Blackberry propagation: simple, proven and reliable methods

Even a novice gardener can easily grow blackberries; they are unpretentious to growing conditions. In the fall, propagating your favorite variety of blackberries - healthy, tasty fruits - by cuttings on your plot is simple and easy. There are a large number of available ways to propagate blackberries by cuttings; in spring, as at other times of the year, it is not difficult to increase the number of bushes on a site.

Features of reproduction

In nature, wild blackberries have excellent survival properties and rapid reproduction. It is unpretentious, which is why it easily adapts to any climate, weather conditions and soil. And cultivated blackberries, like all domesticated plants, require certain gardener skills.

You can grow blackberries using many methods. When choosing a propagation method, you need to take into account the time of the procedure, since all breeding work should be carried out in early spring, summer or autumn.

In spring and summer

In the spring months you can propagate the plant:

• using cuttings;
• sowing seeds;
• dividing the bush.
• offspring.

It is recommended to plan the event before the first leaves form. The offspring should be detached only at the beginning of summer. Seedlings planted at this time will have time to take root, which is why they will no longer be afraid of the first frosts in the fall.

Summer is a favorable period for propagation by layering obtained by burying branches in the ground. At this point, you can plant the bushes, dividing them into several daughter plants.

High temperatures in summer can have a bad effect on the survival rate of young bushes. In hot weather, it is recommended to mulch the tree trunk of the seedlings to preserve moisture.

in autumn

For the autumn period, the following propagation methods are practiced:

• cuttings;
• layering;
• using seeds;
• dividing the bush.

Also, when choosing a breeding option, it is important to take into account the blackberry variety:

1. For upright bushes, propagation by suckers, cuttings, or dividing the bush is suitable, but it is unlikely that it will be possible to obtain planting material from layering.
2. For creeping species, propagation by layering, cuttings, and suckers is recommended.
3. Thornless blackberry varieties are best propagated from the tops of annual shoots.

As a result, each gardener chooses for himself both the optimal period for the procedure and the most ideal way to obtain new material, based on the variety of fruit crop.

Features of cuttings of blackberry species

The method of propagation will depend on what type of blackberry you choose. And although cuttings are considered a fairly effective method, there are still certain features.

Thornless

Under no circumstances should the root cutting method be used for thornless varieties. Such propagation will result in bushes with thorns. With green and woody cuttings, most of the shoots may die, so this is not a very effective propagation method for thornless blackberries.

Video: propagation of thornless blackberries by cuttings

Remontantnaya

The main difference between remontant blackberries and other varieties is the ability to bear fruit twice a year. Rooting of cuttings occurs in the summer so that the finished seedlings can be planted on the site in late August or early September. Thus, in the spring, young bushes will be able to bear fruit.

Stambova

Standard blackberries are best propagated by cuttings from woody shoots. This is a fairly old method, but very effective. In order for standard varieties to take root well, they need to be provided with constant feeding.

Ordinary

Common blackberries are successfully propagated by any method of cuttings. But the most effective will be root cuttings. This way you will get a lot of strong seedlings. Be sure to regularly water and feed the cuttings. In just a month, the planting material will be ready for planting.

Cuttings

Growing blackberries from cuttings can hardly be called easy, but this method deserves attention; most gardeners prefer it.

Steblevs

This method is one of the simplest and most versatile options that allows you to obtain a large number of seedlings.

Detailed instructions for propagation from stem cuttings:

1. In October, when the shoots of the current year become woody, you need to cut cuttings up to 40 cm in length and dig them into the ground to a depth of 20 cm.
2. In April, dig up the cuttings and cut off their ends again.
3. Spread the material at a distance of 10-15 cm from one another and sprinkle with soil.
4. For successful germination, stretch the film over the cuttings on the arches. Open and ventilate the greenhouse regularly. Constantly water with settled water and do not forget to eliminate weeds.
5. Once sprouts with 2-3 leaves are formed, dig up cuttings. Each will have 2-3 sprouts with roots, which need to be divided and planted for growing in individual pots.
6. When the bushes have formed stems and new foliage, plant them in a permanent place.

This option can be used for growing any variety of fruit crop.

Growing blackberries using stem cuttings in winter in perlite:

Green

In the summer, you can propagate blackberries using green cuttings taken from the top of the bush.

This requires:

1. In July, cut off the top part of several shoots at an angle of 45°. The cuttings should be 20 cm long.
2. Cut a small stalk with 2 leaves from the bottom of the shoots. There is no need to take the top for propagation.
3. The bottom leaf should be cut off, not forgetting to leave a small stump, and the top leaf plate should be shortened by half.
4. Plant each cutting in separate containers with a soil mixture of peat, garden soil, and perlite in equal proportions. It is recommended to pre-treat the seedlings in a root growth stimulator.
5. For cuttings, it is important to build an unventilated greenhouse with a temperature of +30°C and a humidity of 96%.
6. When new leaves form on the seedlings, they need to be ventilated.
7. After a week, transplant to the prepared area.

