Blackberry feeding

Fertilizing blackberries is a very important event, because it is thanks to the timely application of fertilizers that the normal growth of blackberries and its abundant fruiting can be ensured. Top dressing can be organized as foliar and root, they are equally useful and important for the plant, and are equally necessary for the growth and development of the root part and green mass of plants. It is recommended to feed blackberry bushes during the growing season and additionally apply additional fertilizing also if the plant shows with all its appearance that it lacks certain substances and microelements. In this article, we will dwell in more detail on why it is so important to feed plants, as well as what are the main subtleties and nuances of seasonal blackberry care.

Why is blackberry feeding important?

feeding blackberries

Top dressing for blackberries is very important, since this fruit and berry horticultural crop needs fertilization just like any other plants that grow in personal plots today. Top dressing allows you to make the soil more saturated, more fertile and healthier, and generally create an excellent comfortable environment for plant development. Top dressing saturates the soil with mineral nutrients and trace elements, which are so important for the blackberry to grow properly, develop and delight the gardener with its abundant fruiting.

In addition, it is worth noting that the health of the planting, its growth and development depends on the fertilization made, on the observance of the fertilization schedule. The plant can build up immunity and resistance to stress in front of external stimuli, and feeding has an excellent effect on the quality of the fruits, their quantity, size and taste. Of course, it is very important to follow the rules for applying top dressing, to study the instructions for the use of drugs and dressings, so as not to harm the plant.

A deficiency of nutrients, a lack of trace elements can simply lead to the fact that the bush will grow very poorly, its development will slow down, and the yield will generally decrease to a minimum. In addition, the plant itself will become painful, lose its decorative effect, become wilted, unattractive. Both a deficiency of fertilizers and an excess of fertilizing can negatively affect the condition of the plant and its growth. The bush will very actively increase the green leaf mass, but at the same time there will be no harvest on the bush at all, because the plant will direct all its forces precisely to increase the number of crowns, shoots and branches.

To date, experts have identified two main types of dressings - these are foliar and root dressings.
Foliar feeding of blackberries - here experienced gardeners and agronomists imply that the leaves of the bush, its branches and shoots will be treated with solutions and nutrients. If we talk about root dressings, then they are introduced into the soil, in the root area, and it is through the roots that all the necessary nutrients and other microelements are distributed. We would like to talk separately about the intricacies of both types, talk about their features and advantages, but at the same time we will not give specific advice on which of these dressings are more preferable, and which type is best used as a last resort. Here the gardener can decide for himself and weigh his own possibilities.

Root feeding of blackberries - its essence lies in the fact that all nutrients and trace elements enter the plant directly through the root system, and then they are already transported to the branches, shoots, leaves and, of course, to the berry itself. The plant is immediately saturated with all the necessary components that are so important for the growth of the blackberry bush and for maintaining a high level of its immunity. Root dressing can be mineral and organic.

The difference between these two varieties is that it is recommended that organic fertilizing is either diluted with water, or mixed directly with the soil, doing it in the spring or autumn. Mineral fertilizers can also be mixed with water, they can be scattered into the soil, and after that the blackberries are watered in accordance with the irrigation schedule. It is very important that the granules of minerals dissolve in water, and that all the necessary components that are so useful for the plant and for its general condition and properties get into the soil and, accordingly, into the root system. Also, in principle, root dressing seems to gardeners less energy-consuming, you can save your own time, but this is already a rather relative concept - the main thing is that the gardener adheres to the feeding schedules and takes the right amount of substances, otherwise the plant will experience either a deficiency of dressings or an excess of organic and mineral fertilizers.

Further, of course, it is necessary to talk about the foliar type of blackberry dressing. Foliar dressing is applied only due to mineral components. It is very rare to find a recipe for foliar dressing, where organic matter will be included in it, since it was originally intended for the root type of dressing. When the gardener uses this particular method of feeding blackberries, the fertilizers must be diluted in warm water, and then spray the bushes with the resulting solution using a spray bottle. Spraying must be carried out in such a way that there is no rainfall in the next few days after the procedure. This will lead to the fact that the rains will simply wash away all the beneficial substances from the leaves and shoots that the plant will not have time to absorb.

How to feed blackberries: Types of feeding

There are two main types of dressings, as we have already said - these are mineral and organic fertilizers. Mineral fertilizers can also be complex - they include a balanced amount of various trace elements, vitamins and minerals that are necessary for the growth and development of the plant. There are also one-component mineral additives - they contain only one component - phosphorus, copper, potassium, calcium, sulfur and other substances that are so necessary for the development of a blackberry bush and for its abundant fruiting. At the same time, both mineral and organic components can be introduced into the soil, the main thing is to maintain a balance between them and not harm the soil by over-introducing substances. From the fact that fertilizers will be applied together and in a complex manner, in principle, there will be no harm to the blackberry, the most important thing is to ensure that the bush is not overfed. Although in this case, he himself will demonstrate with all his appearance that he does not like something, and the gardener should stop adding substances and components.

