Blackberry Prime Arc Freedom

Blackberry Prime-Ark Freedom (or blackberry Prime-Ark Freedom) is one of the new blackberry hybrids that was obtained in the United States. The blackberry variety Prime Arc Freedom attracts with the fact that it does not have thorns, and it also bears fruit twice per period. But you need to adhere to certain rules and recommendations for planting and agricultural technology for good growth and development of the shrub.

A brief excursion into history

The Blackberry Prime Arc Freedom patent was obtained in 2013 by Arkansas scientists. For the first time, the presentation of this blackberry was made by a breeder from the State University of Arkansas, John Clark. This variety began to spread widely in 2014.

Blackberry Prime Arc Freedom: variety description and characteristics

Blackberry Prime Arc Freedom: video

Scientists and gardeners who have already tested the Prime Arc Freedom blackberry variety have identified these characteristics of the Prime Arc Freedom variety.

The average weight varies from nine to ten grams, there is also a record weight - seventeen grams. From 1 sq. m., as a rule, you can collect 7 kg of fruit. When the ripeness period ends, the size of the fruit becomes smaller. The berries are oblong, conical. The color is bright black, the coating is glossy, the aromatic qualities of blackberries are not very pronounced, but there are notes of fruit. The inner contents of the fruit are juicy and plump. The dry matter in the berries contains no more than ten and a half percent (almost the same figure for the grape culture). This variety is one of those with the highest palatability compared to most varieties that bear fruit twice a season. Taste qualities are sweet, slightly sourness is felt. One brush ties up to 50 fruits. The berries are well transported and stored, like most other hybrid varieties from America.

There are no thorns on the shoots (for the first time in a variety that bears fruit twice a season), the lashes grow up to 2 m. They grow in an average measure. The shrub is a typical kumanika, that is, the branches grow straight. Also, the bush is self-fertile. The scourges are green in color with a purple tint, they are covered with a bloom of bluish color. The flowers are fluffy. The leaves are bright green in color, in the form of a rhombus and an egg, the edges are from with denticles, the ends are pointed.

When growing a bush in closed conditions, the first time it bears fruit early, in the last days of June-15th July, the second time - closer to autumn, namely, in the 15th-20th August days. If the plant grows in the open air, then it begins to bloom early, in the 20th of February, and the berries ripen in the first days of May (this time fluctuates and depends on the planting period). It is worth saying that in the middle lane and in the north, most of the loss occurs due to these periods of fruit ripeness.

Blackberry Prime Arc Freedom has good immune protection against popular diseases and resistance to attacks by widespread harmful insects (except for anthracnose, mosaic). Medium drought and heat tolerance, therefore quality and yield may decrease. Resistance to winter and frost is also at a low level, since the variety was obtained in California mild climatic conditions, the temperature conditions that the culture can tolerate is up to minus fourteen degrees.

The taste of the fruits of the Blackberry variety Prime Ark Freedom is excellent, so they can be eaten fresh, as well as made from berries. Jam, tincture, marmalade, jelly, pies are very tasty. Plus, the berries can be stored frozen for a long time, although they slightly lose their flavor properties.

Blackberry Prime Arc Freedom: planting scheme and variety care

Blackberry Prime Arc Freedom: photo

The timing of planting remontant blackberry Prime Arc Freedom depends on the climate of the region where the bush is formed. In the south, blackberries can be planted in the fall. It is optimal to plant bushes 4 weeks before the start of cold snaps. In the middle lane and in the north, planting is carried out from 20-30 April for the successful survival of seedlings.

In addition to the planting time, you need to make a competent choice of planting material. It is required to purchase seedlings of the first year, having 2 intact shoots, they should be 5 mm thick, at least, and also the plants should have ten to twelve centimeter roots.

Before planting the Blackberry variety Prime Ark Freedom, planting pits are prepared with a size of 40x40x40 cm.The interval between the pits is 1 m, the spacing of the rows is 2 m.It is also required to prepare a nutritious substrate, which includes humus (two kg), potassium sulfate (forty grams), superphosphate (120 grams). The soil mixture is placed in the holes and left for ten to fourteen days.

For a certain time before planting, abundant watering of the pits should be carried out, wait until the water is absorbed. When planting plants, the root collar is deepened by two and a half cm. After the seedling has been buried, abundant watering is again carried out, and the near-trunk circle is mulched with peat.

Much depends on the future agricultural technology. It should be remembered about such procedures when cultivating blackberries: water regularly; weed and loosen the soil; feed in a timely manner; cover for the winter; cut off the bushes 4 reinforce on the trellis.

