Siberian agronomist grows 30-gram blackberries

Blackberries are becoming increasingly popular among dacha gardeners, even in Siberia. The berries are not only tasty but also healthy. However, you will need to tend the bushes more carefully and prepare them for winter. A Novosibirsk agronomist showed us how to prune blackberries in autumn, grow them correctly, and harvest berries weighing 30 grams (1.06 oz).

The best blackberry varieties

First of all, pay attention to a plant’s frost resistance. Regardless of its traits, the bushes will have to be carefully prepared for winter. Another option is to keep a couple of bushes in a greenhouse. In that case, you can get an earlier harvest.

«It makes sense to grow blackberries. I myself am amazed by all this beauty. The taste is truly amazing. On the ‘Prime-Ark Freedom’ variety, for example, the berries come out at 30 grams (1.06 oz),» said Anatoly Sidorovich, agronomist and Candidate of Agricultural Sciences. «In the store, 200 grams (7.05 oz) cost 400 rubles ($4 at current rates) and more. And the taste is nothing like this. It’s better to grow your own.»

He added that ‘Prime-Ark Freedom’ is a remontant variety that bears twice. However, the bushes have low frost resistance. They tolerate drops in temperature only down to 12 degrees (53.6°F).

«If the reading is below 12 degrees, its canes freeze. Of course, it’s a lot of work, but how beautiful it is. It needs to be tip-pruned (cut back) before winter to 30 centimeters (11.8 in),» the specialist emphasized.

This variety is better suited to those who have already gained experience with easier-to-care-for cultivars. It’s worth starting with non-remontant plants that have higher frost resistance.

Blackberries with smaller berries tolerate cold best. For example, the ‘Agawam’ variety produces fruit weighing 3 grams (0.11 oz), yet is quite hardy. Among gardeners, ‘Loch Tay’ and ‘Thornfree’ are also popular. The first is ultra-early, the second is late. You can plant them on the same plot to harvest berries all season.

How to prune blackberries in autumn

Remontant blackberries are pruned radically — leave them no taller than 30 centimeters (11.8 in), otherwise you can lose all the bushes.

In other cases, remove the canes that fruited this year. They have done their job and are redundant. They’re easy to tell apart: they are dark brown, while the canes you need to keep are greenish. Old canes also have dry inflorescences and even peduncles. Remove them with pruners just above a bud, leaving no stubs.

Among the young canes, keep only the 8–10 strongest. Remove those that are too thin or weak. Also carry out sanitary pruning: take out anything damaged or diseased.

After pruning, feed the bushes with potassium and phosphorus. About 30 grams per square meter (about 1.06 oz per sq m) will be sufficient.

How to plant blackberries

Planting blackberries is similar to planting raspberries, but this crop is less demanding of soil and more light-loving. It’s best to grow in a single row. Leave a distance of at least 70–100 centimeters (27.6–39.4 in) between bushes. This will make care easier.

The planting hole should be about 50 centimeters (19.7 in) deep. There should be drainage at the bottom; return the soil, mixed with fertilizers, back into the hole. You will need humus and mineral fertilizers after nitrogen.

To grow blackberries, you will need to install a trellis. One-year canes must be bent down and covered for the winter. The agronomist stressed that the arch should not be 15–20 centimeters (5.9–7.9 in). Do not wait for prolonged cold, as the canes will lignify and it will not be easy to bend them.

What else to read about the garden and orchard

How to grow a huge harvest of large apples: principles for creating a stlantsevyy orchard (ground-hugging).

Plant and prune: the gardener’s calendar for October — a list of the most important tasks.

Cut down to stubs: when to plant currants in autumn and how to prepare them for winter.