The disadvantage of this method is that the survival rate of green cuttings is only 10%. To increase this indicator, it is important to germinate them in a specially equipped greenhouse with high air humidity.

Root

This option is used for breeding both creeping and erect varieties of crops that do not produce root suckers.

It is not recommended to propagate thornless varieties of blackberries by root cuttings, since they grow into thorny plants.

Detailed instructions:

1. In the spring or autumn months, dig up the rhizome of a fruit-bearing bush with special care.
2. Divide it into parts. It is optimal to take young 1-3 year old roots, 0.5-1.5 cm thick, 7-10 cm long.
3. If the material for planting is prepared in the spring months, then the roots should be placed in a container and sprinkled with soil to a thickness of 3 cm. When the seedlings grow up and the threat of spring frosts has passed, the planting material can be planted in the garden bed.
4. If the procedure was carried out in the fall, then the root cuttings should be stored in a cool room with a temperature of +2 to +5 ° C, after placing them in a plastic bag. During storage, it is important to check the condition of the material and ventilate it once a week. At the end of February, plant the cuttings in containers and place them on the windowsill.
5. When warm weather arrives, the grown plants can be transplanted into the garden. When planting, place the cuttings in trenches to a depth of 10 cm, with a distance of 20 cm between them, and 70-80 cm between rows. Sprinkle with loose soil and water regularly until rooting.
6. By autumn, excellent material will grow with 1-2 shoots and a developed root system.

Details about root cuttings:

This breeding method is notable for the fact that the germination rate of planting material is 70%, provided that all manipulations are performed correctly.

Planting cuttings in the ground and caring for them

Before planting a crop, you need to choose an area protected from cold winds, which is well lit by the sun, without stagnant water. Blackberry bushes take root well in beds where legumes and cereals were previously grown.

In the spring, the cuttings are planted in the ground before the buds open, and in the fall - before the first frost. They are placed in furrows to a depth of 10 cm in a horizontal position. After this, they are covered with soil and watered abundantly. The main conditions for caring for the site are periodic fertilization, weed removal and mulching.

By layering

This method is suitable for climbing varieties of fruit crops. In this case, there should be a large number of bushes on the site, since only healthy fruit-bearing branches must be used to form planting material.

Step-by-step guide to propagating blackberries by layering:

1. In August, dig a ditch 20 cm deep and place an annual shoot in it so that only its upper part is above the ground level.
2. The top needs to be trimmed by 10 cm. This will stop growth and direct all efforts to rooting and growing new branches.
3. Sprinkle the furrow with the fixed shoot with fertile soil.
4. Mulch the cuttings and moisten them abundantly.

Over the course of 1-2 months, new shoots will form on the buried branch, each with its own root system, which need to be dug up, carefully disconnected from the mother plant and planted in a prepared bed.

For better rooting, it is recommended to cut the bark in a place that will be located in the soil. This way the roots will grow faster and the plant will form.

With proper care, cuttings rooted in this way will delight you with a harvest already in the 2nd year of life.

How to propagate blackberries in the fall: a review of methods – Country Affairs

Autumn is considered a good time for propagating blackberries in summer cottages. There are several ways to do this.

Blackberries can be propagated at any time of the year, except the winter months. The advantage of autumn propagation is that the plant enters a dormant period, and in winter natural stratification occurs (acceleration of germination under the influence of cold temperature), after which the seedlings become more hardy.

In the fall, you can get new blackberries in the following ways:

• dividing the bush;
• horizontal layers;
• root cuttings;
• stem cuttings;
• dormant buds.

Offspring

The simplest method that requires the least effort from the gardener. Many erect blackberry varieties produce a large number of root shoots (suckers). They are usually removed because the suckers compete with the main bush for nutrients and moisture. But you can successfully use them for growing berry crops.

Detailed diagram of blackberry propagation by offspring:

1. For harvesting, choose an abundantly fruiting shrub with clearly expressed varietal characteristics. At the same time, it must be powerful, healthy and intact. Each bush is capable of forming up to 12-15 offspring. Only those that have a stem at least 0.8 cm thick and a non-bent, erect stem are suitable for breeding.
2. At the beginning of June, when the height of the shoots reaches 10-12 cm, or at the end of August, you need to carefully dig them up and select those that have a root system with a strong lobe and long roots of 15-20 cm.
3. Cut the root connecting the offspring to the mother plant and immediately plant it in a permanent place.

The first flowering is observed on blackberries already in the 2nd year of life. But it is recommended to remove the inflorescences - this year it is important for the bush to direct all its efforts to the growth and development of the root system. You should not regret it, since the fruits will still form small and will not ripen completely. But next season the plant will delight you with abundant fruiting.

