Blackberry Triple Crown: variety description, cultivation, planting and care

The article presents Triple Crown blackberries: description of the variety, instructions for growing, care, and disease prevention.

Recently, blackberries have been actively gaining popularity among gardeners in our country. But our breeders are unlikely to be able to catch up with specialists from America, where we get most of the new and very interesting varieties. Among the best is the blackberry variety Triple Crown, which has been around for more than two decades and still retains its leading position. It is also called Triple Crown and Triple Crown.

Blackberry Triple Crown: origin of the variety

Blackberry Triple Crown: photo

The appearance of the Triple Crown blackberry occurred at the end of the 20th century. The work on its removal was carried out by a group of scientists from two scientific research centers from the city of Beltsville and Portland, Oregon. In order to develop a new thornless variety, the Black Magic and Columbia Star varieties were crossed.

The new variety did not hit store shelves during 8 years of testing conducted in Oregon.

Winter hardiness (frost resistance) of the variety

In berry crops, their frost resistance is valued. As for the triple crown, the plant is not suitable for the northern regions - it does not tolerate winters well. Even when grown in the Moscow region, the bushes will have to be carefully protected from freezing.

Note! Low winter hardiness is not the only disadvantage for areas with cold climates. In these areas, the bushes will not be able to bear fruit until October, as happens in the southern regions. Therefore, the plant will give a low yield, which makes the variety impractical for industrial cultivation.

And in areas with warm winters, blackberries should not be left without shelter. First, the stems are prepared as follows:

removed from garters;
those that bear fruit are pruned;
replacement branches are laid on the ground and straightened so that they do not break.

The stems are first wrapped with spandex, then covered with polyethylene. If everything is done correctly, blackberries can easily withstand cold temperatures down to minus 15 degrees. Otherwise, the branches under the shelter will begin to rot and freeze.

This is how the Triple Crown winters

Blackberry Triple Crown: variety description and characteristics

Blackberry Triple Crown: photo

Garden blackberry Triple Crown is a dessert variety that is among the best today. In our country, the variety is used for cultivation in private gardens; in America it is grown on an industrial scale. Overseas, it is believed that berries that are consumed fresh should first of all be tasty, and high yields are in the background or third.

The powerful shoots of the bushy Triple Crown blackberry are semi-creeping. In the first year of life in the garden, the length of the vines reaches 2 meters, and after some time, if you do not pinch, they grow another meter. The bushes are completely free of thorns.

The shape of the leaves of this variety is very different from other varieties, so you won’t be able to confuse them. Shape and density of the plant with black currant leaves. The ability to form shoots is good. Has a strong root system. The formation of flowers and fruits occurs on last year's growths.

The fruits are large in size, weighing on average 8 grams, and are collected in clusters. They can be oval-shaped, rounded or elongated. The surface is glossy black. Gardeners say that regardless of whether the berries are picked for the first time or the last, all the fruits are equally large in size. Inside there are small drupes.

Their sweet taste is slightly diluted with sourness and complemented by the aroma of plum and cherry. Tasters give the taste of these fruits a high score of 4.8 points, which coincides with the opinion of blackberry lovers in Russia.

The characteristics given to this variety are reliable because they have been tested by time. Two decades is enough time to understand how it behaves and what yields it produces in different habitats and climates. In the United States, the variety is grown on a large scale for sale; here it is highly valued by gardeners and people who own small farms. The fact is that Triple Crown yields are average, and in our country, varieties with high yields are used for cultivation on a large scale, while overseas, for dessert berries, the main thing is taste.

In that country, buyers will not eat berries with a sour or bitter taste, even despite the great benefits.

Blackberry bush propagation

Thornless blackberries are propagated by cuttings, offsets and apical shoots. The simplest and most effective way is propagation by cuttings. For this:

At the beginning of August, a strong, healthy, one-year-old shoot is selected and placed in a prepared trench to the depth of a spade bayonet.
The hole is buried, leaving the top of the shoot 10-15 cm above ground level.
The digging area is pressed down with a brick or stone. You can also fix the shoot to the ground with an aluminum bracket.
The earth is mulched and watered.
2 months after rooting, the soil is carefully dug up and the rooted seedling is separated from the mother bush.
The finished material is planted in a permanent prepared place.

