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You can get a good harvest only by following the technology of growing the crop. For example, a blackberry trellis is a necessary structure. The support helps to form the plant correctly and tie up the vines. Young shoots weave along the trellis. There are even special rotating designs that allow you not to remove the lashes while laying them for shelter for the winter.
What are the benefits of blackberry support?
Before proceeding to review the types of supports, it should be noted that growing blackberries on a trellis has many advantages:
- raised lashes do not smear on the ground during rain or watering;
- the berries remain clean and are not eaten by pests crawling on the ground;
- good ventilation of plants on a large plantation reduces the risk of fungal infection;
- Uniform penetration of sunlight helps accelerate the ripening of berries throughout the plant.
Additionally, supports for blackberries benefit the person himself:
- a tied plant is easier to care for;
- when cutting old lashes, young shoots are not injured, since they are not intertwined;
- it is easier to water the plantings, and it is possible to mulch the soil;
- It is easier to harvest at altitude;
- In autumn it is easier to prepare the plant for wintering.
If the question arises whether blackberries need to be tied up, the answer is unequivocal - yes.
What kind of trellis for blackberries is there: photo, design description
If you make a blackberry trellis with your own hands, no special drawings are needed. The design of the supports is simple and is divided into two main types:
- The single-strip model is more often used on small plantations. Usually, such a trellis for blackberries is made with their own hands by amateur gardeners and summer residents.
- The two-lane model is in demand by large farmers growing crops on large plantations.
Each type of support has its supporters and opponents.
Single band model
The simplest design consists of dug-in pillars with wire stretched between them. Usually the height of a blackberry trellis is made to be the height of a person. In addition to the vertical state, the support is placed on a slope, equipped with a fan, free form and even horizontally. The choice of position depends on the place of growth, since the plant is also grown to decorate the site.
Two-way model
The structure consists of the same pillars with wire, only the supports are arranged in two rows. The trellis simplifies tying up the vines and shaping the plant; the bushes do not thicken. Two-lane models are in demand by farmers with large plantations. By design, trellises come in three types, made in the shape of letters: “T”, “V”, “Y”.
The blackberry support looks like this in the photo:
- Trellis in the shape of the letter "T" consists of vertical pillars to which horizontal elements are attached at equal distances. A wire is attached to their edges, forming two lines near one row of supports for gartering the lashes. There are no secrets on how to properly tie blackberries on such a trellis. The lashes are simply straightened along opposite lines of wire. The center of the row turns out to be empty.
- V-shaped trellis consists of paired supports installed at a slope. One element has two pillars that connect at the ground and widen at the top. The blackberry garter is done on a trellis in the same way as on a support in the shape of the letter “T”.
- Trellis for blackberries look similar to the previous option "Y" shape. The difference is that the two pillars widen not at the ground itself, but approximately from the center of the main support. Such trellises are often made rotating on hinges. If you are considering the question of how to beautifully tie blackberries, then this design is ideal. From below, before the expansion begins, you will get an even wall of stems. From the center of the support, the lashes will begin to move to the side, forming a beautiful vase with berries.
Any do-it-yourself support for blackberries is made from wooden posts, metal pipes or profiles.
Making a trellis for blackberries with your own hands: photo, drawing
If you wish, you can buy a trellis for blackberries, but why spend a lot of money if the structure is easy to assemble yourself. The photo shows a drawing of supports in the shape of the letters “T”, “Y”, “V”. However, for a summer house or a small home plot, you can simply limit yourself to a single-strip trellis.
This photo shows a single-row support for blackberries with your own hands, which the owner can build from improvised materials.The basis of the structure are pillars. You will need wooden poles or metal pipes 2.5 m long. It is better to use wire to stretch the lines. In a pinch, twine will do.
You can make a blackberry stand with your own hands as follows:
- In the row where blackberries will grow or have already been planted, dig holes for posts 80 cm deep. The holes can simply be drilled with a drill. The distance between holes is maintained up to 5 m.
- A layer of crushed stone or gravel 10–15 cm thick is poured into each hole. The cushion will prevent the supports from sagging.
- The bottom of each pillar is treated with bitumen mastic. The supports are installed in the hole, leveled, and covered with earth. The height of the trellis will be approximately human height - 1.7 m. As the soil is backfilled, the soil is compacted with the handle of a shovel. It is not advisable to concrete trellis posts for blackberries. If the plant disappears or it is necessary over time transplant to another place, the supports will be difficult to dismantle.
- The final step in making a trellis for blackberries is to stretch the wire lines. Usually they make 3-4 tiers. The first wire is pulled over the top of the pillars. Subsequent lines go down in increments of 50 cm. It is easier to pull the wire into through holes drilled on the posts. At the outer supports, it is advisable to install a line tensioning mechanism, for example, from bolts.
