect, shoots grow up to 2.5 - 3 meters. Grown on a trellis, usually with three rows of wire.
• For the winter, the plant must be covered.
• When planting in a bush method, the distance between blackberry seedlings is 1.5 - 2 meters.

Advantages: a very extended ripening period, amazing productivity, disease resistance, berries with an original taste do not lose their marketable qualities for a long time.

Flaws: weak frost resistance -17º, the need to bend down rather thick shoots.

The proposed video is in English, but it clearly shows what kind of crop can be harvested from this plant. By the way, Ouachita, Auchita, Ouachita and Ouachita are the names of the same total variety, the description of which you just read.

Reviews positive - the variety is easy to grow, not capricious. Farmers love the combination of high yields and moderately large berries with great flavor.

Chester

Chester

Chester is an old, well-known, thornless, large-fruited late-ripening blackberry.

• The declared yield is 15 - 20 kg. from every bush
• The berries are sweet with a slight sourness, weighing from 5 to 8 grams, ripen in late July or early August.
• The plant has a semi-sheathing bush shape. No more than 5 - 6 shoots are left for fruiting, which grow 2 - 3 meters long.
• Despite the frost resistance down to -26 ° C, shelter is required for the winter period.
• When planting, it is necessary to maintain a distance between the bushes of 2 - 2.5 meters.

Advantages: high frost resistance, absence of thorny thorns, excellent yield, good transportability of berries, the variety is resistant to major diseases and pests.

Flaws: despite good frost resistance, winter shelter is required. Poorly tolerates shading and planting in damp lowlands.

Reviews: only positive, many consider Chester to be the best variety in their collection and allocate the best places for it.

Black Satin

Black Satin

Black Satin - as well as Chester, a rather old variety of thornless garden blackberry, medium ripening.

• The average yield is 10 - 15 kg, and with high agricultural technology up to 20 - 25 kg.
• Berries weighing about 5 grams, collected in large clusters. Taste from sweet - sour to sweet, ripen in mid - late July.
• Bushes are semi-creeping. Stems are tough, up to 5 meters long. It is recommended to immediately press young shoots to the ground and grow them in an inclined position, then it will be easier to cover them for the winter.
• Frost resistance - 22 ° C and winter shelter is required in most regions.
• For cultivation, you will need a trellis with a height of about two meters.

Advantages of the variety: lack of thorny thorns, high productivity, unpretentiousness, resistance to diseases.

Flaws: the need to cover for the winter every year, tough shoots that often break when bending to the ground, poor transportability of berries.

Reviews: generally positive, generous, unpretentious variety, winters well under cover. But the berries overripe quickly, you can not be late with the collection. For commercial purposes, not the best option.

Loch Tei

Loch Tei

Loch Tei - large-fruited, non-prickly blackberry of medium ripening.

• The declared yield is 10 - 12 kg. from every bush. Most gardeners claim that this is the case.
• The berries are large, weighing about 5 grams. The taste is sweet with sourness, ripening in mid-July.
• Loch Tei has a semi-sheathing bush shape. Shoots are vigorous, resilient, up to 5 meters long, requiring trellis.
• The frost resistance of this blackberry variety is 20º C. It is not enough for our country, we have to cover it for the winter.
• When planting, the distance between the bushes is at least 2 m.
• Propagated by dropping the tops of the replacement shoots.

Advantages: good yield, lack of thorny thorns, excellent berry taste and excellent transportability.

Flaws: the need to cover the plant for wintering every year.

Reviews: According to most gardeners, Loch Tei is one of the best varieties of garden blackberries.

Kiova

Kiova

Kiova - blackberries with the largest berries. Unfortunately this variety has sharp thorns, but it is included in the description due to its exceptional large size.

• The yield of Kiova exceeds 30 kg. berries from one bush.
• Huge berries weigh 20 - 25 grams. They start singing at the end of July.
• The bush is erect, the height of the shoots is 1.6 - 2 meters, they require support.
• This blackberry tolerates frosts up to -23 degrees without loss. Without shelter, it can winter only in the southern regions.

Advantages: very productive variety, surprisingly large and tasty berries, good transportability, the ability to surprise neighbors.

Flaws: the presence of sharp thorns, the need to cover the bushes annually for the winter.

All reviews something like this: when I cover the bushes for the winter, I swear that I am suffering with these thorns for the last time, and when I start harvesting, I understand that this blackberry will always grow with me.

