Blackberry Thornless Evergreen

Blackberry Thornless Evergreen (thornless evergreen) is not so popular among Russian gardeners, in comparison with raspberries or currants, but still occupies not the last line in the ranking of crops for growing in garden plots. It contains as much useful substances, and maybe even more, as other berry plants. Since Thornless Evergreen's new blackberry varieties do not have thorns, this culture attracts the attention of gardeners to cultivation on their plots, because it will be very easy and comfortable to take care of the bush and harvest the fruits.

A brief excursion into history

Thornless Evergreen Blackberry Bushless was first brought from European territory to American territory at the beginning of the twentieth century. Under the influence of the new climate, mutations of the blackberry began. When mutated in vivo, thornless shoots began to grow on some species. Breeders from America drew attention to this phenomenon, in 1926 the blackberry was registered under the name Thornless Evergreen. This variety began to be successfully imported, and it became popular in Latin American countries (Mexico, Argentina, Peru), in the European territory (in the UK), on the Eurasian continent (in Russia, in Ukraine).

Blackberry Thornless Evergreen: variety description and characteristics

Blackberry Thornless Evergreen: photo of the thornless evergreen variety

The wild blackberry was formerly cultivated in most countries as a garden berry plant. But due to the fact that it was inconvenient to care for it and to collect fruits because of the sharp and powerful thorns, a large number of gardeners refused to grow it. Thanks to thornless clones, the reputation for evergreen brambles has returned.

All thornless clonal blackberry varieties can produce thornless root growth.

General characteristics.

Blackberry Thornless is a series of varieties that includes more than 100 forms, differing in appearance, size and taste of the fruit, yield indicator, whimsical cultivation. But they all have one common characteristic - they all do not have thorns. There are other identical features that unite all forms.

Short description.

• The root system is strong, powerful, penetrates deep into the ground by one and a half to two meters, but does not give offspring to propagate the bush.
• The shoots first grow vertically, have five faces, over time, their arched inclination to the ground occurs and possible rooting by the apical part, when they come into contact with the ground, they grow for two years, grow up to two to four meters, the whips that gave up the fruits dry up and they need cut out.
• The leaves are triple-shaped, dark green in color, their edges are openwork and carved, they do not fall off, they endure the winter season on the shoots.
• The fruit is a multi-nut of medium or large size (four to fourteen grams), resembles a thimble, in the first days of the growing season, green in color, then turns red when fully ripe, turns black, tastes sweet or sweet-sour.

Characteristic features of culture

Blackberry Thornless Evergreen: photos

Shoots grow up to one and a half to two and a half meters. The bush blooms in June-July days. The fruits ripen fully in the August-September days.The average weight of one fruit is three and a half to five and a half grams. The yield indicator from one shrub is eight to ten kg. The berries are very well transported. Resistance to frosty periods is high, the bush tolerates temperatures up to minus thirty degrees. Begins to bear fruit in full force in the third or fourth year after planting.

The main requirements for cultivation.

The roots grow two meters deep, so the bush does not need to be watered often. But, if groundwater passes more than two meters from the surface of the earth, then the root system can be affected by root rot, because it is always located in cold water. Consider this fact when choosing a site for planting.

The composition of the soil is also taken into account, it must be loose, neutral, breathable.

After planting, you need to take care of this variety as for raspberries: feed (required), tie on supports, fight weeds and harmful insects.

Fruit application.

Berries are eaten fresh, desserts and drinks are prepared from them. In rare cases, the fruits are used to prepare them for the winter. This is due to the fact that the berry has harder drupes.

Blackberry fruits are of great benefit to humans. Blackberries are especially useful for those with poor eyesight.

Immunity to diseases and harmful insects.

All varieties of this group are immune to viruses and bacteria of common diseases of horticultural crops. Perhaps their parental form inherited its resistance to fungal infections and viruses, developed in the wild.

Pests also rarely attack and settle on blackberries, however, once or twice, the bushes should still be treated for prevention. Blackberry bushes can be sprayed at the same time as other garden plants.

In general, it is possible to grow a variety series of Thornless Evergreen blackberries without any problems, without costs and even with pleasure.

Advantages and disadvantages of the blackberry variety Thornless Evergreen

Pros.

• Large fruits.
• Excellent taste of berries.
• The bush has a decorative appearance.
• Decent yield indicator.
• The fruits are well transported.

Minuses.

• Excessive energy is expended to tie the bushes to the trellises.
• It is necessary to prune the bushes every year in the spring season.
• Berries are kept fresh for a short time.

Blackberry Thornless Evergreen: reproduction

Blackberry Thornless Evergreen: photos

Breeding methods of thornless blackberry thornless Evergreen

With the help of apical layers. The top of the shoot is cut off fifteen to thirty cm, placed in a pot filled with water, and dug in in a new place. Another method: the upper part of the lash bends down to the ground and is covered with earth, then you need to wait for the cuttings to take root.