When to propagate blackberries in spring, summer and autumn

Blackberries are a plant that can be propagated well by cuttings; they can be grown in the fall and at any other time of the year. Even in winter, some work is carried out. Reproduction methods must be chosen in accordance with the time of year. Those that are effective in the spring will not bring the expected results in the fall:

1. From March to May, blackberries are propagated by planting previously rooted cuttings in a permanent place. The apical and stem layers dug for rooting in the previous season are also replanted. Early division of the bush gives excellent results; it is done immediately after the ground has thawed.
2. In July, the plant finishes growing green mass, the shoots enter the ripening stage, so summer methods are associated with green shoots. Crown cuttings are dug into the ground, and green cuttings are germinated in specially created beds with high humidity. Dividing a bush in summer is dangerous: heat and lack of abundant watering can negatively affect both the transplanted and the mother plant. Without mulching and abundant watering, they can be lost.

3. From August to October they harvest woody stems and root shoots for spring work next season. Also, blackberries are cut in the fall and added dropwise to layering, root shoots are harvested, and previously divided bushes are planted. At the same time, the green shoots sprouted in the spring are rooted.

The autumn garden is the most suitable place for propagating berries by cuttings. In autumn, the arsenal of cultivation methods is optimal, and seedlings have the highest survival rate.

Seeds

The seed method will require patience and strength from the gardener. The first fruiting can be expected only after 4 years, and a full harvest will please you after 5 years.

Procurement of seeds

For propagation by seeds, it is better to buy planting material at a garden center. If you wish, you can prepare it yourself, for this:

1. Collect overripe berries from a healthy bush that is not damaged by diseases and pests.
2. Grind the fruits to separate the grains.
3. Add water and stir.
4. Seeds suitable for sowing will fall to the bottom, and those that remain on the surface must be disposed of.
5. Repeat the procedure twice.
6. Spread the resulting material on paper and dry it in a shaded place.

Store seeds in a cool, damp place for up to 1 year, otherwise dried grains will lose their germination capacity, and poorly dried ones will rot.

Sowing time

It is recommended to plan sowing work in the spring through seedlings, having previously subjected the seeds to stratification, and in the fall, when the plants have gone into a dormant state and dropped their leaves.

Soil and seed preparation

You can use river sand or peat chips as soil. Peat tablets are suitable, as well as a soil mixture containing garden soil, peat and sand in equal parts.

Fill the containers 1/3 full with the prepared substrate to cover the soil as the seedlings grow. This will promote root development and improve plant nutrition.

Before planting, the seeds should be soaked for 2-3 days in rainwater. After the procedure, they need to be stratified by mixing with the substrate (1:3), evenly distributing in containers, moistening and refrigerating for 2 months.

Every 1-1.5 weeks, check the condition of the soil, watering as necessary and ventilating to prevent the composition from drying out.

Spring sowing

Step-by-step instructions for sowing seeds in spring:

1. Dip the seeds into the soil mixture to a depth of 4-5 mm, maintaining a distance of 3 cm between planting units.
2. Moisten, cover with film and provide additional lighting.
3. During the process of seed germination, care is important, which includes watering every 4-5 days and fertilizing every 1-1.5 weeks.
4. When the seedlings have 4 leaves, they should be planted in the garden bed, maintaining a distance of 10-15 cm.
5. In the summer months, it is necessary to create comfortable conditions for plants: moisten, fertilize, remove weeds and loosen.
6. For the winter, sprinkle the row spacing with sawdust or humus, bend the seedlings to the ground and cover with agrofibre.

In spring, young plants are planted in a permanent place.

Autumn sowing

Sowing in autumn produces hardened and more viable seedlings and eliminates the need for growing seedlings. First, it is important to choose a suitable bed. It should be level and open, without drafts or gusty winds. Also, you cannot sow blackberries in lowlands, since stagnant moisture will cause rotting of the root system.

The selected bed must be prepared by removing weeds, digging the soil and adding peat and humus. Then moisten the soil, make furrows up to 15 mm deep, sow seeds and sprinkle with fertile substrate.

In the spring, cover the blackberry bed with film to prevent frost damage to the plants. Aftercare is standard.

Late spring transplant

It is extremely undesirable to replant blackberries in late spring - the plant has already actively begun to grow, is putting out new shoots with leaves, and it may not have enough strength to take root well. But sometimes situations arise when replanting is extremely necessary, for example, if construction of a new facility has begun and the site is being redeveloped.

Find out also about the use of blackberry leaves for medicinal purposes.

To transplant a green blackberry bush to a new location at the end of May, it is advisable to choose a cloudy day or carry out work at a time when there is no “direct” sun (at dawn or after sunset). The rhizome of a dug up bush will wither very quickly, reducing the chances of a successful outcome of the event, so removing the bush and placing it in a new place should happen as quickly as possible.

