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In the wild, it "moves" by putting down new roots where its arching shoots touch the ground.<ref name=crawford2016 /> | In the wild, it "moves" by putting down new roots where its arching shoots touch the ground.<ref name=crawford2016 /> | ||
==Reproduction== | ==Reproduction== | ||
White flowers in Spring.<ref name=crawford2016 /> Self fertile (one plant will fruit by itself).<ref name=crawford2016>Crawford, M (2016). [https://www.worldcat.org/title/creating-a-forest-garden-working-with-nature-to-grow-edible-crops/oclc/1041938577&referer=brief_results Creating a Forest Garden: working with nature to grow edible crops]. Green Books. ISBN 9781900322621.</ref> Insect pollinated. | White flowers in Spring.<ref name=crawford2016 /> Self fertile (one plant will fruit by itself).<ref name=crawford2016>Crawford, M (2016). [https://www.worldcat.org/title/creating-a-forest-garden-working-with-nature-to-grow-edible-crops/oclc/1041938577&referer=brief_results Creating a Forest Garden: working with nature to grow edible crops]. Green Books. ISBN 9781900322621.</ref> Insect pollinated. | ||
==Hardiness== | ==Hardiness== | ||
==Soil Type== | ==Soil Type== | ||
Tolerant of most soil types.<ref name=crawford2016 /> Prefers rich, well-drained soil.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | Tolerant of most soil types.<ref name=crawford2016 /> Indeed, wild blackberries can often be found growing in very poor soils. Prefers rich, well-drained soil.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | ||
==Soil pH== | ==Soil pH== | ||
Ideal is pH 7.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | Ideal is pH 7.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | ||
==Shade Preference== | ==Shade Preference== | ||
Full sun.<ref name=crawford2016 /> | Full sun.<ref name=crawford2016 /> | ||
==Shade Tolerance== | ==Shade Tolerance== | ||
Tolerates fairly deep shade (i.e. no direct sun but some indirect light).<ref name=crawford2016 /> Fruiting is reduced in shade.<ref name=crawford2016 /> | Tolerates fairly deep shade (i.e. no direct sun but some indirect light).<ref name=crawford2016 /> Fruiting is reduced in shade.<ref name=crawford2016 /> | ||
==Aspect== | ==Aspect== | ||
==Exposure== | ==Exposure== | ||
More productive in a sheltered site.<ref name=seymour2014>Seymour, M (2014). [https://www.worldcat.org/title/new-self-sufficient-gardener/oclc/972683557?referer=br&ht=edition The New Self-Sufficient Gardener: The complete illustrated guide to planning, growing, storing and preserving your own garden produce.] Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 9781409346784.</ref> | More productive in a sheltered site.<ref name=seymour2014>Seymour, M (2014). [https://www.worldcat.org/title/new-self-sufficient-gardener/oclc/972683557?referer=br&ht=edition The New Self-Sufficient Gardener: The complete illustrated guide to planning, growing, storing and preserving your own garden produce.] Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 9781409346784.</ref> | ||
| Line 72: | Line 78: | ||
Generally fairly free of problems.<ref name=titchmarsh2008 /> | Generally fairly free of problems.<ref name=titchmarsh2008 /> | ||
'''Orange Rust.''' Symptoms: bright orange spores under the leaves, spindly shoots with narrow leaves.<ref name=seymour2014 /> Root out and burn afflicted plants.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | '''Orange Rust.''' A fungal disease (causative organism is ''Arthuriomyces peckianus'' or ''Gymnoconia nitens''). Symptoms: bright orange spores under the leaves, spindly shoots with narrow leaves.<ref name=seymour2014 /> Root out and burn afflicted plants.<ref name=seymour2014 /> See these articles on Gardening Know How for more information.[https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/blackberries/blackberry-orange-rust-treatment.htm][https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/fegen/treating-orange-rust-in-brambles.htm] | ||
'''Brids.''' Birds will eat some of the blackberries<ref name=rhsgrowyourown>[https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/fruit/blackberries How To Grow Blackberries (RHS Gardening).]</ref> but this is not usually a big problem requiring any action. | '''Brids.''' Birds will eat some of the blackberries<ref name=rhsgrowyourown>[https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/fruit/blackberries How To Grow Blackberries (RHS Gardening).]</ref> but this is not usually a big problem requiring any action. | ||
Revision as of 20:25, 23 March 2019
Blackberries are the fruit of many Rubus species grouped together as the Rubus fruticosus species aggregateW, sometimes commonly referred to as "brambles" or "canefruit" (including raspberries).
Taxonomy
Varieties / Cultivars
Hybrid Berries
- Boysenberry (Blackberry × unknown parent)
- Loganberry (R. caesius / Dewberry × Raspberry)
- Tayberry (Blackberry × Raspberry)
Common names
Etymology
Range
History
Morphology
Behaviour
Deciduous shrub.[2] Growth habit is long and scrambling.[2] It is perennial but the stems are biennial, fruiting on the second year.
