Professionals reveal their cards: blackberries - fertilizing

Feeding blackberries with fertilizers is an important part of plant care.

Blackberries are a close relative of raspberries, so many of the nuances of agricultural technology for these plants are similar. The prevalence of blackberries is currently not high enough compared to raspberries. This is due to the climatic preferences of the plant.

Blackberry is a heat-loving shrub with a perennial root system. Most often it grows in the southern regions of Russia and the Caucasus. Outside our country, blackberries grow in European countries and almost throughout America, which is the birthplace of this berry.

Blackberries have flexible stem shoots, often with characteristic thorns, but there are also thornless varieties. The shoots require special fixation to prevent damage under the weight of the crop and strong winds. The leaves of the plant are trifoliate, toothed, pubescent. Small white blackberry flowers are good honey plants. The fruits have a name - a prefabricated drupe. They ripen in August and are black with a slight bluish tinge. Fruiting begins at the age of two.

In general, blackberries have good yields and are resistant to many pests and diseases.

Fertilizing soil for blackberries begins with planting the plant. To do this, the soil is mixed with humus, nitrogen, phosphorus fertilizers and potassium are added.

Important: If the soil on the site is infertile, it is recommended to apply organic and mineral fertilizers every three years.

It is better to use complex fertilizers and monitor the condition of the soil. Oversaturation of the soil with organic matter can significantly reduce fruiting, since all blackberry resources will go into growth. Blackberries prefer nitrogen fertilizers in spring. To obtain a good harvest, about 20 g of saltpeter and 10 g of urea are added to the soil. After applying fertilizers, it is imperative to mulch the soil with peat, humus or manure.

In summer, fertilizing is necessary during the fruiting period. For this purpose, mineral fertilizers are used. Shrubs are treated with diluted potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus. Before treatment, the soil is moistened and wood ash is added.

In autumn, shrubs require organic fertilizers. After leaf fall, the soil is dug up, potassium sulfate, superphosphates and manure are added. Compost or humus is also used for feeding. Treatment for diseases is also carried out during the preparation of the plant for winter. Before bending the blackberry branches to the ground, it is necessary to treat it with fungicides or copper sulfate.

Traditional methods of fertilizer are also acceptable for use: crushed eggshells, dry yeast, manure, bird droppings and algae.

Blackberries - growing in containers

Growing blackberries in containers is not a difficult task if you choose the right container. Of course, we are not talking about growing an adult plant, although someone can try this method. It must be taken into account that the root system of the plant is quite well developed and can be grown in a container only in the first years of life.

An adult plant can be grown in containers, provided that their depth is from 5 to 8 meters. But finding and placing such a container will be problematic, not to mention caring for the plant. In addition, the less space the root system occupies, the worse the shrub grows.

Important: The roots should not be cramped and have limited access to oxygen.

Cultivation of cuttings in a container is carried out until they take root. The cuttings are planted in a container with a fertile mixture. They need to be watered regularly until they become strong. Containers with seedlings can be left on the windowsill or loggia. In the spring, the seedlings must be transplanted to a permanent place.

Blackberries - diseases and pests

The diseases and pests of blackberries are the same as those of raspberries, so the control methods are no different.

Common diseases:

• Rust. Orange-brown dots form on the leaves. The disease often appears from waterlogged soil.
• Powdery mildew. It affects leaves, fruits and shoots with a white coating. The most common disease found in blackberries.
• Anthracnose. It appears as purple spots on young stems, which gradually turn into cankers. The spots then affect the leaves and the plant may die.
• Spotting. Brown spots appear on the leaves and shoots, which then lighten.
• Rotten. The berries are affected by gray rot. The disease often occurs in dense plantings and with excess moisture.

Blackberry pests:

• Pliers. There are two types of mites - spider mites and raspberry hairy mites.
• Mol. Blackberries and raspberry bud moths are also affected.
• Aphids. Settles on the stems and leaves of a plant, feeding on its resources.
• Beetles and butterflies. Blackberries are often attacked by the raspberry-blackberry weevil, raspberry beetle, gallworm, moth and raspberry glass.

For prevention and treatment, plants are treated with Bordeaux mixture, fungicides and insecticides. Treatment with drugs is carried out in the spring and after harvest.

Vitamin composition of blackberries

The vitamin composition of blackberries is wide and varied. It includes vitamins C, E, A, B, P, minerals, acids, fiber, carotene and other substances. The content of some vitamins is significantly higher than in raspberries. Among the organic acids found in berries are: tartaric, malic, citric and salicylic.

Due to its composition, blackberries are several times superior to raspberries and blueberries in their protective properties. Its effect on the body is so great that regular consumption helps stop the development of cancer at an early stage. Blackberries are recommended to be used against sclerosis and to strengthen blood vessels. It is effective as an anti-inflammatory tonic. It has a good effect on colds and pneumonia. Berries can also reduce fever and body aches.

Thanks to the content of tannins and pectin, blackberries promote better absorption of food and remove heavy metal salts.

Blackberry leaves are also used for medicinal purposes. They contain flavonols, vitamin C, minerals and amino acids. The leaves are used to make medicinal tea, decoction or infusion.
The seeds of the berries contain a lot of valuable oils. Essential oils are often used in cosmetology to prepare various cosmetics.

Contraindications to eating blackberries are allergies, stomach and intestinal diseases, liver and kidney diseases, and stone formation.

Where to buy blackberry seedlings

Gardeners often wonder where to buy blackberry seedlings?

Planting material is selected according to the same criteria as raspberries. The stems of the plant can retain their shape, but they are allowed to be slightly bent. Young seedlings should have a healthy appearance without cracks or wrinkles on the bark. Defects may indicate the presence of a disease or improper storage of seedlings. The root system should be healthy and moist. Without good root moisture, seedlings will not take root well and will grow slowly. The inside of the bark piece should be green. If its color is brown, such seedlings cannot be used for planting.

Using planting material purchased at the market or from a gardener friend, there is a risk of getting a well-groomed plant, but with a set of acquired diseases. Such seedlings can take root on the site, but treatment against various diseases will most likely not bring results.

It is best to purchase seedlings from a nursery. It is there that activities are specifically aimed at the production of planting material. When growing crops, the latest technologies and special growing conditions are used. This planting material is the most resistant to most diseases and has a high survival rate.