Early varieties of blackberries are popular with gardeners. Consider the Orkan blackberry, a well-known variety used for industrial cultivation. What are its advantages and disadvantages, how to grow a plant at home, when and how to plant it, what care consists of. How to propagate blackberries, how to protect them from diseases and pests, when to harvest.
Description and brief characteristics of the variety
The Orkan variety was bred in Poland in 1983; it is a hybrid of 2 varieties - Black Catin and Arc1084.The result was a high-yielding and large-fruited variety, early ripening, adapted to temperate climate conditions.
The Orkan blackberry bush is formed from erect shoots, powerful, thornless, up to 3 m high. The plants bloom in mid-May, in the southern regions the fruits begin to ripen at the end of June, in the northern regions - in mid-July. Orcan berries are oblong, shiny, black, collected in clusters. The fruits are large, weight 4-8 g, sweet and sour with a characteristic aroma. They are distinguished by keeping quality. Productivity from an adult bush is 5-10 kg.
Pros and cons of Orcan blackberries
Growing and caring for crops
Orcan blackberry grows best in sunny places not covered by other plants or in light partial shade. The bushes must be protected from the wind, especially cold ones; for this you need to choose an area protected from the wind by buildings or a fence.
The time to plant seedlings occurs in mid-autumn or spring, with the onset of warmth. In the spring, blackberries are planted in warm, but not yet dry soil, in the fall - a month before the cold snap.
The best soil for Orkan blackberries is loam or fertile sandy loam. The reaction is neutral; acidic soils need to be limed before planting bushes. It is recommended to grow blackberries on a trellis. This makes it easier to care for it and collect fruits.
Planting scheme
Between neighboring Orkan blackberry seedlings, 1-1.5 m are left, row spacing is 2.5 m. The rows are oriented from north to south. The dimensions of the planting holes are 0.5 m in width and depth. The excavated soil is mixed with humus and ash and stirred.
The seedlings are prepared: the tips of the roots are cut off, the roots are dipped in a solution of a root formation stimulator. The treatment stimulates the growth of new roots and speeds up rooting.
Planting sequence: pour a drainage layer at the bottom of the hole, lower the seedling along the root collar, and cover it with earth. Water with a bucket of water and cover with a layer of mulch to reduce soil drying out. The tops of the stems of blackberry seedlings are cut off by 1/3.
Watering and fertilizing
Water every week for the first 2 months. The soil must be moist for rooting to be successful. Then water 1-2 times a month, more often in summer, in hot weather. In dry autumn, water-recharging irrigation is carried out.
In the first season, Orkan blackberry seedlings are not fed; the plant is provided with nutrition when planted. Starting next spring, the bushes are fertilized 2 times - in spring and autumn, and after the start of fruiting - 3 times - in the spring, before buds open, after flowering and during the period of ovary growth. Use organic or mineral fertilizers.
Trimming
Orcan bushes are pruned in autumn or spring, using pruning shears to cut out old, fruit-bearing shoots, dry ones, damaged by disease or pests. Healthy, but excess, growth is also removed. 5-7 strong, large shoots are left in the bush. At the beginning of summer, green shoots are pruned, shortening the tops. This stimulates the regrowth of side shoots.
Preparing for winter
The shoots are untied from the trellis, carefully bent to the ground and sprinkled with mulch or covered with agrofibre.The ground around the bushes is also covered with mulch with a layer of at least 10-15 cm.
Diseases, pests, prevention
The Orkan variety is resistant to fungi, but diseases can develop in cold and wet weather or with insufficient care. Preventive measures include spraying the bushes with fungicides before signs of disease appear. If the infection has managed to develop, agrochemical pesticides are used in therapeutic dosages.
Pests are destroyed by spraying with insecticides or folk remedies. The number of applications depends on the level of damage or the condition of the plants.
Reproduction
Orcan blackberry produces almost no root shoots, so it is propagated by rooted shoots. Strong, healthy shoots are selected, the tops are placed on the ground, sprinkled in the middle part and watered all summer. By autumn they take root. Dig them up and replant them in the fall or next spring. Other methods of propagation: rooting cuttings and dividing the bush into 2-3 parts.
Harvest and storage
Orkan berries are harvested after they are ripe. This can be determined by the fact that they become black and shiny. You can also pick overripe berries for fresh eating. Slightly unripe ones are needed for storage and transportation. They are placed in plastic containers and placed in the refrigerator; if the harvest is large, they are placed in small boxes and lowered into the cellar. Storage conditions: cool, unlit and dry.
The Orkan variety is valued by farmers and private gardeners due to its excellent qualities. Blackberries are early ripening, productive, large, with excellent taste. Can be grown in temperate regions. It is characterized by rapid adaptation and does not require pollinators. It bears fruit for a long time, for almost 30 years.
