Blackberry

Short description of the species

Botanical name

Blackberry

Latin name

Rubus fruticosus

Family

Rosaceae

Origin

Asia Minor and North America

Crop classification

berry fruit

Growing shape

belt system of shrubs

Spacing

2,0 x 3,5-4,0m

Soil type

sandy-loamy, loamy.sandy

Soil pH

6,5 - 7,5

Yields in intensive plantings

8-12t/ha

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Interesting

Blackberries are rich in antioxidants that can help prevent cancer and heart disease, and are full of polyphenols, which are thought to improve memory performance and improve cognitive function.

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Usage

direct consumption, processing into nectar, juices and syrup

Suitable growing locations

They are especially demanding on the humus content in the soil. Medium-heavy soils with a pH of 6.5-7.5 suit them. This fruit species can also be grown in colder and higher altitude areas.

Suitable growing forms

Blackberries are semi-covers with a creeping nature of growth, they have less strong, long shoots that require support. The wire should be 1.8 m high, composed of individual wires at a height of 0.9, 1.2, 1.5 and 1.8 m, to which we tie the shoots growing during the vegetation into a fan shape. Blackberries bear fruit on two-year-old wood. After harvesting, we remove the dead shoots. We recommend cutting new shoots before harvesting (on two-year-old wood), or remove the top to promote branching. Spacing - 3.0 - 4.0 x 2.0-2.5 m, 6 to 8 strong one-year shoots are left on adult plants.  

Suitable varieties 

For blackberries, we recommend the Black Butte, Orkan and Loch Ness varieties, which are thornless, the Thornfree variety is past its prime and subject to fruit rot. However, in terms of taste, none of them can compare to the thorny Theodor Reimers variety. 

Diseases and pests 

diseases: viruses, gray rot 

pests: Japanese drosophila