Content
Thornless blackberries are not as popular among our gardeners as raspberries or currants, but they also deserve to occupy not the last place in gardens and household plots. In terms of the content of useful substances, it does not lag behind other popular berries, and in some places it is even ahead of them. The absence of thorns in new varieties of Thornless blackberries makes this plant more attractive for cultivation, eliminating the inconvenience of caring for the crop and harvesting the fruit.
History of selection
Blackberries were first brought from Europe to America at the beginning of the 20th century. Under the influence of new natural conditions, it began to mutate. As a result of natural mutation, some types of shrubs began to produce shoots without thorns. This phenomenon did not go unnoticed by American farmer breeders, and in 1926 the crop was officially registered under the name Thornless Evergreen blackberry. Thanks to the successful import thornless blackberry Thornless has become popular in Latin America (Mexico, Argentina, Peru), Europe (Great Britain), and Eurasia (Russia, Ukraine).
Description of the berry crop
Wild blackberries were previously cultivated in many countries as a garden berry crop. But due to the inconvenience caused by the sharp and strong thorns, many gardeners refused to grow it. Thornless clonal varieties have returned the evergreen shrub to its well-deserved reputation.
General characteristics of the group
Thornless blackberries are a varietal series that includes about a hundred varieties that differ in external characteristics, size and taste of the berries, yield and growing conditions. But they are united by one important feature - they are all without thorns. There are several other identical indicators that unite all varieties of the group. A brief description of the Thornless series of blackberry varieties is as follows:
- Thornless blackberry roots are a powerful root system that penetrates the soil to a depth of 1.5 to 2 meters, but does not produce root shoots for reproduction;
- shoots - at the beginning they are pentagonal, erect, as they grow, they bend towards the ground in the form of an arc and are able to take root at the top when in contact with the soil, have a two-year life cycle, the length varies from 2 to 4 meters, fruit-bearing branches dry out and must be cut from the bush;
- the leaves of the Thornless blackberry are trifoliate, with lacy carved edges, dark green in color, do not fall off and overwinter on the branches;
- fruits are medium or large juicy multi-nuts (4-14 g), jointed like a thimble, green at the initial stage of the growing season, then red, becoming black when fully ripe, the taste of the berries is sweet or sour-sweet.
In general, the entire series of Thornless varieties is worthy of the attention of gardeners, since it has many more advantages than disadvantages.
Brief description of varieties
The Thornless series of thornless blackberries includes more than 90 varieties. Let's look at a few of them:
- Blackberry Thornless Merton. Self-fertile variety without thorns, large berries (8-14 g) with a sweet-sour taste. Flowering begins in June and is considered a wonderful honey plant. The ripening of berries lasts from August to mid-September. The shoots are not as elastic as those of other varieties; the bushes require pinching the tops. The resistance of the Thornless Merton variety to cold is average; when grown in regions with a cold climate, additional shelter for the winter is required.
- Oregon Thornless Blackberry. The evergreen blackberry variety Oregon Thornless does not require global pruning and does not produce root suckers. The bush is formed from powerful stems; the leaves have plates in the form of stylized stars or snowflakes. The berries are medium-sized, from 3 to 5 g, and have multi-nut grains, significantly larger than other varieties of blackberries in the Thornless series. Planting sites for Thornless Evergreen blackberries should be well lit and protected from draft winds.
- Blackberry Hoole Thornless. Early ripening Thornless Hull blackberry. The growth of the bush reaches 2 meters, the circumference is about 1.5 m. Flowering begins in June, berries ripen from July to the end of August. The variety is resistant to almost all common diseases. The berries are aromatic, sweet and juicy.
- Hull Thornless. Judging by the description of the variety, Hull Thornless blackberries can withstand frosts down to -30°C and below, and are resistant to diseases and pests. The timing of berry ripening is not precisely established. Depending on the region of growth, the berry can acquire commercial ripeness from July to September. The taste of the fruits of the variety is sweet and sour, the berries are medium in size, from 3 to 6 g.
- Bushy blackberry Thornless Evergreen. Late ripening variety. The berries have a sickly sweet taste and lack acidity. Fruiting is amicable, lasts 2-3 weeks. High transportability. The foliage is openwork, decorative. If the root system is damaged, it produces shoots with thorns that must be removed.
A striking representative of the Thornless group is the thornless blackberry Thornless Evergreen, a variety of which we will describe in more detail. Using his example, the main qualities of a series of varieties are characterized, and the basic principles of growing thornless blackberries in individual gardens and summer cottages are presented.
Characteristic
We have summarized important information about Thornless Evergreen blackberries in the table:
| Main characteristics of the variety | Unit change | Values |
| Shoot length | meters | 1,5 — 2,5 |
| Flowering time | month | June July |
| Full ripening time | month | Aug. Sept |
| Weight of one berry (average) | gram | 3,5 – 5,5 |
| Harvest from one bush per season | kg | 8 – 10 |
| Transportability | High | |
| Winter hardiness | High (up to -30°C) | |
| Beginning of full fruiting | 3-4 years after planting |
Basic requirements for growing
The root system of the Thornless Evergreen blackberry is located at a depth of up to 2 meters, so the bush does not require frequent watering.But when the groundwater level is higher than the specified level, the blackberry roots are affected by root rot, since they are constantly in cold water. This nuance should be taken into account when choosing a place to plant shrubs.
