Blackberry Polar: variety description, photo, growing guide

The article presents Polar blackberries: description of the variety, photos, instructions for growing, care, and propagation.

Blackberries have been deprived of the attention they deserve for many years. The varieties grown by gardeners in their gardens very often had a bad taste, their branches and leaves were strewn with thorns, and they did not have time to reach full ripening before frosts began, even if they grew in the central part of Russia. This is the reason for the joy and excitement around every new product that appears on our markets. European varieties are especially attractive due to the fact that the climatic conditions there are similar to ours rather than to North American ones. One of these varieties is the blackberry variety Polar, created by Polish scientists.

Blackberry Polar: history of origin of the variety

Blackberry Polar: photo

The Polar blackberry bush was created thanks to scientists at the Institute of Horticulture in the city of Brzezn in Poland. It was registered in the year 8 of the 21st century. Breeders set themselves the task of breeding blackberries that would not need shelter during the winter cold.

Polar blackberries were created for cultivation on an industrial scale, but due to the high quality of the berries and low maintenance requirements, they began to be actively grown in private gardens.

Reproduction methods

There are several methods for propagating Blackberries:

• apical layering;
• seminal;
• rooting of the apical buds of shoots (pulping);
• lignified offspring;
• root and green cuttings;
• green root shoots;
• dividing the bush.

Did you know? America is called the birthplace of blackberries, and only there, until recently, was it grown on an industrial scale. Europeans learned about the existence of culture only in the 18th century.

There is also a tissue culture method, but it is used extremely rarely. In addition, not all propagation methods are used to grow Polara, since the plant produces few root shoots. The propagation methods that are most effective for this variety are described below.

Apical layering . Along the rows where blackberries grow, grooves are dug 20–25 cm deep, into which the ends of non-lignified shoots up to 40 cm long are lowered. The tips of the stems are sprinkled with a layer of soil 10–15 cm thick. The procedure is carried out in the third decade of July or in early August, in depending on the region. It is important to choose the timing of the event so that before the first frost the cuttings take root, but do not germinate, otherwise the shoots will freeze.

In the spring, with the onset of warmth, the shoots will sprout, then they are transplanted to where they will be cultivated in the future . Rooting of the apical buds of the shoots. This method is not entirely suitable for this variety, since Polar has straight, tall shoots, and pulping is more appropriate for creeping species. However, the method is very effective, so it is used quite often. When young stems reach half a meter in length, their tops are cut off by 10–12 cm.

As soon as small leaves grow and seals appear at the ends, resembling the shape of a kidney, they are pressed to the ground and sprinkled with a layer of light, loose soil 5–7 cm thick. Next March, the top is cut off and left to grow until autumn. At the end of the year, the shoot with the root system is divided into parts and planted.

Root cuttings . Select the healthiest bushes with maximum yields. The procedure is carried out in late spring and early summer. In this case, the height of the offspring should be at least 10 cm, preferably no higher than 12–14 cm. The thickness of the offspring at the base is 8 mm or more, the length of the root is 17–20 cm, the lobe should be healthy and strong.

Dividing the bush. It is used for varieties that do not produce offspring, and is also good for Polara. 1 bush is divided into several seedlings so that each has 2-3 strong stems and several living young roots. Thus, from 1 bush you can get up to 5 new ones.

Blackberry Polar: description and characteristics of the variety

Blackberry Polar: photo

Blackberry Polar is a subshrub with powerful upright shoots 2.7 meters long. Unpruned tops on the vines can sometimes look drooping, but this is nothing to worry about because this is part of the variety. The shoots of this variety are completely free of thorns. When young, the color of the lashes is bright green, and by the end of the season they become light brown. The shoots of the first year of life, on which the fruits are formed, are brown, the cross-section is in the shape of a flattened circle. The branches are strewn with rich green, large, five-segmented or three-segmented leaves. The roots of the Polar blackberry variety are powerful. There is practically no growth. Blooming with large white flowers begins in the first days of May. The fruits are large in size with dense skin, mostly uniform. Their weight is from 9 to 11 grams. Those that appear first are usually the largest in size. The berries have a beautiful oval shape and a glossy black sheen.

The sweet taste of Polar blackberries is diluted with a slight sourness, has no bitter aftertaste and the fruit emits a pleasant aroma. This berry earned a high tasting score of 4.5 points, which completely coincided with the reviews of amateurs.