Blackberries can be propagated in the same way at the end of September. Before the onset of frost, the shoot will take root, harden and be ready for spring transplantation. If you propagate at such a time, you must also remember about shelter for the winter.

Blackberry Triple Crown: advantages of the variety

Triple Crown blackberry: photo

When describing the thornless blackberry variety Triple Crown, we can first of all talk about its excellent taste, the ability to withstand transportation over long distances, and the fact that the variety has no thorns at all. However, America, where the berry is grown on an industrial scale, has a mild climate with warm winters. Therefore, other characteristics are also important to us.

The plant has low resistance to cold. It requires shelter not only in the middle latitudes, where the plant will not survive without it, but also in the southern regions. As for resistance to high temperatures and long periods of drought, everything is excellent here. The berries will not bake in the summer and need to be covered only during particularly hot periods. If you water correctly, even in hot weather the berries will not shrink.

For the Triple Crown blackberry variety, it is very important that the soil is fertile. In terms of care, it is not too demanding, but when growing, you should know a number of nuances that should be taken into account if you want to get good harvests of berries.

Nuances of agricultural technology

Despite the amazing taste, blackberries are very easy to care for. It is enough to follow a few simple rules for a bountiful and good harvest:

During the first time after planting, it is necessary to regularly weed and loosen the soil under the bush, almost daily. But when the plant is well rooted, you shouldn’t do this at all - blackberries have spreading roots.
Frequent watering of Triple Crown is not necessary, even rather harmful. The bushes need the most water in June and September - at this time they need to be watered once a week, but very generously. The rest of the time the frequency is the same, but less water.
It will not be possible to grow this variety normally without a trellis. Ideally, its height should be about two meters and it should have parallel fastenings. The shoots are wrapped around them - it turns out beautiful and comfortable. When the shoots reach the top, the top is cut off and the bushes begin to grow in width.
After the harvest is completed, the shoots are pruned.

3 Planting and growing a plant

Like all garden plants, the blackberry bush has its own preferences in care and cultivation. For high yields, it is necessary to follow the main stages: selection of seedlings, planting, watering and fertilizing, timely pruning and shelter for the winter.

By following these simple rules, your blackberry bush will delight you with large and tasty berries.

3.1 Selection of seedlings and site preparation

A seedling for planting should have 2-3 stems and a well-developed root system measuring more than 10 cm. The earthen ball should be moist and the roots without wrinkles, as they indicate that the bush was dug up a long time ago and has had time to dry out. Such an instance will take a long time and take root poorly. Before planting, the roots are trimmed and the cut site is treated with charcoal.

When choosing a site, you need to take into account that in the sun the berries will grow large and juicy, and ripening will occur faster and earlier. Although the variety is unpretentious to the soil, a good harvest can be obtained on loamy and alkaline soil. If the soil is acidified, it is diluted with wood ash.

Loams with a humus layer of at least 15 cm and a groundwater level no higher than 2 meters are ideal.

To protect from the wind, it is better to plant blackberries along the fence, leaving a distance of about a meter.

3.2 Planting a blackberry bush

Blackberries are planted in spring and autumn. Autumn planting has a number of advantages and is suitable for the southern and middle regions. During a period of stable and cool temperatures, the bush will build up a root system, which will help it survive the winter safely.

The variety comes out of hibernation very early, so autumn planting will allow it to quickly grow green mass and begin to bear fruit. The procedure is performed 2-3 weeks before the onset of frost.

When planted in spring, the plant slowly grows its root system due to the onset of sap flow and rapid warming. During this period, there is an increase in lateral shoots to the detriment of the roots, which greatly weakens the crop. In spring, seedlings are planted at an air temperature of +15-20 degrees.

