Content:
- When is the best time to plant blackberries: in spring or autumn
- Features of planting blackberries in spring
- What should be a seedling
- Landing place
- Neighbors and distance
- Soil for planting
- Breeding options
- What and how to fertilize the soil before planting
- Planting methods and care
- Landing features in different regions of Russia
- Possible landing errors
- Transplanting blackberries to a new place in spring
Blackberries are a tasty and aromatic berry containing a large amount of vitamins and nutrients. Taking care of the plant is easy. Planting blackberries in spring with seedlings does not require special preparation. Consider where and in what season it is better to plant a berry, what land is favorable for the growth and development of cuttings, the rules for planting and caring for the plant.
When is the best time to plant blackberries: in spring or autumn
Blackberries are planted in spring or autumn. Each period has its own advantages and disadvantages. If the plant was planted in the fall, the seedlings have time to take root in the ground, the bushes grow young shoots and roots. During the winter, the berry is hardened, immunity is developed. It is important to choose the time of planting, otherwise the plant may not have time to adapt to the new place and frost.
Planting blackberries can be done in the spring. You need to focus on the weather. The air should warm up by 15-18 degrees. When burying blackberries on cool days, there is a risk of ruining the root system.
The optimal time for planting seedlings is the second decade of March. In most regions of Russia, the weather is set when the average temperature is 13-15 degrees.
If the spring is late in the region, then it is recommended to postpone the landing, wait for the onset of warmth. In order for the berry to take root and the plant to develop intensively, it is necessary to choose good seedlings, a sunny place for planting and pre-prepare the soil.
Features of planting blackberries in spring
Planting berries in spring has its pros and cons.
Benefits of spring planting of seedlings:
- After rooting the plant, the gardener has the opportunity to select viable cuttings. They immediately begin to grow, buds swell;
- The plant builds up the root system, takes root well in the ground. Farmers do not need to worry about the onset of frost;
- Bush rooting control. The ability to water as needed, fertilize and feed a young plant.
Disadvantages include hot weather. If the soil is not moistened, the seedling dries up. Therefore, regular moderate watering is important for the normal development of the root system and the ground part of the plant.
What should be a seedling
It is better to purchase blackberry cuttings in trusted stores that give a quality guarantee. Buying cuttings for planting at the market, there is a risk of running into a plant that is not suitable for planting, the buyer will lose his time and money.
The root system of a purchased cutting should be well developed. Four roots, 10 cm long and more. Attention should be paid to the presence of basal buds. A healthy plant produces two or more stems with green foliage from the roots.
On a note. Open roots should be free of damage, creases or shriveled bark. This suggests that the seedlings have long been removed from the soil, they may not take root in a new place.
Planting seedlings in spring allows the plant to develop quickly and take root in a new place of residence. It is possible to control the viability of the bush.But the gardener must properly care for young seedlings, otherwise they may dry out or die from pests.
Landing place
You should know how to plant a blackberry, despite the fact that it is an unpretentious plant that does not require special care.
When planting cuttings, several golden rules should be considered:
- Choose a sunny and calm place;
- Consider what grew on this site, choose the right neighbors;
- Prepare and fertilize the soil in advance;
- Make holes of a certain size - 40 cm in width and depth;
- Carefully choose cuttings for planting, take into account the opening of the buds.
For the plant, it is recommended to choose a sunny place on the site. In the shade, blackberries will also yield crops, but the berries will be small and sour.
The berry does not like excessive moisture.
Therefore, if there is a lot of moisture on the garden bed planned for planting, for example, water accumulates after rain, another option should be considered.
The absence of wind will protect the bushes from mechanical damage. Windless places can be under a fence or on the south side of the site. In an open area, young seedlings can break and die.
Neighbors and distance
It is undesirable to plant young bushes if vegetables were growing in the garden before. There is a risk that the roots of vegetable crops remain in the soil, which often suffer from late blight. He can move to a young bush.
The best neighbor is raspberry bushes. Caring for berries is similar, they can develop without harming each other.
The distance from other plants must be at least 2 meters. So the shrub will be able to develop well and will not interfere with the growth of fruit crops.
Soil for planting
Blackberry seedlings will grow well in fertile loamy soil. For the development of bushes, soil with an increased acidity level (pH 6-6.7) is useful.
The soil is pre-fed and fertilized. It is recommended to do this in advance so that all substances are well absorbed into the ground. When planting seedlings on fertilized soil, it is not necessary to additionally fill in humus.
Breeding options
Blackberries can be propagated in several ways:
- Apical layering;
- Seeds;
- Offspring;
- Cuttings.
For planting in the garden, the Thornfree variety is popular - there are no thorns on the adult bushes of the hybrid.