Columbia Star

Columbia Star

Columbia Star - a new, little-known, thornless variety of early ripening blackberries.

• According to the manufacturer, Columbia Star will be one of the most productive varieties (16750 kg / ha)
• Berries of the same size, elongated, weighing 10 - 15 grams, begin to ripen in late June - early July.
• Creeping type bushes, shoots 4 - 5 meters long, without thorns.
• Columbia's winter hardiness is low - 14 degrees, winter shelter is required.

Advantages: tasty, large berries retain their presentation for a long time, high yield, rather soft and thornless shoots are easy to press to the ground for winter shelter. The variety easily tolerates heat and drought.

Flaws: long shoots with many lateral shoots can be difficult to untangle when removed from a support.

Reviews: gardeners who managed to plant Columbia have not yet been able to fully appreciate this variety, but everyone notes the high taste of the berries. Many consider it to be the most promising new product.

Chachanska Bestrna

Chachanska Bestrna

Chachanska Bestrna - a high-yielding, thornless variety of early ripening blackberries.

• Productivity 12 - 15 kg. berries from one bush.
• Sweet and sour berries weighing 9-14 grams, begin to ripen in early July.
• Semi-creeping bushes, powerful shoots without thorns, grow up to 3 - 3.5 meters. A garter to the supports is required.
• The frost resistance of the variety is relatively high -26º, but it still has to be covered.

Unfortunately, the video is not of high quality, but this is all that we could find:

Advantages: high productivity, drought resistance, unpretentiousness, immunity to major diseases.

Flaws: poor transportability, ripe berries every other day - another begins to flow. True, for amateur gardening, this disadvantage is not very important.

Reviews: all the reviews are good, this variety has proven itself well in the southern and northern regions.

Doyle

Doyle

Doyle - one of the best varieties of thornless blackberries. It claims to be the most productive variety.

• Doyle's documented yield is 5-7 buckets of berries per bush.
• Berries are sweet and sour, weighing 7 - 9 grams. Ripens later - mid-August.
• Semi-erect bushes with long, up to 5 - 6 m shoots, no thorns. Trellis required for growing
• It is necessary to cover for the winter.

Advantages: amazing productivity, easily tolerates heat and drought.

Flaws: this blackberry is more suitable for the southern regions, in the northern regions it may not have time to ripen.

Reviews: there are very few reviews, in Russia this variety has been cultivated for only a few years.

Waldo

Valdo

Waldo Is an old and proven, thornless, creeping blackberry variety of medium early ripening.

• The authors of the variety promise a yield of 15 - 17 kg. berries from one bush.
• Berries weighing 6 - 8 grams. have a pleasant taste and aroma, they begin to sing in the first decade of July.
• Creeping bushes, compact. The length of the shoots does not exceed 2 meters, but support is needed.
• Average winter hardiness, winter shelter for this blackberry is required.

Advantages: no thorns, easy to cover for the winter, ideal for small areas.

Flaws: in hot weather, berries can be baked.

Loch Ness ‘Loch Ness’

Loch Ness

Loch Ness - thornless, very productive blackberry, medium late ripening.

• The yield of this variety can reach 25 kg. from every bush.
• The berries are sweet, with sourness, similar to the taste of wild blackberries 5 - 8 gr. They begin to ripen at the end of July.
• Loch Ness bushes are vigorous, semi-sheathing.Stems up to 4 meters long, need support.
• Winter hardiness for our climate is not high enough, the bushes have to be covered in winter.
• When planting, the distance between the bushes is at least 2 meters.

Advantages: consistently high productivity, unpretentious in care, quickly and easily multiplies, suitable for commercial use.

Flaws: ripens late, in a rainy summer the taste becomes sour.

Reviews: unequivocally good - with minimal maintenance, always an excellent harvest.

Oregon Thornless

Oregon Thornless

Oregon Thornless - thornless, creeping blackberry of late ripening.

• Average yield, about 10 kg. berries from each bush.
• Berries are sweet and sour, large, weighing 7 - 9 grams, ripen in August.
• The plant forms creeping bushes, with thornless shoots up to 4 meters long. Trellis required for cultivation.
• Oregon can withstand temperatures as low as -29 degrees, which is clearly not enough for the middle zone, and you cannot do without shelter.

Advantages of the variety: excellent taste, lack of thorny thorns, easy to cover for the winter, the decorativeness of the plant allows you to use it for decorating gazebos, arches and other buildings.