The composition of the soil must also be taken into account when growing crops; the soil must be loose, neutral in acidity, and well aerated.
Caring for blackberries of the Thornless Evergreen variety after planting is carried out according to an identical scheme for caring for garden raspberries: fertilizing (mandatory), gartering on trellises, fighting weeds, pests.
Use of berries
The main purpose of Evergreen blackberries is to eat fresh berries and make desserts and drinks from them. Less commonly, berries are used for winter preparations. This is explained by the presence of harder drupes than raspberries.
Resistance to diseases and pests
All types and varieties of blackberries in this series of varieties are surprisingly resistant to pathogens of major diseases of garden plants. Apparently, their prickly ancestor passed on to them its natural immunity to fungi and viruses, which it developed in the struggle for life in the wild.
Harmful insects also rarely choose blackberry planting as a habitat, but one or two times of preventive treatment against pests will not harm the bushes. Spraying blackberries with fungicides can be combined with the treatment of other garden crops.
In general it can be said that growing blackberries Thornless is not a troublesome and quite exciting process.
Frank pros and small cons
Advantages of the Thornless Evergreen blackberry variety:
- large fruit;
- excellent taste of fruits;
- decorative shrub;
- high yield of the variety;
- good transportability.
Flaws:
- unnecessary labor costs for tying to trellises;
- annual pruning in spring;
- short shelf life when fresh.
Reproduction methods
The thornless blackberry variety Evergreen of the Thornless series is propagated in two ways:
- apical layering: the upper part of the shoot is cut off by 15-30 cm, placed in a container with water, and added dropwise to a new bed. Or this: the top is bent and covered with soil, waiting for rooting;
- green cuttings: cuttings are cut up to 20 cm long and immediately buried in holes in a new place. All summer long, future seedlings are watered, preventing the soil from drying out. Next spring the plant will already have its own root system.
The author of the video will share his secrets of growing blackberries with you.
If the root system is damaged during digging or loosening the soil under the bushes, young shoots begin to actively grow, which do not have the characteristics that distinguish the Thornless series of varieties. The shoots are densely covered with thorns, the berries on them are much smaller, and the taste inherent in Thornless blackberries is lost. Therefore, hilling should be carried out carefully, to a depth of no more than 10 cm.
If such shoots are discovered, they must be removed immediately, not allowing them to grow, otherwise the blackberry plantings may turn into thorny thickets.
Landing rules
It is recommended to plant seedlings of the Thornless Evergreen blackberry variety only in the spring with the onset of warm days, at a temperature not lower than +15°C.
The optimal time for planting is the end of April or the beginning of May.
Acidic soil must be deoxidized before planting by adding lime or dolomite flour. The area intended for growing blackberries of this variety must be dug up in advance and fertilizers recommended for fruit bushes must be applied.
Preparation of planting material
Seedlings with a closed root system purchased from nurseries do not require special preparation, as they are sold in special containers with substrate. When propagating a crop independently or when purchasing seedlings with bare roots, planting material requires special preparation.
To disinfect from possible diseases, the root system must be dipped in a pink solution of potassium permanganate. If desired, you can treat the roots with Kornevin or another stimulant for the formation and growth of the root system.
Algorithm and landing scheme
Young plants are planted in one row at a distance of about 3 meters from each other in the following order:
- dig a planting hole with a depth equal to the height of the container (or, based on the size of the root system - the roots should be located in the hole quite freely);
- remove the seedling along with the soil (or install the seedling in the hole, carefully straightening the roots);
- place it vertically or with a slight slope in the hole, cover it with soil;
- lightly compact the soil, make a circle near the trunk, and water it abundantly to shrink the soil;
- The top of the soil is covered with mulch: peat, opiate, straw.
The author of the video will tell you and show you more about how to plant blackberries correctly.
Subsequent care of the crop
They care for Thornless blackberries in the same way as any berry bushes: they feed them at least 3-4 times a season, water them 1-2 times a week, and mulch them.
Features of cultivation
When caring for thornless blackberries Thornless Evergreen, the main criteria are proper spring pruning and tying the shoots to a trellis; this is necessary to maintain the integrity of the shoots and increase the yield of the bushes.
The author of the video will show and tell you how, why and when to prune blackberries.
Preparing for winter
In autumn, blackberry branches are untied from the trellises, carefully bent down and laid on the ground. It is important to ensure that the elastic branches do not break. Pinned shoots are sprinkled with an insulating coating (peat, sawdust, straw) and covered with any material that allows air to pass through.
Conclusion
Thornless blackberries have revived the interest of Russian gardeners in growing this tasty and healthy berry on their plots. Indeed, in addition to a bountiful harvest, this unpretentious crop also plays a decorative role, decorating the landscape of local areas with its greenery and fruits.