Spring planting is suitable for northern regions.

The planting pit is prepared in 2-3 weeks. To do this, dig up the ground, remove weeds and add organic and mineral fertilizers. Since the root system of blackberries grows strongly, the hole is made 40x40x40 in size.

5 kg of humus, 120 g of superphosphate and 40 g of potassium sulfate are added to the excavated soil. Mix everything thoroughly and pour 2/3 of the volume into the hole.

The root system of the seedling is straightened and placed in the center so that the root collar is 2-3 cm below ground level. The top is covered with fertile soil, compacted thoroughly and watered generously. To provide the plant with additional nutrition and prevent the rapid appearance of weeds, the tree trunk circle is mulched with straw, peat or sawdust.

Since blackberries grow quickly, seedlings are planted at a distance of 2-2.5 meters. They can grow along fences and in open spaces. If there is no support nearby, then you need to make a trellis that will hold tall shoots. To do this, hammer in 2-meter slats at a distance of 1.5 meters and secure 3 tiers of aluminum wire:

1 tier at a height of 50 cm;
2 – 1 meter;
3 – 1.5 meters.

As they grow, the shoots are attached to the tiers, starting from the lowest. As soon as the seedling attached to the 3rd tier reaches the top, it is pinched. This will allow the rapid formation of side shoots, on which the long-awaited berries will eventually appear.

In the Triple Crown variety, the stems are tied to a trellis with a slight slope in one direction, and new shoots are tied to the opposite side from the fruiting branches.

Productivity, use, sustainability

The thornless Triple Crown blackberry begins to bear fruit in mid-summer, but in some regions in August. Long period of fruiting from a month to one and a half. This variety belongs to the mid-late variety.

It is difficult to say whether to grow Triple Crown in regions with cold climates; gardeners themselves need to make this decision. Thanks to late flowering, return frosts will not be a problem, but the fact that the bush bears fruit until September can deprive the harvest of about 15%.

You can harvest 13 kg from one blackberry bush. berries, but only several years after planting. When compared with technical varieties, these are not great indicators, but for dessert varieties they are very good.

It is interesting to know that the upper part of the shoots with flowers and berries can be dried and later brewed as tea. They bring much more benefits and give a more pleasant taste than leaves. You can stock up on them even when the first frosts begin.

Triple Crown blackberries are a dessert variety that can be eaten fresh. It has a good shelf life if cool conditions are created and can easily be transported. In addition, the variety is excellent for making juices, wines, freezing and for various preparations.

Triple Crown blackberries have good resistance to diseases and harmful insects. If pests do occur, they are extremely rare. However, this does not mean that preventive measures are not necessary, especially if the plants are densely planted or grown on large plantations.

a brief description of

Breeders declared Triple Crown as a variety for industrial cultivation - there are objective prerequisites for this.

Advantages of the variety

High yield and excellent taste of huge berries.
The collected berries retain their presentation for up to 10 days at a temperature of +5...7 degrees.
The dense consistency of blackberry fruits allows them to be transported over long distances.
Resistant to heat and drought.
The flowering period of the variety falls at the end of June, when return frosts are not dangerous and the ovaries are not in danger.
Resistance of the variety to diseases and pests of the European continent.

Disadvantages of the variety

Huge-length shoots require the installation of strong supports and careful shaping.
Insufficient winter hardiness (no more than -13 degrees) - even in the Central region it requires reliable shelter.

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Blackberry Triple Crown: planting varieties

It is quite simple to propagate Triple Crown garden blackberries using apical cuttings, tilting them towards the ground for rooting. It is important to select a shoot from a young age of the plant and bend it to the ground, since after a couple of years this will be quite difficult to do.

Root cuttings are also perfect for propagation, but green ones do not take root very well. The plant can also be propagated by dividing an adult bush.

When to plant

The process of planting and care is practically no different from how these activities are carried out with other varieties.

