Black raspberries are a relatively rare guest among our summer residents and gardeners. No one is surprised by the yellow variety. But her black sister is often confused with the blackberry. Breeders have bred varieties of garden blackberries, black raspberries, so it is difficult for a person unfamiliar with their differences to say with confidence where are raspberries and where are blackberries.
In this article, we will look at the Cumberland black raspberry variety, its differences with blackberries, and the methods of care.
The difference between black raspberries and blackberries
Let's consider the main differences between black raspberries and blackberries.
- To quickly figure out which bush is growing in front of us, you need to pick the fruit. Raspberries, be they red or black, have a hollow interior. The berry is plucked, and the receptacle remains on the branch. At the blackberry receptacle, the receptacle breaks off with the berry, and it does not remain empty.
- By the shape of the berries blackberries are more like red raspberries, having the same oblong shape. The black fruit has a hemispherical shape.
- They also differ in ripening time. Blackberries ripen a little later. Although some cultivars may have the same harvest time.
- Looking at the plants, you can find differences in the stems. Blackberries have long (up to three meters) green stems with strong thorns. The blackberry bush is dense, reminiscent of a tangle of stiff wire. Black raspberries have shorter branches (from one and a half to two and a half meters)... The stems are shorter, thinner and pale blue in color. Their thorns are smaller than those of blackberries.
Raspberry-blackberry hybrid
A raspberry crossed with a blackberry is called Tayberry, which was developed in Scotland in the late seventies of the last century. It is obtained as a hybrid of blackberries and raspberries by pollination of blackberries of the Aurora variety with raspberry pollen. As a result, red-violet berries of an elongated shape were grown, reaching six centimeters. Ezhemalina Tayberry is famous for its yield, pleasant taste and aroma of fruits.
Shoots with small thorns grow up to two and a half meters. The hybrid yields a harvest from July to late autumn. Differs in resistance to disease, frost and pests. The basic principles of care and reproduction are similar to the cultivation of regular raspberries.
The difference between Tayberry and black raspberry is the color of the berries. The Tysberry fruit does not exhibit the deep dark color of black raspberry, but rather becomes a deep red with a purple tint.
Black raspberry varieties
The first black berry varieties were developed in America in the nineteenth century. In our country, the following types have gained popularity:
- Cumberland variety is the most common, obtained from crossing raspberries and blackberries. Differs in productivity and early maturity, has powerful long shoots that take an arched shape. The large blue-black berries taste like blackberries. The bushes are frost-resistant, tolerate Russian winters well, and are resistant to diseases and pests.
- The second most widespread variety, loved by Russian gardeners - Boysenberry. The early variety is famous for its high yield of large sweet fruits. The absence of thorns on long shoots makes harvesting easier. Like Cumberland, Boysenberry is frost hardy and rarely suffers from pests and diseases.
- New Logan - another variety that came to us from overseas. Although its height does not exceed two meters, it produces a good harvest of early berries. But for the winter, its shoots must be carefully protected from frost.
The tested varieties of foreign selection are in good competition with new varieties developed by Russian scientists:
- Coal belongs to the early varieties. It has a high yield, but its berries are small, sweet and sour.
- Litach variety came to us from Poland, where it was obtained as a result of selection in 2008. Small rounded berries have a characteristic bluish bloom. The bushes are distinguished by long shoots with large thorns.
- Gift of Siberia famous for its winter hardiness, frost-resistant, therefore it is recommended for planting in central Russia, Siberia and the Far East. Small berries are distinguished by their dense structure and dessert taste.
- Higher yielding varieties include Luck and Turngiving up to six kilograms per bush. Their berries are not large, but dense, and retain their presentation for a long time.
Description of the Cumberland variety
Using the example of the most popular and widespread variety of black chokeberry, we will consider its features. The black berries of this variety are large, reaching 5-6 grams in weight. The yield from one bush is up to ten kilograms subject to proper care, which exceeds the collection of red or yellow raspberries from the bush.
Although we are talking about the winter hardiness of blackberry-like raspberries, it is still recommended to cover the bushes for the winter, sprinkle them with snow. Thanks to the shelter for the winter and early ripening, black raspberries take root in different climatic zones of Russia. For the middle zone and the Non-Black Earth Zone, it is required to provide protection from cold winds and drafts when landing.
Unlike red berry varieties, black raspberries have a powerful root system that extends one and a half meters deep.
This allows her to tolerate dry periods well. But the lack of watering negatively affects the amount of ovary and, accordingly, the yield.
Cumberland bushes, which are densely dotted with ripe and ripening berries during the ripening period, are a picturesque picture, therefore they will become an ornament in any garden. Their long shoots reach three meters, hanging down to the ground in the form of arches. The color of the stems acquires a bluish bloom as it ripens, and the stems themselves are covered with thorns.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Black Raspberry
Despite its not very wide popularity, black raspberries are in many ways superior to their congeners - red and yellow. Let's consider its main advantages:
- high productivity;
- drought resistance;
- resistance to pests;
- undemanding to the composition of the soil;
- can serve as a hedge;
- does not form root suckers, which allows it to be placed freely in the garden;
- berries have medicinal properties.
The disadvantages of blackberry-like raspberries include:
- her winter hardiness is less than that of the red variety;
- susceptible to viral diseases.
Useful properties of berries
Consider the beneficial properties of Cumberland black raspberries. In terms of the amount of vitamins and other nutrients, black raspberries are superior to red and yellow. Blackberry-like raspberries are famous for their high content of rutin (vitamin P), which is necessary for strengthening blood vessels.
