Description and characteristics of Loch Ness blackberries, planting and care

Loch Ness blackberries are famous for their abundant yields and high immunity to diseases and harmful bugs. Berries are rich in healthy vitamins and minerals. Bushes are grown for sale or personal use. To get a lot of harvest and plant the crop correctly, you should familiarize yourself with the information below.

Description and features

Loch Ness blackberries are in demand in Europe and the USA; they are an industrial variety. It was bred in 1990 in England by breeder D. Jennings. Loch Ness is a complex hybrid, the parent crops being European species of raspberries, blackberries and Loganberries.

The variety is large-fruited and received an award from the Royal Society of Horticulturalists of Britain for its large fruit size and high yield.

Bushes

Blackberry bushes are compact and grow up to 4 meters in height. The variety is semi-creeping, the vines grow straight at first, then become thinner and bend towards the soil. The shoots develop quickly and form a mass of lateral branches. The rhizome is powerful, the leaves are serrated, medium in size, of a rich emerald color.

Berries

The fruits of the Loch Ness blackberry are large, glossy black, and shaped like an ellipse. The first fruiting brings the largest blackberries, weighing up to 10 g. Afterwards, the average weight of the berries is 4-5 grams. They are collected in tassels. Tasters rated the taste of the variety at 2.7 points. Unripe berries are sour, and ripe ones are sweet, with a sour taste, and aromatic. It has small seeds, they are juicy and withstand transportation well. The fruits can be collected mechanically.

Yield indicators, fruiting dates

The Loch Ness blackberry variety is one of the most productive, even in the absence of proper care; 15 kg of berries are harvested from 1 bush. With proper supervision, you can get 20-25 kg. The first fruits are formed a year after planting the bush, but active fruiting is observed in the 3rd season. Berries are collected from mid-August until September 15 in several approaches.

Area of ​​application of berries

Blackberries are used for fresh consumption, decorating desserts, and adding to baked goods. You can make compotes, jam, and smoothies from it. More often, the berries are used for freezing and processing, since when fresh they are sour.

Resistance to pathologies and harmful insects

Loch Ness blackberry bushes have strong immunity and are rarely susceptible to disease and insect infestations. In the absence of proper care, the protective properties are reduced.

Positive and negative aspects of the variety

Loch Ness blackberries have many advantages, but also many disadvantages.

How to grow properly

There are no special agrotechnical rules for planting Loch Ness blackberries. The bushes are planted according to the standard scheme, choosing the right place, time, pre-preparing the ground, and treating the seedlings.

Dates and place of landing

Loch Ness blackberries should be planted in the spring when there is no risk of frost returning. In the South, you can resort to autumn planting, around September.

In the spring, you should not plant the crop in warm regions, since the heat quickly sets in there, destroying the blackberries that have not had time to take root.

The landing site should be well lit by the sun, protected from wind gusts. Any soil will do, but it is advisable to plant the bushes on fertile, loamy, well-drained soil.

Preparing the planting hole and soil

Holes for planting blackberries are dug with a diameter of 50 cm and the same depth, the top layer of soil is set aside. It is then used to create a soil mixture. The soil is mixed with a bucket of humus, 50 g of potassium, 150 g of phosphorus. You can add dolomite flour or crushed eggshells, this is a source of calcium. If the soil is dense, sand is added to it; in carbonate soil, an additional dose of organic matter is added. The soil should be slightly acidic, 5.7-6.5 pH. The hole is filled 2/3 with the prepared combination and filled with water. Wait 1 week after the manipulations.

Preparation of planting material

Blackberry seedlings are inspected for damage, traces of pests, and the presence of dry roots. They are soaked in a solution that stimulates the growth of the root system like Epin for 2 hours; they can also be dipped in a manganese solution. Seedlings are cut to 25 cm before planting.

The process of planting berries

Loch Ness blackberry bushes should be planted according to the following scheme:

• the distance between bushes in rows is 1.5-2 meters;
• the distance between the beds is from 3 meters.

Seedlings with straightened rhizomes are placed in the prepared holes and covered with soil. The root collar should be 2-4 cm above the surface. Water with a bucket of water, mulch the circle with straw, peat or humus. Due to mulch, the growth of weeds is inhibited, bushes are protected from drought, and the soil structure is preserved. You can cover row spacing with agronomic fiber.The material makes it possible to save time on mulching; it is relevant if blackberries are grown for sale on industrial plantations.

Subtleties of caring for shrubs

Caring for blackberries is easy. It requires regular watering, mulching, fertilizing, and pruning. The bushes are inspected every week for diseases and beetle attacks.

Watering

Blackberries love moisture, in the absence of precipitation, the bushes are irrigated once a week, maybe 2 times. The settled liquid should be poured, it should not be cold. Apply water under the rhizome.

Trimming

The Loch Ness blackberry grows well, it is not worth pruning it often, this provokes even greater thickening and a decrease in yield. The main formation of the bush is carried out in spring and autumn; damaged, weak specimens affected by harmful beetles and diseases are removed. In May, shorten the branches by 15 cm and trim the side shoots.

They are tied as a fan to the trellises, separating last year's growths and new specimens. In the fall, old shoots that have completed fruiting are cut out. The bushes are thinned out, there should be up to 4-6 stems after manipulation. Stumps are not left, as they act as a source of infections and become a haven for pests.

Top dressing

Blackberries are fertilized starting from the 3rd year of life to increase green mass. They resort to the first fertilizing in July, adding potassium and phosphorus compounds. They improve the taste and structure of the fruit, and help the bushes prepare for winter. The hedgehog berries are fertilized with calcium, boron, and iron. Mineral substances will not be superfluous either. Wood ash is an excellent choice for organic matter.

Wintering

Loch Ness blackberries have high winter hardiness, but it is advisable to cover them for the winter for abundant fruiting in the next season.Bushes especially need shelter in regions where in winter the air temperature drops from -20 or more. The plant is laid on the ground with a trellis, peat, spruce branches, sawdust are placed on it, and plastic film is placed on top. When the snow falls, this will serve as additional cover for the bushes.

Pathologies, pests and their control

The plant needs preventive treatments. During preparation for winter, the bushes are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture 1%, or copper sulfate. The procedure is repeated in March, until the buds bloom. You can also irrigate blackberries with sulfur-containing products; they prevent the development of fungal infections and have a negative effect on various types of mites.

Features of reproduction

Blackberries are propagated by rooting the tops, layering. In case of deliberate injury to the rhizome with a spatula bayonet, the bush produces a lot of growth. The method of sowing seeds is not in demand, since the plant may grow different from its parent. Seedlings are relevant only when developing new hybrids.

Experienced gardeners recommend propagation by root petioles. In private farms, you should not resort to this technique. It is easier to practice propagation by layering, or by digging in new shoots.