The plant can be planted in a flowerpot or with open roots. In the latter case, planting is done in a day or two so that the roots do not dry out and are not damaged.
Seedlings with potted soil can wait until the weather is suitable for planting.
Step-by-step instructions for disembarkation, highlights:
- Make a hole 40 cm deep;
- Make a distance of 1.5 meters between each seedling. The width of the passage between the rows of blackberries is 2 meters;
- After planting, water each hole.
A blackberry bush is transplanted to a new place in the spring together with a lump of earth. To do this, take mother cuttings and divide them. The roots of the plant are very delicate, so in a new hole they must be carefully marked, sprinkled with earth, tamped down and watered.
What and how to fertilize the soil before planting
The area for berries must be fertilized in advance. The recommended time is one month before planting the bush. This allows the young plant to quickly adapt to a new place and develop intensively.
Top dressing:
- Potassium - 60 g;
- Phosphates - 100-150 g;
- Overripe manure - 5-6 kg.
Mix everything well with the ground. Fill in the prepared pits by half. Fertilizer and mineral additives must be absorbed into the ground, so planting is carried out 30 days after fertilizing the soil.
Planting methods and care
Blackberry seedlings can be purchased with an open root system and in a flowerpot.
Drop off options:
- Planting seedlings if the root is open. You should carefully consider the root system. Remove mechanically damaged roots. Treat the cut with activated carbon or ash.When placing the seedling in the prepared hole, carefully spread out all the roots and lay on the bottom. Sprinkle with earth, tamp;
- If the seedling is in a pot. Fill the pot with water so that the bush can be easily removed along with the ground. There is no need to shake off the soil. Transplant the seedling with a lump of earth on the roots to the middle of the hole and sprinkle it with earth on the sides. Tamp the well;
Blackberries will yield a good harvest of tasty and large berries with proper care.
Blackberry garden planting and care:
- Water the bushes periodically. Watering should be moderate. In extreme heat and bright sun, moisten the earth as needed;
- Get rid of weeds on the site;
- Loosening the soil for better aeration;
- Carrying out mulching with sawdust. The procedure prevents rapid evaporation of water from the ground, does not allow weeds to grow, branches with berries do not fall to the ground;
- To prevent the berry from growing, the extra branches are cut in the fall;
- In the fall, the bushes are carefully tied up, laid and covered to avoid mechanical damage and not freeze the plant;
- The time it is recommended to open blackberries after winter varies by region. In late spring, it is best to open later. This will save young buds from sudden frost.
Landing features in different regions of Russia
Many gardeners ask how you can plant a blackberry in warm and cold regions of Russia. The warm climate is favorable for the berry. The plant develops intensively if it grows in the southern regions of the country. But it is also cultivated in the Central lane, in the northern regions.
In the Moscow region, young cuttings are planted after the onset of warm days. For the winter, the bushes are covered and fertilized. Planting of young seedlings is carried out in the spring, mainly at the end of March.
Planting garden blackberries in Siberia and the Urals has long been considered impossible. An attempt to plant a southern plant ended in failure. Later, hybrid varieties with increased frost resistance were bred. Planting of young cuttings is carried out in the autumn in warm weather.
In the Volga region, in order to breed a berry, you need to make a lot of effort. Planting cuttings may take until the end of spring. It is recommended to focus on the weather in the region.
Possible landing errors
Rooting cuttings is the most crucial moment in growing blackberries.
Possible mistakes when planting blackberry seedlings from novice gardeners:
- Unviable seedling. The wrong choice when buying a cutting can cause the death of the plant;
- Buying cuttings in unverified locations. When purchasing seedlings from your hands, you can stumble upon a poor-quality variety or a spoiled stalk;
- Do not take into account the recommendations for the placement of seedlings. Planting cuttings at a close distance to each other, trees, vegetables will not allow the plant to develop;
- Fertilizer overdose. Good should be in moderation. Be careful with dosing and feeding the soil for the plant. Excessive additives can kill the plant. See the recommendations for what top dressing to choose.
Transplanting blackberries to a new place in spring
It is recommended to transplant the berry to a new place in the spring before bud break. The bushes are carefully dug in together with a lump of earth and planted in a new place, according to the rules for planting seedlings.
Transplant methods:
- Root processes;
- By dividing the mother bush.
The transplant is carried out when the weather settles and there will be no spring frosts. The soil must be fertilized before planting cuttings. Remove all weeds from the bed. After planting, pour the hole with cool water, sprinkle with mulch.
To avoid unpleasant situations, you should familiarize yourself with the simple rules, as it is recommended to plant blackberries in the spring. Observing all the recommendations, the harvest of fragrant berries will delight the gardener every year.