Preparations and substances

Minerals are very important for plant health and development. The main such mineral components include nitrogen and potassium, phosphorus, which are very widespread for agricultural use. At different stages of the growing season of a plant and its development, it needs a variety of substances, but the complex is important in order to apply it regularly. When blackberries begin to gradually form buds, and deciduous mass grows, then nitrogen fertilizers must be applied to the soil.When the blackberry begins to bloom and fruits are formed, nitrogen can also be added, which will be mixed with potassium and phosphorus additives. Before the autumn and winter frosts come, and also after the entire blackberry crop has been harvested, it is necessary to apply potash top dressing under the bushes, and to carry out top dressing by foliar method. This mineral fertilizer will strengthen the plant's immunity, increase the level of its stress resistance, and therefore it will be much easier for blackberries to survive the winter frosts.

In autumn, the moment comes when the plant needs root feeding. After the gardener has collected the entire crop, it is necessary to loosen the trunk circle around the shrub with a pitchfork. Some organic substances can be used as fertilizers. Among them, the most popular and common are such as manure and chicken droppings, urea and compost, sawdust and wood ash. These substances are very convenient just because the gardener can find some of them right on his own plot. Also, organic fertilizers can be sold in specialized stores that are intended for gardening, as well as in nurseries where the seedlings themselves are purchased. For example, this is such an organic fertilizer, which is called Fertimix Biohumus... The drug is able to stimulate the growth of leaves, strength and development of the root system. In addition, the drug increases immunity and resistance to stress, makes the plant very resistant to attacks from outside pests.

Another drug that is great for blackberries is Novofert Yagoda... This organic fertilizer is used during the flowering period, it is recommended to apply it once every 10 days, sometimes once a week, not more often. They stop feeding blackberries after the fruits are ripe, and the gardener has begun to harvest the berry crop. There are also several folk remedies that are not only popular, but are also very effective and significant. For example, for root dressing, it is recommended to water the blackberry bushes with weed-based infusion. Weed herbs are finely chopped and poured with boiled hot water. this solution should be infused for about one week, and you can also add a small amount of yeast to the tincture. When the tincture is finally ready, then water the blackberry with it twice a week for a month. This fertilizer is completely harmless and safe for the plant, but still it is worth following the rules and regulations for applying fertilizers for any crop.

Improvised feeding means

A source of calcium for a blackberry crop can be a simple eggshell... In order to prepare fertilizer from it, the shell must be finely crushed, and then filled with water and left to infuse for 24 hours. The bush should be watered with the resulting solution, the frequency of watering depends on the condition of the plant and on its needs, as well as on external characteristics. You can also take advantage of algae, which can also be a source of some beneficial and nutritious substances. In general, algae contains about six dozen microelements that have a very positive effect on the growth and development of a wide variety of garden crops, in particular fruit and berry bushes.

Many gardeners prepare nutritional supplements directly from animal dregs. To do this, even in the autumn period, the soil is thoroughly mixed with the animal's hair. In spring, the soil is saturated with released nitrogen, but again, here, too, a special approach is required in what kind of animals they are, and whose wool is mixed with the soil.

Bushes respond well to nettle tincture, so you can periodically use it for watering.It is also very simple to prepare such a tincture - pour two kilograms of nettle into a large barrel, then pour warm water over it and leave it in direct sunlight to ferment the tincture. After about a few days, the tincture will be ready, and it can also be diluted in a small amount of water to water the bush with a less concentrated liquid. Watering is recommended during the period of active flowering of shrubs, as well as when blackberries begin to tie on the bushes.

Seasonal feeding of blackberries: features of feeding blackberries in autumn and spring

feeding blackberries in spring

But there are some nuances that relate to seasonal care and, in particular, feeding. At each time of the year, blackberries may need different mineral and organic, nutritional components, and this should be taken into account in the selection of caring measures and in drawing up a feeding schedule. Let's start with spring fertilization, as it is a very important part of the farming technique of blackberry bushes. After the snow cover has melted, the plant needs a certain amount of potassium nitrate to be added to the soil. This fertilizer contains two very important components - nitrogen and potassium. Fertilizer can be purchased at a store, nursery or farm, and it is produced mainly in the form of granules. These granules can be scattered directly over the surface of the earth, and then the bushes are watered with settled warm water so that the granules dissolve and all the necessary nutritional components begin to come out of them. From mineral fertilizers at this time it is also useful to use superphosphate and nitrogen, as well as potassium sulfate. All of them will perfectly help the plant to recover after such a rather difficult period of time.

Summer dressing - at this time, the plant more needs a gardener to apply complex fertilizers in summer, bushes can be sprayed with nitrogen, potassium or phosphorus, which are diluted directly in the water, which means that when spraying, the gardener carries out a foliar method of planting feeding. Mineral components should be applied only when the soil is sufficiently moistened and meets all planting needs. In August, it is worth taking a short break - at this time no components, neither mineral nor organic, are added to prepare the planting for autumn. With the onset of autumn, the gardener is more focused on improving the immunity and stress resistance of the blackberry body, because the plant has winter ahead, which means it needs to get protection, not freeze and not get sick.

