Blackberry Arapaho

The Arapaho blackberry is bred in Arkansas and loves moisture, and is also becoming popular with domestic gardeners. The sweet fruit with a pleasant aroma slightly reduced its yield when adapting to cool climates. In this article, you will learn what it takes to successfully cultivate the Arapaho blackberry variety.

A brief excursion into history

Blackberry Arapaho: photo

The Arapaho blackberry variety was developed by Arkansas breeders. They crossed the Ark-631 and Ark-883 license plates. The author is the scientist James N. Moore, under his name and the variety was patented. Grown on American sites since 1992.

Blackberry Arapaho: variety description and characteristics

The characteristic must be indicated in order to form an accurate opinion about the variety. This blackberry is similar in appearance to other blackberry varieties.

General characteristics.

The shrub has strong, upright shoots. There are lateral fruit branches on the shoots. In Russia, the bush grows up to three meters. The leaves are green in color, they are formed by 5 plates, have edges with denticles. Flowers of white color, consist of five petals, which are collected in a brush of six pieces.

Fruit.

Berries are black in color, with a glossy effect. The largest weigh ten grams, however, the average weight is five to six grams. The seeds are small. Fruits are regular, firm, their transportability is good. Taste qualities are sweet, delicate.

Main advantages.

Blackberries are an undemanding crop, however, if cared for correctly, they will be thankful for a rich harvest every year. The plant is resistant to dry and frosty periods, but it is necessary to cover it for wintering. The main advantage is that there are no thorns, thanks to this, it is easy to collect fruits and take care of the bushes comfortably.

Flowering and ripening.

The bush begins to bloom in the June-July days. In the south, the berries are tied in the first days of July, in mid-latitudes - in the twenties of July. The time depends on the weather. If the spring season came early, then the plant may begin to bloom and bear fruit a week and a half earlier.

Productivity, fruiting.

The variety bears fruit during the July-August days, as a rule, this lasts four weeks. Time depends on the area of ​​cultivation. In the north, the harvest time is shifted by one and a half weeks.

The yield indicator is at an average level - four kg / bush. In the north, the harvest is less.

Where the fruits are used.

Blackberry bushy Aropacha is rich in useful microelements and vitamins. It is used in culinary business. Leaf teas will be useful. The extract from the fruits is added to perfume, medicines and fees.

Immunity to diseases and harmful insects.

The patent states that the variety is resistant to disease. But nevertheless, it is necessary to create conditions that would exclude morbidity.

Pros and cons of the Arapaho blackberry variety

Blackberry Arapaho: photo

Pros.

• The taste is sweet, juicy, the aroma is pleasant.
• The seeds are small.
• The fruits are well transported.
• Undemanding.
• Lack of thorns.

Minuses.

• Not fully resistant to frosty periods.
• Average yield.
• Productivity decreases towards the northern regions.

Blackberry Arapaho: reproduction

The most optimal method to propagate a variety is to bend the tip of the shoot to the ground, fix it with a hairpin and sprinkle it with earth. Further rooting will begin.For the next spring season, the bush is separated from the parent plant and is used as an independent seedling.

Blackberries are also propagated using root cuttings. It is necessary to leave the most powerful vertical shoots until the autumn season before they form their own root system. A young plant is dug up and planted in a new area.

Blackberry Arapaho: landing

Blackberry Arapaho: photo

Planting and caring for a shrub is required according to certain rules, ensuring its good growth and development, as well as to get a rich harvest.

Optimal planting time.

The blackberry variety "Arapakho" is planted in the spring season before the buds bloom under temperature conditions plus fifteen degrees.

It can be planted in the fall, a month before the onset of cold snaps, for the successful rooting of the seedling.

In Central Russia, blackberries are planted in April or October days.

How to choose a suitable site.

When choosing a site, keep in mind that it must be protected from the scorching rays of the sun and winds. It is good to land along the fence, you need to step back 1.5 m from it.

How to prepare the soil.

The bush needs a soil filled with nutrients that has good drainage, sandy loam soil is suitable, compost or humus fertilizer is applied to it.

How to choose and prepare seedlings.

• The seedling should have four developed roots, ten cm long, and there should also be a basal bud.
• The aerial part should have two stems and fresh leaves. The planting material must be healthy and undamaged.
• When buying a seedling in a container, simply spill soil to nourish the root system. damaged roots and twigs are removed, excessively elongated ones are shortened.

Planting progress.