In the wild, it "moves" by putting down new roots where its arching shoots touch the ground.[2]
Reproduction
White flowers in Spring.[2] Self fertile (one plant will fruit by itself).[2] Insect pollinated.
Hardiness
Soil Type
Tolerant of most soil types.[2] Indeed, wild blackberries can often be found growing in very poor soils. Prefers rich, well-drained soil.[3]
Soil pH
Ideal is pH 7.[3]
Shade Preference
Full sun.[2]
Shade Tolerance
Tolerates fairly deep shade (i.e. no direct sun but some indirect light).[2] Fruiting is reduced in shade.[2]
Aspect
Exposure
More productive in a sheltered site.[3]
Propagation
From Seed: Seed requires warm and cold stratification (see Seed StratificationW). E.g. keep seed in a box of sand at warm room temperature for 3 months, then store at 4°c (40°F) for a further 3 months.[3]
Tip cuttings: cut the tip of a cane off and push it in the soil and usually it will root.[3] The simplest method.[3]
Tip layering: In summer, bend a healthy, vigorous shoot down so that the tip touches the ground and ig a 10cm (4') deep hole at that point.[4] Bury the tip with well firmed down soil. By late autumn or winter the tip will have rooted and can be separated from the parent plant.[4]
Hardwood cuttings: take in winter.[2]
Can also be propagated by dividing the roots or by removing a sucker.[3]
Plant cuttings, layers, roots or seedlings in late autumn or early spring.[3]
Plant potted or bare-rooted new plants in winter.[2]
Cultivation Design
Allow 1.8m (6ft) between plants.[3]
Maintenance
Little maintenance needed.[2] Weed all around the base of the plants.[5] Heavy mulch of well-rotted organic matter in spring.[5] General purpose feed (e.g. blood, fish and bone) in late April.[5]
Watering
Once established, very little watering required, only during very dry summers.[5]
Pruning
Fruiting occurs on stems which are in their second year. Generally idea of pruning blackberry is therefore to remove the canes which have just fruited in the last growing season.[3] This pruning is best done in winter[3] when the plant is dormant. The plant can stay healthier and more productive if it is allowed to move.[2]
Exceptions to the above are "Himalaya" and "Evergreen" varieties which can fruit for several years on the same wood, so should not be pruned hard.[3]
Problems
Generally fairly free of problems.[5]
Orange Rust. A fungal disease (causative organism is Arthuriomyces peckianus or Gymnoconia nitens). Symptoms: bright orange spores under the leaves, spindly shoots with narrow leaves.[3] Root out and burn afflicted plants.[3] See these articles on Gardening Know How for more information.[1][2]
Brids. Birds will eat some of the blackberries[6] but this is not usually a big problem requiring any action.
Leafhoppers. Jumping, light green insects, approximately 3mm (1/8in) long.[6] Tends to occur in sheltered sites.[6] Symptoms: white flecking on leaves.[6] No action necessary.[6]
Harvest
Fruiting occurs from August to October.[2] Fruit ripens over several weeks.[2] In Oklahoma, the berries are picked in the weeks following the July 4th weekend.
The best time to harvest is when the fruit is almost ready to fall off.[3]
When harvesting blackberries, watch out for chiggers (also known as berry bugs, see TrombiculidaeW). These are small mites that can cause rashes and itchiness when they bite.
Preservation
Fresh fruits do not store for long.[2] They can be stored in shallow boxes and refridgerated or frozen.[3]
Uses
- Fruit is edible raw, or cooked. Can be made into jams, cobblers, pies, jellies, etc.
- Fruit can be made into wine (see Blackberry wine recepie: Making fruit, vegetable and flower wines#Berry Wines).
- Bee plant.[2]
- Young shoots (when spines are still soft) can be cooked.[2]
- Leaves can be used to make tea.[2]
- Purple dye from fruit and shoots.[2]
- Basket weaving (spines can be removed by pulling stems through a small hole).[2]
Nutritional Values
Cooking
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Rubus fruticosus agg. (RHS Horticultural Database).
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 Crawford, M (2016). Creating a Forest Garden: working with nature to grow edible crops. Green Books. ISBN 9781900322621.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 Seymour, M (2014). The New Self-Sufficient Gardener: The complete illustrated guide to planning, growing, storing and preserving your own garden produce. Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 9781409346784.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Brickell, C; Royal Horticultural Society (2012). Encyclopedia of Gardening. Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 9781409364658.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Titchmarsh, A (2008). The kitchen gardener : grow your own fruit and veg. London BBC. ISBN 9781846072017.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 How To Grow Blackberries (RHS Gardening).