Autumn - at this time, in September, they begin to prepare blackberries for frosts and a long winter, which may not be a favorable time for all plants. After the gardener has finished pruning, he must dig up the trunk circle and apply organic fertilizers to it. Also, in addition to organic matter, potassium sulfate and superphosphate are introduced during digging, which are very important for plant protection. In addition, the soil can be mixed with compost or humus. Their gardener prepares in advance, since not all types of compost and humus are suitable - it is better to take the most rotten specimens, which are perfect for the soil to be saturated with all the important components, and the root system with it.

feeding blackberries in autumn

Blackberries are a plant that needs a variety of feeding, but a lot will depend on what its growing season was. Also, the introduction of certain dressings and fertilizers is also determined by the type to which this or that blackberry bush belongs. During the introduction of beneficial nutrients, the gardener must take into account what is included in the soil, how fertile, loose and light it is, and in general how comfortable the planting itself is in such conditions, what is lacking and what is in excess.

It is best to plant the bushes in drained loams, which give a neutral or slightly acidic reaction - these are ideal conditions for the growth and development of blackberries, regardless of their variety and variety. Before planting the plant in the ground, the soil must be carefully moved with organic additives. After the young seedlings have been sent to the ground, they should be fertilized with a preparation called Bioterra. Thanks to the active ingredients of the drug, the bushes can sooner take root in a new place, give growth and development to new plantings. Bioterra contains at least four main types of manure, as well as some organic waste that has a beneficial effect on plants and stimulates the growth and development of the root system.

In order for the seedlings to grow even more actively, it is recommended to use fertilizing with a high nitrogen content. Thanks to them, the shoots will grow much faster, and due to this, the bush will be ready for the new season, it will more easily endure some climatic conditions, sudden changes in temperature and frost. For example, urea or ammonium nitrate is perfect for stimulating growth. Such fertilizers are best applied immediately when applying seedlings to open ground, so that they begin to perceive these components from the very beginning and are generally very susceptible to these aspects. As soon as the blackberry bush blooms, then every two weeks it is necessary to add a substance called Novofert Yagoda. Such feeding can be carried out exactly before the fruiting of the bush begins. You can also put another fairly effective tool in one row - Kemira Universal 2, which can be heard by many modern gardeners and gardeners. The substance allows you to increase the amount of yield per plant, as well as stimulate the development of new shoots and branches that will bear fruit the next year.

Fertilizing blackberries to increase yields

photo: feeding blackberries with saltpeter

In order to increase the level of the yield, as well as enhance the fruiting of blackberry bushes, it is worth making a top dressing, which includes saltpeter and urea - excellent additives for blackberry... When fruiting has just begun, you can feed the plant with potassium sulfate, which is diluted in several liters of water and watered the plant's near-stem circle. If we talk about the foliar type of dressing, then such components as nitrogen and phosphorus, potassium are ideal for this, which are actually sprayed on the bushes themselves with the help of a spray bottle.

After the harvest is complete, the bushes need very careful preparation for winter. For this, organic additives can be used, as well as potash fertilizers. The soil is well fertilized with manure or compost, as well as some humus. About two or three times a year, the soil should be dug up, adding a little chicken manure to it, which also satiates the soil, making it very fertile and loose. Before very cold weather sets in, the soil near the blackberry bush must be mulched. Peat or straw is used as mulch. In general, mulch performs many functions and tasks, so you should not be lazy, but it is worth adding it and treating the trunk circle with it in order to saturate the soil and protect the planting from outside influences.

Errors made when feeding

Sometimes budding gardeners who still have absolutely no experience in fertilizing can make some mistakes. One of the most common mistakes is that the gardener does not take into account the external features of the plant, the appearance of the bush at all, and only strictly instructions for the use of fertilizing and the timing of fertilization apply.Top dressing in general should be based on exactly how the bush looks, because this is the only way to understand what it needs, and which components are better not to add for some time, since there are already a lot of them in the soil, and the plant has already had time to get fed up. If the blackberry shows with all its appearance how abundantly the bush grows its deciduous green mass, but at the same time fruiting is at an extremely low level, practically at zero, then it is necessary to stop feeding for a while in order to balance the state of the plant.

There is another mistake that gardeners make - they ignore the composition of the soil, the climatic features of the region in which the shrub grows. If the soil is poor, depleted, then it is necessary to apply both mineral and organic dressings more often and in large quantities. This is especially worth taking care of during the growth period, that is, in the spring, as well as when the blackberries begin to tie and form. In principle, it is worth considering some subtleties, and then such errors will approach zero. The gardener will receive excellent and fertile plantings that will bear fruit perfectly, the berries will be very rich and tasty.