After the planting has been completed, watering is carried out once every fourteen days, if there is no precipitation. In the future, the blackberry is watered five to six times during the period in the mode of supply of liquid for five to six hours when the hose is in the bushes.

Weed and loosen the soil 6 days after watering with hoes and cultivators (it is prohibited to use herbicides).

Professionals advise to feed the bushes 2 times a year. In the spring, nitrogen-containing top dressing is applied, in the autumn season - fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus. And also, humus is added to the soil 2-3 times every year.

Pruning is carried out in spring and autumn, old and affected shoots are cut, branches are shortened for two years. Cutting points should be treated with a special pitch.

For the winter, the Arkansas culture, which loves warmth, is covered with straw, dry branches, and a quilted jacket.

Diseases and harmful insects

Blackberry Prime Arc Freedom: photo

Although the repairing blackberry Prime Arc Freedom has good immune defenses, it can be attacked by fungal infections: septoria, anthracnose, purple spot, rust and powdery mildew.

Septoria. The appearance of specks of light brown color, over time they become lighter. Brown spots also appear near the kidneys and internodes. Berries lose their taste. In this case, they get rid of the infected branch, the rest of the shoots are treated with the preparations "Alirin B" and "Gamair". It is also recommended to spray the bushes before the buds bloom with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture or Fitosporin.

When the blackberry variety Prime Arc Freedom hits anthracnose, specks also appear, but already gray in color. Plus, the shoots begin to crack, the fruits fall off and dry out.For preventive purposes and for treatment in the spring season or autumn, manure or peat is introduced into the soil, when berries are formed, the bush is fertilized with a complex of minerals, the affected parts of the plants are destroyed, in addition, fungicidal preparations are carried out.

Purple spot. It is a disease due to which the shoots are more affected, they are covered with specks of brown color, then the lashes dry out and die. When the bush infects didimella, it is necessary to destroy the infected stems, by the last autumn days, to carry out the treatment with pharmaco and fungicidal agents.

Rust. Spots of small size and brown-yellow color appear. Copper products are needed to combat this disease.

When the leaves of a bush are covered with a bloom of gray color, when an unpleasant odor is detected and the growth of bushes slows down, one can immediately understand that the plant has been struck by powdery mildew. Fungicidal preparations will be able to get rid of the ashtrays.

Widespread harmful insects that pose a threat to blackberries are blackberry mites and goldfish.

If a blackberry mite attacked the bush, then the quality of the fruits becomes worse, their ripening stops. To get rid of the pest, you need to treat the plant 2 times with the preparations "Akarin" or "Apollo" every eight to ten days.

Shoots are affected by goldfish, as a result, they dry out and die. To fight this enemy, use "Chlorophos", "Metaphos" or "Karbofos".

Reproduction of remontant blackberry Prime Arc Freedom

Blackberry Prime Arc Freedom: photo

Blackberry Prime Arc Freedom is best propagated by layering and cuttings (root cuttings are taken).

To propagate the Blackberry variety Prime Ark Freedom with the help of layering, you need to select intact one-year-old shoots, bury them ten to fifteen cm in the ground. The top of the stem needs to be cut off by eight to ten cm. Further agricultural technology: regularly and abundantly water the seedlings. After 2 months, the new bush should be separated from the parent bush.

If there are no young shoots suitable for the distribution of blackberries, then you can propagate the Blackberry Prime Arc Freedom by root cuttings. The bushes must be dug out, divided so that each plot has 1 living kidney, at least, then they should be planted in individual, pre-prepared holes.

Blackberry Prime Arc Freedom: reviews

Blackberry Prime Arc Freedom: video

On the Internet, there are both positive and negative reviews about the Blackberry Prime Arc Freedom from people from the field of gardening. Often this can be due to the fact that the variety does not tolerate harsh climatic conditions with sudden changes in temperature. But even in the north, this hybrid cultivar can be productively grown indoors. Also, gardeners who bought planting material of the Prime Ark Freedom type of remontant blackberry are highly advised to devote a lot of time to covering the plant for wintering.

Where to buy seedlings Blackberry variety Prime Arc Freedom

It should be said that it is advisable to buy planting material in a proven nursery that values ​​its reputation. In addition, it is possible to purchase seedlings on the Internet with delivery in Russia (Armavir, Moscow, Volgograd) and Ukraine (Kiev, Odessa, Kharkov). The average cost per bush varies between four hundred and fifty-seven hundred rubles.