Content
Growing blackberries in private plots has long been no longer exotic. High yield and excellent taste contributed to the rapid growth in popularity of this fruit shrub. The article talks about one of the varieties of English selection - Helena blackberry.
History of selection
Blackberry Helen is an early-ripening hybrid obtained in 1997 by Derek Jennings (UK) as a result of crossing the Silvan variety and unidentified Western American numbered forms. As of 2017, the Helen blackberry variety is not registered in the State Register.
Description of the berry crop
The early ripening blackberry Helena belongs to the dewberries - creeping varieties. It is a medium-sized shrub resembling a raspberry.Unlike the latter, its fruits contain much more vitamins and microelements. Description of the variety, photos, reviews of Helena blackberries are presented below.
General idea of the variety
The characteristics of the Helen blackberry variety are given in the table:
Parameter | Meaning |
Type of crop | creeping shrub |
Escapes | Powerful, with short internodes, 1.5–1.8 m high, sometimes up to 2 m, with well-developed lateral branching |
foliage | Strong |
Sheet | Green, matte, elongated heart-shaped, with characteristic serrated edges, leaf blade with clearly visible veins, slightly fleecy |
Number of replacement shoots | 1–2 pcs. |
Root system | Superficial, well developed |
The presence of thorns on the shoots | None |
Berries
The black shiny berries of Helena blackberries leave no one indifferent. Basic data on fruits is given in the table:
Parameter | Name |
Purpose of the variety | Dessert |
Fruit color | In the initial stage - ruby, in the stage of full ripeness - black, glossy |
Size | Large |
Mass of berries | Up to 10 gr. |
Form | Round, elongated-oblong |
Taste | Sweet, with a cherry aftertaste and deep aroma |
Juiciness | Very high |
Bones | Complex, small, poorly felt |
Tasting assessment | 4,3 |
Transportability | Low |
Characteristic
Main advantages
There are not many of them.The advantage of Helena blackberries is its original taste, but it is much inferior to many other varieties, and according to tasting data, Helena is not even in the top ten. The positive point is that it has practically the earliest ripening period among black varieties, the uniform ripeness of the fruits and the absence of thorns on the shoots.
Flowering period and ripening time
Helena blackberries bloom late, in June. Thanks to this, the flowers do not suffer from spring frosts. Certain difficulties can only arise if the plant is frozen in winter. In this case, the affected fruit buds have difficulty blooming and are poorly pollinated. Below is a photo of Helen's blackberry during flowering.
Fruiting of the Helena blackberry is consistent and begins in the first ten days of July. Maturation is not extended over time.
Yield indicators
Among others, the blackberry variety Helen shows very average yields. This is partly due to the weak growth of replacement shoots, as well as due to the low winter hardiness of the plant. Data on the full first fruiting of some blackberry varieties are given in the table.
Blackberry variety | Productivity per 1 sq.m, kg |
Chester | 10,0 |
Black Satin | 8,2 |
Loch Tay | 5,7 |
Helen | 3,0 |
The figures given are statistics from field tests at the Horticulture Research Institute in Skiernowice (Poland). In addition to the low yield, Helena blackberries show a very modest subsequent increase in productivity - about 200 grams, while other varieties range from 0.5 to 1.5 kg.
Area of application of berries
The Helena blackberry variety is a dessert variety and is therefore consumed fresh. Can also be used for making jams, compotes, fruit drinks.Due to the low yield and poor shelf life of ripe berries, the question of industrial processing, as a rule, does not arise.
Resistance to diseases and pests
Helen blackberries do not have stable immunity and are susceptible to the same characteristic diseases as other varieties. Therefore, it is imperative to take preventive measures.
Advantages and disadvantages
Helena blackberries ripen early and will delight the gardener with large, ripe berries already in early July. This is where its advantages end. Helen's blackberry has many more disadvantages, here are just the main ones:
- low yield;
- small number of replacement shoots;
- tendency to chlorosis;
- poor frost resistance;
- no immunity to diseases;
- poor transportability.
Thus, planting Helen’s blackberries in a garden plot cannot be definitely recommended as promising.
Reproduction methods
Helena blackberries can be propagated using any traditional method. These include reproduction:
- layering;
- shoots;
- offspring;
- root and green cuttings;
- seeds.
The first method is the most optimal. Its essence is as follows. At the beginning of August, two grooves 15 cm deep are dug from the bush, into which healthy annual shoots are placed, secured with wire or a weight and covered with earth.
The soil is mulched with sawdust and regularly watered. After about two months, the Helena blackberry shoots will take root and sprout. At this time, they can be cut off from the mother branch and transplanted to a new place along with a lump of earth.
Landing rules
When planting Helen's blackberries, you should consider the impact the bushes will have on the garden. And also whether the shrub itself can grow and develop normally in the proposed conditions.
Recommended timing
Helen blackberries can be planted in both spring and fall. In regions with different climatic conditions, the timing of spring planting may be different; the following should be taken into account:
- The air temperature is at least +15 degrees.
- The soil has warmed up by at least 20 cm.
- The buds have not yet bloomed.
In the middle zone this is the end of April - beginning of May, in the southern regions - April, in the Far East - the first ten days of May.
Planting Helen's blackberry seedlings in the fall should be done in such a way that there is at least a month left before the onset of the first frost.
Choosing a suitable location
Helen's blackberry will grow well in sunny, sheltered locations. The ideal place would be to plant on the south or southwest side along the fence. Places with possible stagnation of moisture, as well as with groundwater levels above one and a half meters should be avoided. It is preferable to plant Helena blackberries on loamy and sandy loam soils.