Blackberry variety Polar: photo

The characteristics of the Polar blackberry make it possible to grow it not only in the southern part of the country, but also in the north. Considering that this variety is very unpretentious and the quality of the fruit is high, it turns out that it is almost ideal for cultivation in private gardens or for industrial production on large plantations.

The creators of the Polar blackberry gave a description that completely coincides with the reviews of those who have already planted it on their plots. Probably the reason for this was the fact that the breeding took place in a state bordering us and the variety was created for industrial production. This suggests that the easy care required when growing on large plantations was implied.

Blackberries Polar are highly resistant to drought. However, it is important to remember that blackberries are a moisture-loving plant and in order to get good yields, the bushes need to be watered periodically.

Since the main task for Polish breeders was to create a variety that did not need to be covered, the result was the most frost-resistant blackberry bushes. Plants require shelter only if they are grown in regions where the thermometer stays below -23 degrees for a long time. It should be noted that experts talk about the plant’s ability to tolerate 30-3 degree frosts for a short time.

Blackberries growing in the Moscow region must be covered.

However, gardeners who grow them say that by covering powerful shoots, which is not so easy to do, the yield will increase three or even 5 times. The reason is that the flower buds freeze, while nothing happens to the shoots. So there is something to think about.

The Polar blackberry variety has no special requirements for soil type and tolerates transportation well.

Harvesting and storage

The first berries ripen by the end of July. The fruits are usually white, but sometimes cream-colored specimens are found. For assembly, you do not need any improvised means, except for a container where the berries are placed in one layer. It is recommended to store fruits (for a long time) in the freezer. When frozen, they retain their beneficial qualities for 6–8 months.

Blackberries of the Pollar Berry variety, despite their “youth,” have already won the hearts of many amateur gardeners around the world. The culture is loved not only for its ease of agricultural technology, but also for its extraordinary white color and sweet taste.

Blackberry Polar: flowering and yield of the variety

Flowering occurs at the beginning or mid-May, it all depends on the region in which the plant is grown and what the weather conditions are. Polar is a mid-early variety; the first batch of its fruits ripen in July, approximately in the second week.

Full harvests will be collected after three years of life in the garden. You can harvest delicious berries starting in July and ending in the last days of September.

It should be noted that in the middle latitudes, harvesting begins in the last days of July or in August. In Poland, an average of 4 kg is harvested from one three-year-old bush. berries If you provide the plant with shelter during the winter cold, the yields will be significantly higher. When flower buds freeze, the yield drops.

What is the reason for such great popularity of Polar blackberries? The reason is the ability to plant more densely and harvest crops using a mechanized method. There is no need to spend effort, time and money on creating shelters for the winter. For these reasons, this berry becomes not only tasty and healthy, but also profitable to grow from an economic point of view. In garden plots, planting can be free, it can be easily covered and, as a result, high yields can be obtained.

Characteristic

Polar Berry is an easy-to-care plant. This is why white-fruited blackberries may appeal to many gardening enthusiasts.

Drought resistance, frost resistance

The plant has excellent frost resistance. Even at temperatures of -30°C, the Polar Berry bush “does not suffer.” But for subsequent crop formation at a high level, it is recommended to insulate the plant.

Like other blackberry varieties, Polar Berry requires active watering in the first year of growth. But in “adult life” the bush becomes not too demanding on regular watering. However, during prolonged drought, it is recommended to water Polar Berry generously at least once every few days.

Productivity, fruiting

The stated fruiting period for the described plant is from July to September. With good care, you can collect up to five kilograms of berries per season from one bush.

Blackberry Polar: advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Polar blackberries have excellent taste, high lightness, long shelf life and the ability to be transported over long distances. All this makes it possible to sell fresh berries in any corner of the country. In addition, they lend themselves well to freezing and are suitable for making juices, wines and various preparations. Resistance to diseases and harmful insects:

The immunity that this variety possesses protects the plant from various diseases. However, preventive measures should not be canceled. It is especially important to carry them out during industrial cultivation, where, as a rule, the plantings are very dense.