In the territories of the southern regions, planting should be carried out in the autumn, 30 days before the first frost arrives. But the best option would be to start planting as soon as the hot period ends, during the period September-October.

In colder regions, planting should be done in the spring after the soil has warmed up. Before the start of winter, blackberries will have enough time to adapt and take root.

Place

In the mid-latitudes and in the north of the country, planting should be carried out in an area well lit by the sun and protected from the winds. In the southern regions, a little shading will not hurt. The location of groundwater should be at a depth of at least one and a half meters from the ground.

As for the type of soil, the thornless Triple Crown blackberry has more requirements for it than any other, especially if the planting is thickened.

How to prepare the soil

The planting hole should go to a depth of half a meter and its diameter should be the same. In order to prepare an earthen mixture, you need to mix turf, humus (1 bucket), potassium (50 grams), phosphorus (150 grams). If the soil has a lot of alkali or is neutral, then you need to add a little acidic peat. Carbonate soil needs humus, clay soil needs sand. Lime must be added to soil with a high acidity level.

If you don’t have the time or opportunity to prepare the soil correctly, then you should think about whether it’s worth planting this variety at all. After all, Triple Thrawn is very capricious regarding the soil.

The planting hole is filled 2/3 full with the prepared soil mixture, watered abundantly and left for a couple of weeks.

Buying a seedling

It is necessary to buy seedlings exclusively in specialized stores. Buying from unknown people who do not have documents is very dangerous.

Carefully inspect the plant before purchasing. Its shoot must be strong and flexible, the bark must have a smooth surface and be free of any damage. It is important to remember that this variety has no thorns at all. The root system should be well developed, flexible and smell like fresh earth.

If the root system is closed, then it is watered and planted. If it is open, then you need to place it in water and keep it there for 12 hours. To help the plant take root better, you can add a growth stimulator to the water.

How to plant

In order to get large yields, plants must be planted keeping a distance of one and a half meters between plants, and at least 3.5 meters between rows. In industrial production, these distances are somewhat smaller.

First of all, in the center of the hole you need to form a mound on which the plant is planted, carefully straightening its roots and hanging them around the mound. Afterwards, you need to fill the hole with an earthen mixture, so that the root collar goes one and a half centimeters deep into the ground and is well compacted. Next, you need to water it generously using a bucket of water and mulch with acidic peat.

Main characteristics of the Triple Crown blackberry

According to the agrotechnical classification, blackberries belong to the Rosaceae family, the raspberry genus, and the blackberry subgenus. A comparative analysis of raspberry and blackberry varieties allows us to conclude: with similar indicators, the yield of the latter is 2–3 times higher. The harvested crop does not lose its presentation and quality of berries for 7–10 days at a storage temperature of +5 to +7 ºС. This allows the crop to be transported over several days and over long distances. The growing season of plants is also of certain importance. The risk of damage to peduncles by spring frosts is minimal, since blackberries bloom later than raspberries.

For growing Triple Crown blackberry seedlings, areas with a temperate climate are most suitable, i.e., warm, long summers and mild, snowy winters. These plants belong to the summer fruiting type, so in most regions of Russia they need protection from the unfavorable factors of the autumn-winter period. To guarantee a good overwintering, it is necessary to create conditions in advance for the plant to timely pass through critical phases of development. An important role is played by the correct choice of place for growing blackberries, quality indicators of soil composition, rational use of fertilizers, and regular watering.

In the northern regions of Russia, where there is a risk of the berries of the Triple Crown variety not ripening, there are subtleties when pruning plants in spring: leave only the strongest, most viable stems, and cut out replacement shoots to the maximum. In this case, the harvest will not be as abundant, but the blackberries will ripen sooner, before the first winter cold.

Important: before the onset of the first frost, blackberry shoots must be ripe and completely healthy, and the root system must be well developed.