During the first week, the plant will need abundant watering - during this period, you can water the bush every other day, adding 8–10 liters of settled water. In all other respects, the process of late transplantation does not differ from the early spring one.

At the stage of preparing a new planting hole, you should create a barrier for future planting, create an artificial shadow, for example, pull up an awning.

Dividing the bush

This method is practiced only in cases where the plant does not have young shoots and there is no way to bend the top to the soil (erect varieties). The procedure is carried out in the fall a month before frost or in the spring immediately after the snow melts.

Sequencing:

1. The day before the procedure, water the soil under the plant.
2. Dig a ditch along the perimeter of the bush, at a distance of 30-40 cm from the root collar. Cut off the roots remaining outside it.
3. Carefully remove the bush.
4. Shake it lightly to free the roots from the soil.
5. Divide the roots into several parts. Each division should have 1-2 shoots of the current year with roots.
6. Free the parts from old stems, damaged and rotten roots. Shorten shoots to 30 cm.
7. Plant the resulting seedlings on the prepared area, keeping a distance between them of up to 1 m, and between rows - 2.5 m.

Using this method, you can get up to 5 strong seedlings from 1 plant.

Specifics of blackberry propagation at different times of the year

Growing blackberries in natural conditions at home is not so difficult. Planting at certain times of the year has its own specifics. Plants are mainly planted in spring and autumn. In summer, bushes are planted in extreme cases, when there is no other opportunity to plant blackberry bushes. In autumn, it is recommended to plant the plant in the southern and central regions.

High humidity promotes spectacular root growth in winter. With the onset of spring, seedlings actively begin to grow.

When cuttings are planted in the spring, they do not have time to take root before the onset of warm weather. And when it gets warm, the cuttings immediately begin to increase their leaf mass, which does not have a very good effect on the yield and health of the plants. In autumn, cuttings are planted one month before the onset of cold weather. And in the spring, you need to plant cuttings until the air temperature rises to +15 degrees.

Dormant kidney

In the fall, cuttings 15 cm long must be prepared from one-year-old shoots, and they must have 3 dormant buds. This material should be stored in a cool place (refrigerator, cellar).

With the onset of spring, it is important to follow the following procedure:

1. In March, turn the cuttings over with the top bud down and place them in a transparent container.
2. Fill the bowl with water so that it covers only one bud,
3. The liquid must be added as it evaporates, and the material must be kept on the windowsill.
4. The awakened bud will sprout as a shoot with roots. It must be disconnected and planted in a container with loose and nutritious soil.
5. After this, the next kidney is sent into the water, and all manipulations are repeated again.

The method of propagating blackberries with a dormant bud is recommended for climbing varieties of blackberries; cuttings of erect varieties do not root well in this way.

Selection of material for transplantation

When choosing, preference is given to young shrubs or shoots - they are more stress-resistant and full of strength. The roots have not yet grown enough to break when removed from the ground. Therefore, experienced gardeners replant plants no older than 2 years. It is better to choose a medium or small copy. Tall, spreading blackberries are difficult to take root in new conditions and are more easily damaged when transferred.

The best option is small seedlings in pots or pots with closed roots. The bush should not have visible problems. Preference is given to material with strong, succulent stems, bright green foliage and short thick roots. This specimen will not die from light frosts or prolonged rains.

Which breeding method is best to choose?

The choice of blackberry breeding method depends on the form of the fruit crop and its varietal. Any of the techniques requires a step-by-step implementation of all actions. To get good quality planting material, you will have to work hard.

For beginning gardeners, the ideal solution would be to propagate by apical shoots. If you need to get a large number of seedlings, then stem cuttings are the best option.

Taking into account all the subtleties of blackberry cultivation will allow you to obtain strong seedlings that will begin to bear fruit in the shortest possible time and will delight you with a healthy harvest of excellent taste.

Blackberry cuttings: basic rules

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More recently, blackberries were considered exclusively a forest crop. But currently there are more than 100 varieties of plants, including thornless ones, which have become an integral part of many gardens. Blackberries are called raspberries' cousins. The plants are very similar to each other in many characteristics, so if you have ever planted raspberries, then planting blackberries will not cause difficulties. The rules for its reproduction are discussed later in the article.

Care after transplant

Another 2-3 weeks after transplantation, the blackberry will require painstaking care - especially if it is old and problematic. During the first weeks, water the bush once every 2 days. The recommended volume of liquid is 6-7 liters. At the same time, the described culture does not tolerate excess moisture, so heavy watering is accompanied by frequent, but superficial loosening - the soil remains crumbly, easily permeable to air. At the last stage of rooting in the spring, fertilize with organic or potassium fertilizers.