Cuttings (green cuttings are taken). Cuttings are cut into a length of twenty cm, immediately buried in holes in a new area. Watering is carried out throughout the summer season, it is impossible for the soil to dry out. For the next spring, the seedlings will already have their own root system.

It is impossible to propagate the Thornless Evergreen blackberry by roots, because the degradation of the bushes and the loss of the characteristics of the variety will occur. Branches with thorns will grow from them.

If the root system was damaged when the earth was dug up or loosened, then under the bushes the active growth of young shoots begins, which does not have the features of the "Thornless" varietal series. The branches are densely covered with thorns, the fruits are small, the blackberry taste disappears. For this reason, huddle the bushes very carefully, no more than ten cm deep.

If offspring are found, then they are immediately removed so that they do not grow, otherwise, the bushes will turn into a thorny jungle.

Blackberry Thornless Evergreen Landing

Saplings are planted only in the spring season, when warm days come, under temperature conditions of at least plus fifteen degrees.

The best time for planting is the last days of April and the first days of May.

Sour soil is deoxidized before planting, lime or dolomite flour is added to it. The planting site is dug up in advance, fertilizing is introduced, which are recommended for fruit vegetation.

How to prepare seedlings.

Planting material with closed roots, which is purchased from the nursery, does not need to be specially prepared, because they are in specialized containers with soil mixture. If you yourself propagate blackberries or acquire a plant with an open root system, then the material for planting must be prepared.

When cultivating a variety from the Thornless series, it is necessary to regulate the number and growth of shoots in order to guarantee a good harvest.

To disinfect the roots from diseases, they are dipped into a solution of potassium permanganate. If you wish, you can treat the root system with Kornevin or another stimulant for root formation.

Planting progress.

Young plants are planted in one row with an interval of three meters from each other.

Algorithm.

• A hole is dug for planting, its depth is equal to the height of the container in which the seedling is located (or be guided by the size of the root system - the roots should be in the hole as freely as possible).
• Then the seedling is pulled out along with the soil clod (or the seedling is set in the hole, the roots are carefully straightened).
• The plant is placed straight or slightly tilted, covered with earth.
• The soil compresses a little, a circle is created around the trunk, abundant watering is carried out so that the soil settles.
• The soil is mulched on top. For this, peat, sawdust, straw are used.

Blackberry Thornless Evergreen Care

Caring for blackberry bushes is carried out similarly to caring for other berry vegetation: dressing is applied three to four times per period, watering is done once or twice every seven days, and mulching is also done.

Important rules of agricultural technology: correctly cut the bushes in the spring and tie the whips to the support, this is necessary in order to keep the shoots intact and increase the yield.

How to prepare a plant for the winter season?

In the autumn season, the shoots are untied from the supports, gently bent down and laid on the ground. Make sure that the flexible strings do not break. The branches need to be pinned, then sprinkled with insulation, peat, sawdust, straw are used, then the bushes should be covered with breathable material.

You can not make a shelter with polyethylene, because the shoots and buds will dry out.

Summary

Blackberry Thornless Evergreen interested gardeners from Russia, thanks to this, this berry culture, which has excellent taste and is beneficial, began to be grown again in domestic garden plots. In addition to a generous harvest, undemanding blackberries have also become an adornment of household plots, since they have decorative leaves and berries.

Blackberry Thornless Evergreen: reviews of gardeners

Alexandra Dmitrievna, 22 years old, the Republic of Chuvashia: “I very much fell in love with the Thornless Evergreen blackberry bushless for its sweet berries. When picking the fruit, the branches do not prick. At one time, I collected a can of berries (two liters) from the bush. I prepared salads (fruit, vitamin) and ice cream from fruits, and also blackberries went to my yoghurts. "

Ivan Glebovich, 50 years old, Republic of Udmurtia: “My grandfather bred ordinary blackberries with thorns in his garden. I remember that, as children, we feasted on it, but I did not forget the scratches on my hands and torn pants either. Then my grandfather and I uprooted all the wild bushes and planted a new Thornless Evergreen thornless blackberry. My kids don't walk around with scratched hands, and they eat berries with great pleasure. "

Valentina Alekseevna, 37 years old, Republic of Mordovia: “I planted the first blackberry bush from the Thornless Evergreen series for decorative purposes. Thus, I covered the old wall of the shed. I liked the fact that the description says that the variety is without thorns. Somehow I didn’t look after him, I didn’t carry out any procedures. After 4 years, the fruits ripened, there were so many of them that we barely had time to collect them. Then they began to make the garter competently and take care of it. The fruits grew larger over the years, the taste became sweeter. I advise those who want to grow blackberries to choose one of the Thornless Evergreen series of blackberries, or even more than one! "