Blackberries of the Triple Crown variety have a number of undoubted advantages:

large sweet berries of high quality;
the ability to maintain presentation during long-term storage and transportation;
the ripening period of the crop is long (from 2 to 3 months, it depends on the growing region), while the size of the berries is the same throughout the entire fruiting period;
plants are resistant to diseases and are not affected by pests;
in summer, at high air temperatures, the berries do not dry out, but in case of extreme heat they require shading;
undemanding to soil quality - plants develop well in any type of soil, provided there is sufficient watering and fertilization;
serves as a real decoration of the garden: in spring, blackberry bushes are covered with large white or light pink flowers, in summer and autumn - with spectacular, shiny black and dark red berries;
the absence of thorns on the branches facilitates mass harvesting, so the cultivation of blackberries can be of industrial importance.

For all its advantages, the Triple Crown variety also has some disadvantages:

insufficient winter hardiness of the bushes - in the northern regions, with the early onset of autumn cold, the crop sometimes does not have time to ripen in full;
the need to cover plants for the winter - in the fall, shoots are removed from their support before frost sets in and covered with protective material.

Blackberry production is so technologically advanced and profitable that over the past 15 years it has significantly replaced raspberries in many producing countries.
Dynamic growth in blackberry acreage is observed in Spain, Ireland, France, Hungary, Bulgaria and Poland. And Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro even started producing wine from its berries. V.V.
Yakimov, experienced gardener, Samara Magazine “Gardens of Russia”, No. 2, February 2011

Blackberry Triple Crown: variety care

In areas where planting is carried out in the spring, the plant must be regularly watered a couple of times a week. In the southern regions, during autumn planting, this will not be necessary, since the rainy season begins there, and this will be quite enough for moisture.

What the yields will be depends on how densely the bushes are planted and tying. During the cultivation of the variety, it became clear that the close arrangement of the bushes to each other and the vertical arrangement of the shoots on the trellis allows one to obtain large yields. This quality distinguishes the plant from other varieties that require more space for abundant fruiting.

The trellis can be multi-row or T-shaped. Its height should be 2 meters. The lashes are tied in a vertical position, the previous year on one side, and the newly appeared ones on the other.

Good yields are only possible if blackberry bushes are fed intensively.

Watering activities should be carried out during dry periods every 7 or 14 days. How often they need to be carried out will depend on the temperature outside and how dry the ground is. Blackberries are moisture-loving, but stagnant moisture can have a bad effect on them. If you have doubts about watering, it is better to water, since dried out roots are much more dangerous for the plant.

Triple Crown garden blackberries must be fed intensively, especially when planted closely, so that they have enough nutrition when fruiting begins.

The first feeding is carried out with the onset of spring. During this period, nitrogen fertilizers are applied. When flowering begins, fertilizers should contain a complex of minerals. During the period when fruit formation occurs, it is necessary to feed the plants twice with organic matter, using infusions of cow manure or grass. In the first case, the dilution is 1 to 10, in the second, 1 to 4. As soon as the harvest is harvested, you need to feed the plant with potassium. During the entire growing season, it is necessary to spray the bushes twice a month using a careless complex and epin.

When using fertilizers, make sure that they do not contain chlorine.

Loosening is carried out in spring and autumn, and during flowering the soil must be mulched using acidic peat or humus.

Features of planting and growing

Like all plants that live in gardens and personal plots, blackberries have their own growing characteristics. The main stages: planting, fertilizing, watering, seasonal pruning and shelter for the winter.

Selecting a site and planting seedlings

Blackberries grow best on loose, breathable loams of medium acidity (pH 5.5–6.0). Although the presence of a large amount of organic matter in the soil will help increase productivity. A layer of humus about 25 cm thick will be enough to improve the condition of the soil. When planting, it is necessary to take into account that blackberries do not like high soil moisture, since in this case its root system is subject to significant cooling in spring and autumn. The result may be a decrease in resistance to cold and slower growth and development of the plant. In the place where it is planned to plant a berry garden, the distance from the groundwater level to the surface of the earth should not exceed 1–1.5 m.

Important: blackberries cannot be grown in areas with high salinity, swampy, sandy and rocky soils.