The bushy blackberry Arapaho without thorns is easier to plant. The stems are vertical, the spacing between them is 1 m, the row spacing is two to three meters.

• Planting pits are prepared fourteen days before planting. The size of the hole is 40x40x40 cm. Humus, superphosphate and potassium fertilizer are introduced into each hole. The root collar is deepened on light soils by three cm, on loamy soils - by two cm.
• After the roots are covered with soil, water the seedling, mulch the trunk circle. 1.5 months of watering are carried out systematically.

Blackberry Arapaho: care

Blackberry Arapaho: photo

Agrotechnical techniques are similar to those of berry crops. Watering is carried out, the soil is loosened, the bushes are cut off, the harvest is harvested, the plant is prepared for the winter season.

Cultivation rules.

• Strong shoots need to be tied up. A support is being built from racks, up to two meters high, three wire rows are attached. Shoots tilt to the ground to avoid breakage when they are laid under a shelter for the winter.
• Shoots in the aisle are cut out. Up to six replacement shoots remain on the shrub, thanks to them there will be good yields.
• The apical parts of young shoots are cut to 1 m to obtain lateral fruit branches.

Agrotechnical techniques.

• It is necessary to water, feed the bush, loosen and mulch the soil.
• The bushy blackberry Arapaho is drought tolerant and needs to be watered when planting. Then watering is carried out during a strong dry period and before the winter season.
• If you fertilized the soil enough when planting, then you do not need to feed the bush in the first three years. You can just mulch the soil. Humus, manure or peat are used for this.
• When you loosen the soil, you enrich it with oxygen, remove the crust of the earth. Instead, you can mulch the soil. A layer of mulch prevents the growth of weeds, creates a protective barrier against drying out and overheating of the root system.

The procedure for pruning the bushy blackberry Arapho.

• In the year of planting, the inflorescences are removed for better development of the root system.Next year, in the spring season, before the buds bloom, the apical parts of the shoots are cut off to one and a half to two meters.
• Broken and dried shoots are cut off each year and shortened to a living bud.
• In the first summer days, young growth is removed, six trunks are left. They have the pinching of the apical parts by five cm, so that they branch better.
• In the autumn season, the shoots from which the fruits were harvested are completely cut out.

How to prepare a shrub for the winter season.

• In the autumn season, at almost zero temperature, the stems are removed from the supports, tied in bunches, bent to the ground and fixed to prevent them from rising.
• You can cover with agrofibre, lutrasil, spruce branches.
• The root system is mulched with peat, foliage, humus. Falling snow will complete this business. This shelter is enough for the wintering of the bush.

Diseases and harmful insects

Blackberry mite. Symptoms: the appearance of ugly berries. How to fight: treat it with Fitoverm, Fufanol, Actellik before and after the bush begins to bloom.

Raspberry beetle. Symptoms: holes in the leaves and fruits, rot on the berries. How to fight: treat with Fitoverm, Fufanol, Actellik preparations every ten days, before the bush begins to bloom, and after.

Powdery mildew. Symptoms: leaves and fruits are covered with a bloom of white. How to fight: spray the bushes with the preparations "Oxyhom", "Fundazol", "Vectra" before the shrub blooms, and when the ovaries appear.

Summary

Blackberry Arapaho can be seen more and more often in garden plots. This blackberry will delight you with fruits with excellent taste and amazing aroma the next year after planting. Even if you take care of the bush to a minimum, you will be able to harvest the fruits within ten years, no less. Decorative blackberry trellis will decorate your garden area.

Blackberry Arapaho: reviews

Blackberry Arapaho: video

Alevtina Aleksandrovna, Krasnodar Territory: “I planted the blackberry variety Arapaho from America. I live in Krasnodar, the climatic conditions are completely suitable. The bush grows for 3 years, I did not see the harvest indicated in the description, but the fruits from five bushes are enough for my family. We eat the sweet berries of the blackberry Arapaho straight from the bush. She did not take it off the support for the winter, she hung it with lutrasil, mulched the root system with dry leaves and earth. The winter season was successful. "

Andrey, Tula region: “We are cultivating blackberries in the local area, we put up the excess for sale. We tried different varieties, for the most part, which are zoned for the Moscow region. They are frost-hardy and can be conveniently grown in areas during the cold winter season. The blackberry variety Arapaho was planted for the younger generation, bushes without thorns, grandchildren independently pick berries from branches. To get a bountiful harvest, the Arapaho blackberry variety is unsuitable, it’s just indulging. ”