Reviews: "I have this variety in my favorites - the most problem-free - it winters well (under cover), replacement shoots appear immediately, almost simultaneously with the start of fruit shoots growth, the size of the berry with sufficient watering is really large, sweet taste, very fruitful."

Osage

Osage

Osage - thornless blackberry with ideal taste. This variety is considered the most delicious of all blackberry varieties.

• The yield is relatively low, 3 kg. berries from each bush.
• Berries with a perfectly balanced taste and a weight of 6 - 7 grams. begin to sing in the first decade of July.
• Bushes are erect, shoots without thorns, about 2 meters high.
• Low frost resistance, only -13º, shelter is required.

Advantages: exquisite, dessert taste, the sweetest of all varieties of blackberries, never sets the teeth on edge.

Flaws: low winter hardiness and relatively low productivity.

Description of remontant blackberry varieties

Repaired blackberry varieties can be grown for one crop or two. In the first case, all the shoots are cut to the root in the fall and a completely empty bed is in the winter. In the spring, young shoots begin to grow from the roots at the end of August, berries begin to sing on them.

To get two full-fledged harvests next year, only last year's shoots are cut in the fall, and the young are bent to the ground, covered and allowed into the winter. In June next year, berries begin to sing on these shoots. At the end of July, having collected the entire crop, these shoots are cut out. And already at the end of August, young shoots that have grown over the summer begin to bear fruit. Thus, you feast on blackberries for almost the entire summer season.

Unfortunately, all this pleasure is available only to residents of the southern regions. In the northern regions, remontant blackberry varieties do not justify themselves. It is not uncommon for some of the berries to die from frost. The first crop (partially or completely) may die during the flowering stage from recurrent frosts. The second will begin to sing only at the end of August, or even at the beginning of September. The berries simply do not have time to ripen and part of the harvest goes under the snow.

Freedom

Freedom

Prime-Ark Freedom Is a studless, remontant blackberry variety.

• The authors of the variety promise high yields. The variety is new and there are no exact numbers yet.
• The berries are sweet, large, weighing 15 - 20 grams, the first harvest begins to sing from mid-June, and the second in the third decade of August.
• Bushes are erect, medium-sized, stems without thorns about 2 meters high.
• Shelter is required for the winter.
• Propagated by root shoots and cuttings.

Advantages: high productivity, excellent quality of fruits and excellent taste, the ability to receive products throughout the summer.

Flaws: low winter hardiness, the variety is recommended only for the southern regions, the need to bend down and cover the shoots for the winter.

Photo taken from the forum: Black Magic (Black Magic)

Black Magic

Black Magic (Black Magic) - remontant blackberry variety (stems with thorns)

• Productivity from 5 kg. from one bush.
• The berries are sweet, weigh an average of 7 - 10 grams. Ripening terms - the end of June, the first harvest and the last decade of August, the second harvest.
• Shoots are strong, about 1.5 meters high, there are relatively few thorns.
• Weak winter hardiness -12º, winter shelter is required.

Advantages: this variety is best adapted to the climatic conditions of our country. Excellent fruit quality, High productivity, tolerates heat and drought well.

Flaws: thorny shoots, low frost resistance, strong shoots are difficult to press to the ground.

Reuben

Ruben

Reuben - remontant, large-fruited variety of garden blackberry (with thorns)

• Productivity from 6 kg. from one bush.
• The fruits are sweet, large, with an average weight of about 10 grams. Ripen in late June and late August.
• Shoots are erect, medium-sized with thorns.
• The plant can withstand a drop in temperature down to -16º, a shelter is required.

Dignity: variety resistant to frost, tolerates shading well, excellent transportability of berries.

Flaws: the main disadvantage is the sterilization of pollen already at + 30º

Prime-Ark 45

Prime Arc 45

Prime-Ark 45 - a new remontant blackberry variety (with thorns).

• Producers promise good yields, but no specific data is available yet.
• Berries are transportable, sweet taste and weighing 6 - 8 grams.
• Bushes are erect, with a moderate number of thorns. They tolerate heat and drought well.
• It does not hibernate without shelter.

Traveller - Prime-Ark Traveler

Traveller

Traveller - Prime-Ark Traveler - new, studless remontant blackberry.

• This variety is still little studied, but the Americans claim that productivity will be at its best.
• Berry weight 7 - 8 gr. The taste is sweet and sour.
• Bushes are erect, about two meters high, without thorns
• When grown for two harvests, the shoots are bent to the ground in autumn and covered with spunbond in 2 - 3 layers.

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