When choosing a place to plant blackberries, you should give preference to an open area, preferably with a southern or southwestern orientation. Shading leads to slow growth of young shoots, and the berries become smaller and tasteless. If possible, it is best to plant blackberry bushes along the fence. In this case, the fence will act as a natural protection for plants from the wind, and shoots from damage. To prevent the fence from heavily shading the plants, the distance from it to the row of bushes should be about 1 m.

By planting blackberry bushes along the mesh fence of the area, you can get a beautiful hedge

Before planting seedlings in the ground on the site, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work. To do this, you need to dig up the soil 2-3 weeks before the intended planting. As a rule, a digging depth of 30–35 cm is sufficient. This will get rid of weeds, which can take nutrients from the soil during the growth of young seedlings.

Digging a planting hole. The blackberry bush has a developed powerful root system, so the planting area should be quite spacious. The most suitable hole would be 0.5 m wide and deep.
Pre-prepared fertilizers are mixed with soil from the dump, and the resulting mixture fills the planting hole to approximately 2/3 of its volume.
During planting, the seedling is held vertically and its roots are carefully straightened.
Read also: Cherry Zhelannaya: description of the variety, photos, reviews, pollinators
During planting, the roots need to be straightened and the root collar should be deepened into the hole no more than 3–5 cm
The remaining mixture is poured into the hole to the very top, not reaching the ground level of 1–2 cm. The depression thus formed under the seedling will help rationally moisten the root system.
Then the soil in the hole is compacted, and the seedling must be watered after planting. For irrigation, 5–6 liters of water will be enough.
To prevent crust from appearing on the soil and protect the young plant from weeds, as well as provide additional nutrition to the roots, it is advisable to mulch the tree trunk circle. Organic material is suitable for this - sawdust, peat or rotted manure.
After watering, you need to mulch the tree trunk with organic material.

Organic and mineral fertilizers used when planting blackberries:

compost or humus 5–7 kg;
superphosphate 120 g;
potassium sulfate 40 g.

Table: distance between blackberry seedlings depending on the type of planting

Type of landings	Distance between
Type of landings	in rows	bushes
Garden (garden) plot	2.5–3 m	2–2.5 m
Farming	2.5 m	1.2–1.5 m

In recent years, we have come to the conclusion that the most suitable option for our region is dense planting of thornless blackberry bushes, so we have reduced the intervals in new plantings to one meter between bushes in a row.
In the rather dry climate of the Middle Volga region, such a planting scheme seemed quite justified: the berries were less exposed to the sun in the summer heat, the costs associated with watering were reduced, and the yield increased due to more intensive use of the land with the same costs for trellises and fertilizers. V.V.
Yakimov, experienced gardener, Samara Magazine “Gardens of Russia”, No. 1, January 2012

Video: planting seedlings in spring

Growing blackberries on a trellis

Considering that blackberries have shoots up to 7 m long, growing this plant requires the use of a special structure - a trellis, which is made of copper or galvanized steel wire with a diameter of 3-4 mm or a mesh with the same parameters. To fasten the wire, use wooden or metal supports, concreted or dug into the ground. The height of the supports usually does not exceed 2 m (the height of a person with a raised hand). Install the wire in tiers in increments of 50 cm, starting from a distance of 0.5–0.8 m from the ground level to a height of 1.8 m. The preferred installation height of the upper tier is 1.6–1.7 m.

To securely secure blackberry shoots to a trellis, various methods are used, including weaving. In the spring, after being released from winter shelter, the shoots that will produce a harvest in the summer are tied to the upper tier of the trellis, wrapped 1-2 times around the wire and tied to the middle tier. Then the stems are lifted and tied again to the upper tier, after which they are secured. One-year-old young shoots are fixed on the lower tier, wrapping around the wire 2–3 times.