We can safely talk about the pros and cons, since the plant has been tested in the country and they have been studied quite well, although a little more than 10 years have passed since its breeding. The variety has many more positive qualities

• The berries are very beautiful and large
• Highly rated for taste
• Excellent commercial quality and transportability
• No need for shelter
• The most winter-hardy
• Thornless variety
• Can be planted closely together
• Has proven itself worthy in industrial and private cultivation
• Resistance to diseases and harmful insects
• You can use mechanized equipment for harvesting
• The ability to increase productivity significantly by using shelter during the winter cold
• The leaders among varieties that are very easy to care for.

The disadvantages include:

• Requires shelter in mid-latitudes
• Due to powerful shoots, preparation for the winter period in the north of the country is difficult;
• Some flower buds freeze out when the temperature drops and there is no shelter;
• There is practically no root growth, which makes propagation in this way somewhat more difficult.

History of selection

The Polar Berry variety appeared as a result of the work of Polish breeders. Their main task was to create a plant that was resistant even to extremely severe frosts, capable of bearing fruit for a long time and abundantly, without losing its taste. They also managed, through the selection process, to make the bush more protected from pathogenic infections, bacteria and parasites than other blackberry varieties. The work continued for three decades and was crowned with success in 2008. An additional bonus was the unusual color of Polar Berry - white. In this genus, the variety is unique, since no other type of blackberry has such a difference.

Did you know? The original Russian name for blackberries is hedgehog-berry. The ancestors gave this name to the culture because of the very thorny stems.

Reproduction and planting of Polar blackberries

Reproduction is quite simple using apical shoots. However, some effort will still have to be made, since it will be necessary to tilt the selected branch starting from a young age. There are practically no root shoots, and propagation using green cuttings is quite difficult due to their thickness and tendency to rot. To grow several new bushes, you need to put on a large number of shoots. You can propagate the plant by dividing an adult bush.

Landing dates

Caring for and planting Polar blackberries is so simple that even a novice gardener who has never done this before can easily cope with it. To avoid unnecessary labor costs, you only need to follow a few rules.

Planting in the south of the country is carried out in the autumn after the hot days have ended. The bushes will have enough time to adapt and take root before frost sets in. When spring comes, they immediately begin to grow.

Planting in the Moscow region and mid-latitudes is carried out in the spring, after the soil has warmed up and the threat of return frosts has disappeared.

Landing location

To grow on an industrial scale, you need to choose a flat area so that equipment can pass without difficulty. On a personal plot, you should choose a place that is well lit by sunlight and protected from strong winds. The location of groundwater should be at least one and a half meters below the surface of the earth. The best soil is nutrient-rich loam with a low acidity level.

Soil preparation

A couple of weeks before planting, you need to dig planting holes 50 centimeters deep and the same diameter. The hole is filled 2/3 with earthen mixture and filled with water. To prepare the earth mixture, you need to mix the top fertile layer of soil with humus (1 bucket), potassium (50 grams) and phosphorus (150 grams). If the soil is highly acidic, it should be diluted with lime. If it is too dense, then sand should be added there. If alkaline or neutral, then acidic peat should be used.

How to select and prepare Polar blackberry seedlings for planting

The purchase of Polar blackberry seedlings should be made in specialized stores to avoid fraud. Please note that the roots are developed, there is no damage and smell fresh, the shoots must be green.

If the plant was purchased with an open root system, then they must be soaked 12 hours before planting.

How to plant

To grow Polar blackberries on an industrial scale, planting can be done at a distance of 90 centimeters; if it is possible to feed intensively, then the distance can be reduced to 80 centimeters. In a private garden, planting is best done at a distance of one and a half, or even two meters, this will have a very good effect on the taste of the fruit. The distance between rows should be maintained at 2.5 meters.

When planting, first of all you need to shorten the branches, leaving a length of 20 centimeters. A mound is made in the center of the hole on which a Polar blackberry seedling is placed and the roots are carefully straightened. Then you need to fill the hole with earthen mixture so that the root collar goes to a depth of 1.5 centimeters. Next, the earth is compacted, abundantly watered with 10 liters of water and mulching is carried out.