The posts of a properly made trellis should not bend when the wire is pulled or under the weight of growing blackberries.
More details on the video of a do-it-yourself blackberry trellis:
Planting blackberries when grown on a trellis
Before you figure out how to properly tie prickly blackberries, you need to understand the planting pattern. This takes into account the characteristics of the variety, climatic conditions, and nutritional value of the soil.The better the indicators, the larger the bush grows.
The usual shaping of blackberries on a trellis is done using a fan method. This scheme is suitable for varieties with limited vine growth. The bushes are planted in one row at intervals of 2–2.5 m. Row spacing is made of a similar size. For bush varieties, the row spacing and distance between plants are less than 2 m.
Depending on the variety, blackberries are gartered in spring in three ways:
- Weave. The plant's lashes are secured to the trellis on three tiers. The new branches that have grown are bent away from the trunk, bringing them to the fourth top line.
- Fan. Old blackberry vines are straightened from the trunk in the shape of a fan. Fixation occurs to three lines, starting from the ground. It turns out to be the shape of a bush. Growing young lashes are allowed to weave along the upper fourth line.
- One-way tilt. Old blackberry branches are tilted to one side, fixed to three lines, starting from the ground. Young shoots are directed to weave along three lines of wire in the opposite direction.
In the fall, blackberries growing on a trellis are pruned. Damaged and weak shoots, as well as vines that bore fruit in the summer, are removed from the plant. By spring, only the young are left.
On the video how to tie up blackberries correctly:
The latest development - a rotating trellis
The latest development of American scientists is a rotating trellis for blackberries, which allows you to grow the crop in cold regions. The technology is gaining popularity among large producers around the world who supply berries for sale.Scientists have proven the uniqueness of the design, for which they have developed their own bush formation system, which allows them to obtain large harvests every year.
The essence of the technology is that already at –23OBlackberry fruit buds are freezing. In cold regions, creeping varieties can be laid on the ground without any problems and covered with straw mats until spring. The semi-creeping blackberry variety cannot be bent to the ground. Lignified trunks and shoots break when removed from the trellis. It is very difficult to bend the lashes. The rotating trellis allows you to lay the plant on the ground without removing the vines from the wire. The structure is simply transferred to the winter position by loosening the tension of the lines and turning the hinge. A simple laying process, even on a large plantation, can be performed by two people.
A do-it-yourself rotating trellis for blackberries is not in great demand at the dacha. However, when growing a special favorite variety, you can try to build one. The design of the support itself is made in the shape of the letter “Y”. The secret is to fix the upper fork of the pillars to the main post. In this place there is a hinge with a lock. The outermost ones in the row on both sides are single fixed pillars. Guys are pulled to them to hold the supports.
The use of rotating trellises has its advantages:
- productivity increases due to the free weaving of shoots along the sides of the support;
- provides the opportunity to grow heat-loving varieties of blackberries in cold regions;
- ventilation of the bush and penetration of sunlight are improved;
- the risk of burning berries during heat is reduced;
- It simplifies harvesting and arranging bushes for the winter.
The rotating structure consists of a main post, a short and a long arm, as well as a hinge, which is often used as a metal plate fixed with bolts.
The support has three positions:
- Summer. This position is considered basic - basic. The support is installed vertically. Fruiting vines of blackberries are fixed on a long arm. All new growing branches are directed to the short shoulder. These canes will bear fruit next summer. The trellis is rotated so that all fruiting branches are on the side opposite from the sun to prevent burns to the berries. It is convenient to harvest, since the fruits are located on one side at the height of human growth.
- Winter. In this position, the support is laid on the ground. Young shoots are produced inside the shelter, thereby increasing protection from frosty winds. Preparations begin in the fall. On bushes, old branches are cut right at the base of the trunk and removed from the long shoulder. In their place, young branches are transferred, which in the summer grew along the short shoulder. The support is turned towards the ground. The laid blackberries are covered with straw mats or agrofibre.
- Spring. During this period, the awakening of the kidneys begins. The support is raised so that the long arm with the lashes is horizontal to the ground. This position promotes the formation of berries on one outer side of the fork of the trellis.
After small shoots grow, the structure is transferred to the basic summer position.
Conclusion
Growing blackberries and other climbing crops on a trellis makes it easier. It is better to allocate a little money and time for making supports than to regret later about the lost harvest.
Great article! Everything is detailed and well described! I found the best way to install a trellis for blackberries. Thanks a lot! Sincerely, Elena.