Depending on the length of the shoots, there are different types of blackberry garter on a trellis: in the form of a spiral, in the form of a wave, garter in a straight line

Feeding and watering

The application of fertilizers is of great importance in the process of growing blackberries and promotes proper development and sustainable fruiting. Fertilize plants in spring and autumn in accordance with the table. It should be taken into account that if full fertilizer was applied during planting, then the next fertilizing should be done no earlier than two years later.

Plants should be fed only after watering.

Along with applying fertilizer, it is advisable to spray the shoots with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture. This will prevent the development of microorganisms.

Table: feeding blackberries with mineral and organic fertilizers

Fertilizer application frequency	Type of fertilizer (quantity per 1 m²)
	organic		mineral
	humus, compost	rotted pig manure, chicken droppings	ammonium nitrate	superphosphate	potassium sulfate
Annually	6–8 kg	6–8 kg	50 g	–	–
Once every 3–4 years	8 kg	8 kg	–	100 g	30 g

The deep root system of plants determines the drought resistance of the Triple Crown. But plants still require regular and sufficient watering, especially when the crop is ripe or in very hot weather. The optimal amount of water when watering an adult blackberry bush is about 15–20 liters per week. Drip irrigation is recommended, in which moisture evenly and gradually penetrates the soil, without over-wetting it, but also without drying it out.

Pruning seedlings

Timely pruning of blackberry bushes makes it possible to maintain their shape and also regulate the density of plants. On an annual shoot, all inflorescences should be removed. This will stimulate the development of roots instead of the plant growing green mass. In two-year-old seedlings, the shoots are shortened, leaving stems 1.5–1.8 m long. Pruning is done in early spring, before the buds open.

Parts of the stems frozen in winter are cut back to the nearest living bud. When thinning blackberry bushes in the spring, usually 8 to 12 shoots are left. Leaving fewer stems allows the berries to ripen faster and increase their size.

To enhance growth and development in summer, plants should be thinned again. Five to seven of the strongest shoots are selected, and the remaining annual branches are cut off. The tops of the remaining annuals are shortened by 8–10 cm. During autumn pruning, the shoots that bear fruit in the summer are cut out at the root.

To prepare annual shoots for winter shelter in advance, in the spring a branch 30–50 cm long is tilted and secured to the ground surface using hooks or staples. Thanks to this arrangement, the shoot grows in a horizontal direction, which makes it easy to cover it for the winter.

Video: autumn pruning of blackberries

Shelter for the winter

Like most blackberry varieties, Triple Crown has low winter hardiness and cannot withstand extreme cold. Frosts down to 18–20 °C are critical for it. To preserve plants during wintering, in the fall after pruning they are prepared for shelter for the winter. The stems are first tied into bunches and then laid on the ground. To secure the laid shoots, special staples or hooks are used. It is necessary to prepare blackberries for wintering before the first frost, since at an air temperature of -1 ° C the stems become fragile and brittle.

There are several ways to lay stems: bending the shoots to one side and tying the tops to the base of an adjacent bush;
tilting the shoots towards each other and tying them together as close as possible to the base of the bush; “braiding” along the row. With any of the above methods, the shoots after laying should be no higher than 30–40 cm above the soil. I.A.
Bokhan, candidate of agricultural sciences Sciences, Bryansk Magazine “Gardens of Russia”, No. 9, December 2010

The stems laid in this way are covered with a special protective material such as spunbond, usually in two layers. For the regions of central Russia with their snowy winters, such shelter is quite sufficient. You can use sawdust, thick synthetic film, as well as pine branches for shelter. The use of ephedra will additionally protect shoots from rodents .

The color of the protective material is not particularly important

For blackberries, the most dangerous time is winter - the period when snow has not yet fallen, but frost has already arrived . It is important to have time to cover the plants before the first frost. It is also advisable to add additional snow on them during the winter, creating high snowdrifts.

Video: preparing blackberries for wintering

Pruning the Triple Crown blackberry variety and preparing for winter

As soon as fruiting is over, it is necessary to prune the old shoots to the very base. During spring pruning, no more than 12 of the strongest shoots are left. To obtain larger berries and speed up their ripening, you should reduce the number of branches on which fruit formation occurs. This will slightly reduce the yield, but will significantly increase the quality.