Landing rules

When carrying out planting work, you must adhere to the following algorithm of actions:

1. Clear the area of ​​weeds and dig up. If the soil cover is poor, feed with fertilizers.

2. Prepare planting recesses measuring 40x40x40 cm. Maintain a distance of 1.2 m between plantings, and up to 2 m between rows.
3. Fill the base of the planting holes with a drainage layer in the form of coarse sand, crushed stone or expanded clay.
4. Sprinkle the drainage layer on top with a fertile soil mixture consisting of garden soil, ash and compost. Add potassium salt with superphosphate as mineral supplements. Stir the substrate well.
5. Irrigate the recesses generously with water and wait until the liquid is completely absorbed.
6. Place the seedling in a hole and straighten the roots, sprinkling fertile substrate on top. Deepen the root collar by 2 cm.
7. The soil cover near the circle around the trunk should be trampled down a little and covered with a mulch layer.

Blackberry Polar: description of care

Watering a young plant is carried out twice every 7 days. In the future, no difficulties will arise.

Blackberry Polar requires obligatory garter to trellises. They can be multi-row, T-shaped, fan-shaped. Last year's growths are tied to one side, new ones to the other. What the yields will be is influenced by how intensively fertilizing is carried out, whether the bush is covered for the winter, whether young shoots are pinched and whether watering measures are carried out during the drought period.

Watering is carried out if there is no rain, this is especially important during hot periods. It is important to remember that Polar blackberries love moisture and it is better to water them too much than to let the roots dry out.

Feeding is not necessary, but if it is completely absent, the yields will be significantly lower. It is better to fertilize and do this three times a season. The first feeding is carried out with the onset of spring using nitrogen fertilizers. Second, when flowering begins, a complex of minerals is used here. Third, after harvesting using potash fertilizers.

If you see yellowing of the leaves on your plant, but the veins on them remain green, then the plant has become ill with chlorosis. This disease occurs due to a lack of iron. In order to rid the plant of the disease, it is necessary to use chelates.

Loosening Polar blackberries is carried out twice, in early spring and autumn. In the middle of the growing season, it is necessary to mulch the soil using red peat. It will serve to acidify the soil, retain moisture, prevent weeds from developing and allow air to penetrate well to the roots of the plant.

Diseases and pests

Like any plant, Polar Berry can be affected by certain diseases and pests, which can either significantly reduce the yield or completely destroy the bush.

Infectious diseases

One of the most common is septoria or white spot . The first signs appear at the end of spring, when the blackberry leaves become covered with brown spots. By autumn, the disease covers the entire plant and is a threat not only to the harvest, but also to the life of the bush as a whole.

Anthracnose is something to be wary of . Purple areas appear on the plant, which, over time, take on a gray-brown color. Gradually, the affected areas will only grow, spreading to the fruits.

To prevent the above-mentioned ailments, mineral fertilizers containing 9 g of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus (per 1 m²) are used. In the fall, it is necessary to take care of fertilizing each bush with compost and humus, at least 3 kg per plant. You also need to regularly monitor the cleanliness of the soil around the plantings.

If the disease has affected Polar Berry, then you can use garlic infusion . To prepare it, you need to pour 300 g of garlic with water (three liters) and let it brew for 24 hours. Then dilute the resulting infusion with warm water in a ratio of 1:20 and thoroughly treat the bushes with it. It is recommended to do this in the afternoon. Treatment with colloidal sulfur also helps. For 10 liters of water you need to take 100–150 g of the drug.

It should be remembered that a favorable environment for the development of infection is a humid environment, shading of the bush and its neglect. Therefore, by following the basic rules of plant care, many difficulties can be avoided.

Non-communicable diseases

Typically, this kind of ailment occurs in blackberries from an excess or lack of fertilizers and minerals in the soil.

1. If the soil is low in nitrogen, the bush may slow down its growth . The leaves already turn yellow and fall off in mid-summer. And if there is an excess of nitrogen, then brown spots will begin to appear on the leaves, the leaf blades will curl and fall off in the summer. The harvest suffers in both cases.
2. With a lack of potassium, a dark brown color appears on the edges of the leaves . The leaves themselves lose their color and become either pale or bluish. The fruits lose quality - their middle becomes soft. If there is an excess of the mineral, the shoots grow slower than usual, dark spots appear on the leaves, and fall off prematurely.
3. When the soil is low in phosphorus, the leaves change their color to reddish-bronze . Bush growth and fruit ripening slow down. When the amount of phosphorus exceeds the norm, the leaves begin to lighten in the middle, and a brown border begins to appear along the edges.
4. If there is not enough calcium, then the young shoots develop pale and discolored . The old ones retain their color. But the tops often wither. If there is a lot of calcium, the leaves fill with water and form rosettes.
5. If chlorosis appears on the leaves , they seem to fade from the inside, and the fruits begin to disappear - this may indicate both a lack and an excess of iron .
6. With a small amount of magnesium in the soil, the leaves begin to turn red between the veins, which retain their green color . Then they turn red, and the leaves begin to gradually fall from the bush, starting from the lower ones. If there is a lot of magnesium, then the leaves of the plant change their proportions and then fall off.
7. If the leaf begins to turn yellow , then it clearly lacks manganese . But if there is too much of it, it becomes stained, wrinkles and falls off.