Anthocyanins strengthen capillaries, cleanse blood vessels from sclerotic plaques. In addition, fruits and leaves contain substances that reduce the level of prothrombin, which normalizes blood clotting. The berries are rich in microelements - iron, manganese, copper.
Their taste is sweet and sour, reminiscent of a blackberry. Due to their dense structure, the fruits are stored for several days, they tolerate transportation well.
Characteristics of the Tayberry variety
Now let's talk about the description of the black raspberry variety. The appearance of the bushes is somewhat different from the usual red relative. Long shoots can be up to three meters long, depending on the variety. These long stems hang to the side, forming arched arches. Therefore, many gardeners carry out the garter of the stems to the trellis.
Black raspberries can be attributed to two years old, because lateral shoots bear fruit, growing up to one meter.
They form on annual stems. Therefore, for this species it is necessary to carry out the correct pruning of lateral shoots and cutting of old stems in autumn. Annual stems are left, which will give fruiting shoots the next year.
Cultivation and methods of caring for black raspberries
Pruning in the fall
How to trim black raspberries? It is recommended that you prune twice during the season. At the end of June, the upper part of the shoots is cut at the height of human growth. This procedure will accelerate the formation of lateral fruiting shoots. Weak shoots are removed, avoiding thickening of the bushes.
In autumn, before the onset of frost, two-year-old shoots are removed. Leave annuals, which are shortened to half a meter above the ground.
Reproduction
Propagating black berries is not that difficult. For reproduction, apical layers are used. To do this, at the beginning of autumn, after the end of fruiting, the long shoots are tilted and the tops are placed in the prepared grooves up to ten centimeters deep, falling asleep with earth.
Cover with straw and sawdust from above. In the spring, the cuttings will take root and produce shoots that are used as seedlings.
Planting seedlings
Planting hybrid seedlings is not much different from other species. First you need to choose a landing site and prepare it. The place should be protected from cold winds and be sunny enough.
By planting raspberries near the fence, you can provide them with protection from the cold and support for growth.... At the same time, it can serve as a hedge thanks to durable thorns, which few people dare to experience.
When choosing a place, it is necessary to avoid such predecessors as all nightshades: potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini and others. Also, do not plant next to red raspberries. The distance between them must be at least ten meters.
The following garden crops will be good predecessors:
- carrot;
- pepper;
- onion garlic;
- marigolds and marigolds.
It is necessary to respect the distance between the bushes, taking into account the length of the shoots. In one row, the bushes are planted with an interval of about one meter, and between adjacent rows - two meters.
Although black raspberries are not very demanding on the soil, loams, black earth and sandy loam will be the best soils to achieve good yields. Saplings are planted in autumn (late September - early October) or early spring.
For planting seedlings, it is necessary to prepare a hole half a meter deep. A mixture of humus (6-8 kg), superphosphate (200 g), potassium sulfate (80 g) is introduced at the bottom of each pit. Mineral fertilizers can be replaced with wood ash (0.5 kg). The composition is mixed with earth, a mound is made. The sapling is placed on its top, the roots are straightened down, sprinkled gently with earth, gradually compacting it with your hands.
The neck of the plant should not be covered with earth.
After watering, the land around is mulched with sawdust, straw, humus. The mulch layer should be at least five centimeters.
To obtain powerful and at the same time compact plants, young annual shoots are pinched at a height of half a meter, which stimulates the development of lateral shoots.
Fertilizers
Every three years, it is recommended to fertilize the plants with compost - about five kilograms under one bush.
After the end of flowering, the first feeding is carried out with an infusion of manure (six parts of water are taken for one part of manure) or chicken droppings (ratio with water 1:16). Wood ash (1 liter) and superphosphate (50 g) are added to a bucket of infusion. Similar dressings are performed two more times - during ripening and the beginning of harvesting.
Susceptibility to diseases and pests
Ezhemalina is more resistant to diseases, less susceptible to attacks of insect pests than red. It is less often affected by a disease characteristic of raspberries - verticillary wilting. It is a viral disease that cannot be cured. Affected bushes are cut, uprooted and burned.
To prevent infection, ezemalina is planted at a distance of at least ten meters from red raspberries. In rainy summers, it is recommended to organize soil drainage to prevent fungal diseases from developing. For prevention, the bushes are sprayed with copper-containing preparations. Insecticides are also used.
Ezhemalina can be affected by anthracnose, which is manifested by a white bloom on the leaves.... For control, fungicides are used, for example, Topaz, Mikosan or others that are commercially available. Among organic control agents, infusions and decoctions are used. A decoction of horsetail has proven itself well.
One kilogram of grass is poured with a bucket of water, infused for a day. The next day, the composition is boiled for half an hour. For processing, the strained solution is diluted in a ratio of 1: 5. Horsetail can be replaced with nettle, but insist not one day, but two weeks. Diluted with the same proportion.
Of the pests, the raspberry beetle is the most dangerous. Before the buds awaken on the bushes, the first treatment is carried out with a nitrophene solution (2% solution). The second treatment is performed when flower buds appear with an infusion of wormwood and marigolds. Two hundred grams of herbs are poured with a bucket of water, insisted for at least a day.
As you can see from the above, black raspberry refers to hybrids that combine all the best aspects of blackberry and red raspberry. Berries are famous not only for their good taste, but also for their medicinal properties. The bushes are distinguished by high yield, unpretentiousness. Therefore, it will not be difficult for beginners to care for a black berry.
Now you know what the black raspberry is called, you know its characteristics and methods of caring for a hybrid.