In the summer, young shoots must be pinned twice when their length reaches 45 centimeters. However, some gardeners prefer not to do this. You can try different options and decide for yourself what to do. Damaged and weakened branches can be removed at any time.

Before frost sets in, you need to remove the lashes from the trellises, bend them to the ground and secure them with staples.

It is interesting to know that most gardeners plan shelter in the spring and tilt the lashes to the surface of the earth even then. In this way, young shoots are trained and pinned to the ground until they reach 40 centimeters.

You can cover the thornless Triple Crown blackberry with spruce branches, straw, Jerusalem artichoke or agrofibre.

Reproduction

Triple Crown is propagated by rooting tops or cuttings.

When the apical part is rooted in mid-July-early August, annual shoots bend to the ground and then are buried, or the upper 10–15 centimeters are hilled. After 3 - 4 weeks, well-developed roots and new stems will appear at the buried upper part of the shoot, which are covered with leaves and spruce branches. In the spring season, the new plant is separated from the mother bush and replanted.

When propagating using lignified cuttings on existing stumps, a grafting procedure is carried out using the method of improved copulation of long-length cuttings (20 - 40 centimeters). After grafting, the cuttings are bent down and buried 2–5 centimeters into the container to the place where the grafting was carried out.

Diseases and pests

The Triple Crown variety has strong immunity and can successfully resist common blackberry diseases and attacks from common pests. However, we should not forget about preventive measures, because dense planting of the plant promotes the expansion of the territory affected by the infection. It is recommended to spray blackberries with copper preparations before winter and after removing the covers.

Landing technology

Proper planting is the key to obtaining a healthy bush with good fruiting. During disembarkation, simple rules are followed.

Best timing

Crown seedlings are planted in the ground in the spring. A prerequisite is that the soil must warm up well. To avoid late frosts, choose the end of April or the beginning of May.

Required soil composition

Loamy soil with good breathability will help accelerate the growth of shrubs. The future site where blackberries will grow is cleared of weeds. Superphosphate and compost are added to the soil.

Choosing the optimal location

Crown loves a sunny side, protected from the wind. The blackberry bed should be on a hill. For the best taste of the berries, the branches must have access to sunlight.

Preparation of seedlings

A healthy sprout for planting, 12 months old, with a developed root system. One plant should have 2 thick stems.

It is important that the blackberry root shoots are covered with buds.

Planting scheme

Procedure:

A hole 50 cm deep is dug.
A seedling is placed in the recess.
The straightened blackberry roots are covered with soil.
After compacting the earth, 3 liters of water are poured in.
The surface of the earth can be mulched with peat or compost.

As soon as the sprout is planted, it needs to be trimmed. The top is removed and 20-25 cm is left above the ground. A distance of at least 1 m is left between planted bushes.

How to ensure high productivity?

Gardeners often consider blackberries to be a barren bush with tasteless berries. But this is not always the case, you just need to properly care for the plant.

Description of the blackberry Triple Crown in terms of agricultural technology is somewhat reminiscent of that of raspberries. All shoots are divided into:

fruit-bearing;
replacement (grow in May and bear fruit the following year).

They try to make replacement shoots horizontal. In this case, they are easy to cover before the onset of cold weather. Fruiting branches are tied to a trellis.

Replacement branches grow upward; it is difficult to simply bend them down in the fall. Therefore, when the branch is 30-50 cm long, it is tilted and attached to the ground with a hook. Then you can pinch the growing point.

After the harvest is harvested, the fruiting branches are removed.

Snow will best protect all laid shoots. But if frost sets in and the snow never falls, it is necessary to cover it with non-woven material or organic matter. Cardboard and polyethylene are also suitable.

Blackberries are not susceptible to diseases and parasites. Viral diseases occur, but they do not reduce the yield level.