Therefore, when fertilizing the soil, it is extremely important to follow the norms for applying fertilizers and carefully monitor the condition of the plant.

Pests

The greatest danger to blackberries is the mole cricket . If you do not deal with its destruction, it can destroy all the plants on the site. It is recommended to purchase traps for mole crickets and poisons. It will not be superfluous to manually collect the harmful insect.

The cockchafer is extremely dangerous for blackberries . If it has started on a bush, then you need to start by destroying the larvae that are located at the roots of the plant. To do this, you need to carefully dig up the bush, shake off all the soil from the rhizome and clean it of larvae. Afterwards, the hole in which the bush will be planted back needs to be treated with a tobacco solution. To prepare it, you need to dilute 100 g of tobacco crumbs with 10 liters of water.

And don’t forget about raspberry aphids , as a result of which the stems of the bush become covered with a brown coating. All affected branches must be cut out and burned. For prevention, it is good to use the tobacco solution and garlic infusion described above.

Pruning rules

As soon as the entire harvest is harvested, you need to start pruning the shoots. There should be no delay; there must be enough time for the wood on the new lashes to mature before the frosts begin.

After pruning, there should be from 4 to 7 lashes left, the number depends on what scheme was used for planting. In order for the side shoots to branch better, they must be pinched as soon as they grow 45 centimeters in length. All branches with signs of damage, weakening and improperly growing are cut off to the base.

Preparing Polar blackberries for winter

There is no need to cover the plant in the southern regions, but in the rest of the territory it should be done. Where the thermometer drops below -15 degrees extremely rarely, it will be enough to hill up the roots and, without removing the lashes from the trellis, cover them using agrofibre. The main thing is to prevent the covering material from icing.

As for regions with frostier winters, more efforts will need to be made there. Having removed the shoots from the trellises, they must be lowered to the ground and secured. Next, cover the plant with spruce branches, straw or agrofibre.

Reviews

I have been growing Polar blackberries for seven years now. I like the variety for its large, dense berries. The berries are very sweet, but there is a slight sourness, so the taste is very pleasant, not cloying. I would classify the shrub as an unpretentious plant. I don’t fertilize or water it much. One year I observed a large number of yellow leaves, read the literature, it turned out that this is chlorosis, which is caused by a lack of iron. I sprayed it with a chelate complex and the plant turned green and began to grow even more intensively.

I grow several varieties of blackberries. In terms of yield, I like Chester the most, and the taste of Polar berries. I would like to draw the attention of all gardeners to the difference in winter hardiness of the bush and its flower buds. The bush can survive frosts down to -30 degrees. and you will assume that everything is fine and be content with a very modest result. Why will the result be modest? Because the flower buds are frozen, and in this case the yield may drop 5 or more times. In Russian conditions, if you do not take into account the Crimea and Krasnodar Territory, blackberries must be covered for the winter. There are problems with the Polar shelter, because... The plant belongs to the brambles, which means it is erect, and even has branches 2-3.5 cm in diameter. Therefore, my advice is to start forming a bush on a trellis while the shoots are still very small. Tie initially at an angle of 45 degrees. then, as you grow, bend down even more. You can pinch the shoot when it reaches a height of 60 cm and form the growing side branches horizontally. Growing blackberries on a trellis cannot be considered a simple gardening task, but the result will exceed all your expectations. I collected 3 and 5 kg from each bush, and from Chester in one season I collected 9 kg. fruits

Each gardener has his own preferences and chooses a variety based on their personal preferences. But Polar blackberries will not disappoint lovers of this delicious berry. Only northerners will have a more difficult time growing it, since the variety does not like frost.