Soil preparation
The holes for planting Helen's blackberries need to be made in advance, as well as the nutrient soil with which the roots of the seedlings will be filled. They are usually prepared a month before planting so that the soil and substrate are saturated with air.
The pits must be no less than 40x40x40 cm. They are made at a distance of 1.5–2 meters from each other.
Selection and preparation of seedlings
When planting Helena blackberries, it is better to use your own seedlings obtained from the mother bush. In this case, the shoot will have a lump of earth and will easily transfer the transplant to a new place.
If the roots are open, they should be moist.Before planting, such Helen blackberry seedlings need to be soaked for several hours in a root growth stimulator.
Algorithm and landing scheme
The prepared pits are filled 2/3 with nutrient soil. It should include:
- compost or humus - 5 kg.
- superphosphate – 120 g.
- potassium sulfate – 40 g.
The components must be mixed with turf soil. Helena blackberry seedlings are planted vertically, deepening the root collar by 2–3 cm and covered with soil. The soil around the plant needs to be compacted and watered with 5 liters of water, and then the tree trunk circle should be mulched with sawdust or peat.
Subsequent care of the crop
The planted plant needs to be watered regularly for 40–50 days. Then the frequency of watering can be reduced and adjusted according to the weather. Mandatory measures for caring for Helen’s blackberries also include pruning, trellising, fertilizing, watering and covering for the winter.
Growing principles
Helen's blackberries must be tied to trellises. Typically, two or three rows of wire are pulled for this, at a height of 0.7, 1.2 and 1.7 meters. The principle of the garter is fan-shaped. The side shoots are tied to the lower trellis, the central ones to the middle and top.
Necessary activities
Helen blackberries only need watering when the fruits are ripening. Excess moisture is harmful to it. After watering, the soil can be loosened and mulched with sawdust or straw.
Feeding Helena blackberries is done in two stages. In the spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied (ammonium nitrate - 50 grams for each bush) to stimulate the growth of annual shoots. In the fall, after fruiting has ended, the bushes are fed with superphosphate and potassium sulfate (100 and 30 grams, respectively), applying fertilizers along with humus to the tree trunk circles while digging them.
Shrub pruning
Helen blackberry pruning is done in the fall and spring. In the fall, two-year-old fruit-bearing shoots are cut out at the root; in the spring, branches that are broken and died over the winter are cut out for sanitary purposes.
Preparing for winter
For Helena blackberries, winter cover is a must. The shoots are removed from the trellis, tied together, bent to the ground and covered with two layers of agrofibre.
Diseases and pests: methods of control and prevention
Blackberry Helen does not have innate immunity to disease. The table shows the most common diseases.
Disease | How does it manifest itself? | Prevention and treatment |
Root cancer | Green and then brown growths on the roots and root collar | There is no treatment. Affected plants are burned. The area is treated with Bordeaux mixture. |
Curly | Poor growth, leaves become bright green, wrinkled, and curl inward. Flowers are not pollinated | There is no treatment. The diseased plant must be burned |
Mosaic | Chaotic yellow spots on the leaves, thinning shoots. Frost resistance is greatly reduced | There is no cure. The plant needs to be dug up and burned. |
Yellow mesh | The leaves turn yellow, the veins remain green. Shoots stop growing | The virus is transmitted by aphids; the diseased plant is destroyed along with the aphids |
Anthracnose | Gray spots on leaves, less often on shoots. Gray cankers on berries | There is no treatment. The diseased plant is destroyed. For prevention, I treat the bushes with fungicides three times a season. |
Septoria (white spot) | Round brown spots with a thin border on the leaves, black spots of fungus. Mucus appears on the berries and they rot | There is no treatment. Prevention is the same as for anthracnose |
Didimella (purple spot) | Drying of leaves, wilting of shoots. Purple spots on the stem. | Thinning of plantings, spraying with 2% Bordeaux mixture |
Botrytis (grey mold) | The berries and shoots are affected by a gray fuzzy coating and later rot | Treatment of bushes with fungicides, changing after repeated application |
In addition to diseases, Helena blackberry bushes can be attacked by pests. The table shows the main insects that pose a danger to this variety.
Pest | What amazes | Control and prevention |
Spider mite | Leaves, a thin cobweb appears on the affected bushes | Clean up and burn all old leaves. Triple treatment with fungicides (Aktofit, Fitoverm, etc.) with an interval of 7 days after the first leaves bloom |
Blackberry mite | Berries and affected fruits do not ripen and remain red | Treatment of bushes with Envidor, BI-58 before bud break |
Raspberry stem fly | At the tops of the shoots, the fly larvae gnaw their passages inside them, then descend along the shoot down to winter | There are no chemical methods; the tops of the shoots should be cut off and burned immediately after wilting is detected. |
Raspberry beetle | All parts, from roots to flowers, gnawing holes in them | Digging up the soil, removing rot. A week before flowering, the bushes are treated with Iskra, Fufagon, etc. |
Conclusion
Unfortunately, the facts do not allow us to unequivocally recommend the Helen blackberry variety as promising for cultivation. Low yield, not the best taste with a pronounced tendency to freeze.It is more suitable for variety, as an addition to the main crops of the garden. Helena blackberries are not suitable for commercial production.
To better decide on the choice of variety, you can watch the following video about Helen’s blackberries
Reviews
Reviews about Helen's blackberries are contradictory.
