Blackberries are a “close relative” of raspberries. It is also easy to care for and has excellent taste. But most importantly, it has a huge amount of useful microelements that a person so lacks to strengthen the immune system.
After planting, the plant bears fruit well, as long as there is recharge from the soil. Reducing the yield is just the beginning.
In order not to destroy the crop, it is worth studying in detail what and how to feed blackberries in the spring. It is after waking up that the berry picker accepts fertilizer better.
What microelements do blackberries need for a good harvest?
In most cases, novice gardeners and summer residents make mistakes in their calculations. I would like to plant useful plants that require less work. Therefore, crops are planted that are considered to grow wild.
Indeed, wild blackberries do not need fertilizing or special care. But such varieties do not grow in the plots. Domesticated garden species are available for sale.
To increase the yield, active growth and development, such blackberries need nutrition in the form of organic matter and minerals.
Spring application of fertilizers in the correct proportions will help the plant:
- wake up after winter;
- enter the growing season faster and more actively;
- grow and develop quickly;
- young blueberry seedlings to grow stronger and strengthen their protective function;
- speed up and increase the fruiting process.
This is not the entire list of positive qualities of spring feeding. The main emphasis of the manipulation is to restore the depleted composition of the soil.
During development, any crop, including blackberries, receives nutrients exclusively from the soil.
Lack of replenishment leads to deterioration of the soil, which means the plant slowly dies. If there is a shortage of elements vital for blackberries, the bush begins to “panic” and signals this:
| Microelement | Signs |
| Iron | Pale and yellowing of foliage |
| Nitrogen, boron | Branches become brittle and foliage becomes thin |
| Potassium | The edges of the leaf plate acquire a dark rim. This indicates the death of the foliage |
| Calcium | Yellowing of young leaves, drying out of shoots |
| Magnesium | Clear signs of chlorosis, loss of green parts |
| Molybdenum | Withering of leaves, twisting of plates into tubes |
| Copper | Loss of buds on the upper part of the plant, reduction of seeds in the berries |
| Phosphorus | Tarnishing of the sheet plate |
Important! You cannot rely only on external signs of a lack of elements. The onset of fungal diseases also manifests itself in the form of drying out, yellowing or redness of the leaves.
Therefore, before applying fertilizers, it is necessary to study the composition of the soil and inspect the blackberries to look for new signs of infection. If you are sick, feeding is strictly prohibited.
How to feed correctly
The amount of fertilizer for bushes depends on the desired level of yield, as well as planting density. Feeding, like water, is not poured under the bush itself, but into a special trench. In spring, the main part of feeding should be nitrogen fertilizers. This is necessary to increase the number of green shoots on blackberry bushes.
In addition to nitrogen fertilizers, the plant’s “diet” must also contain phosphates. Since at this stage of crop development, potassium fertilizers are ineffective, their quantity is reduced to a minimum.
Types of fertilizers used to feed crops
Blackberries, like all plants, need three important elements for development: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Complete replenishment of the soil composition will be only when combined with copper, boron and other microelements.
Special chemical production complexes can help in enriching the soil composition.
Organic substances will also bring results, but it will be obvious after a while, since they are long-lasting. There are other methods - folk ones.
Mineral
Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus are added taking into account the growing season. So in the spring, blackberries need nitrogen-containing complexes.
In summer - potassium, and in autumn - potassium-phosphorus. Confusing the application technique or composition will ruin the blackberry’s immune system, disrupt the natural clock and the development process.
Mineral fertilizers are versatile. They are easy to use, have a clear diagram and recommendations for dilution and application stages.
It is considered convenient that the gardener should carefully study the composition, dilute it in plain water and follow the instructions on the package.
Feeding occurs simultaneously with all necessary substances.
An additional positive fact is: complex preparations have a beneficial effect on the immune system of blackberries and help strengthen the protective function against pests and fungal diseases.
Organic
Agricultural experts talk about positive results after adding organic matter.
Feeding with mullein or urea, wood ash or sawdust, compost or manure will be more beneficial if the procedures are carried out not every year, but once every 2-3 years.
Fertilizers of this class are long-lasting, which allows blackberries to receive the necessary microelements for several years.
In addition to these substances, other organic substances are offered: Fertimix Biohumus, Novofert Yagoda.
Application will be effective if you follow the recommendations: use at least 2 times in the spring. Both drugs stimulate the growth and development of leaves and roots, and increase resistance against fungi and harmful insects.
Complete solutions
For dense plantings of blackberries and neighboring shrubs, feeding three times a day, even alternately, with organic matter in the form of compost and minerals (Nitrophoska, Rost-concentrate, Ideal) is not enough.
For ripening, abundant fruiting and flowering, a comprehensive solution is recommended: a combination of compositions. One of the popular recipes was a mixture of the following components:
- superphosphate – 100 g;
- ammonium nitrate – 35-40 g;
- potassium substance – 20-25 g;
- humus – 5-6 g.
The resulting composition is applied under each blackberry bush after watering and loosening. Feeding time: spring (after awakening). With the help of the mixture, the berry plant will rapidly grow.
Humus retains moisture, which will reduce the number of waterings and retain heat during possible cold snaps and frosts on the ground. This composition is used before planting young blackberry bushes. Application occurs one week before the intended procedure.
Need to know! Don't forget about row spacing. Spring is the most favorable time to water this part of the garden with fertilizers. The mulch in this zone complements the fertilizer applied to the root zone.
Important Tips
Fertilizing plays an important role in plant development and berry formation. But an excessive amount of fertilizer entering the soil can lead to a decrease in the level of winter hardiness and the development of such an unpleasant disease as gray rot. In this regard, experienced gardeners recommend avoiding saturation of the soil with nitrogen.
It is not recommended to pour liquid fertilizers directly under the bushes. They saturate the ground at a distance of about 40 cm from the plant, after making small grooves. This helps protect the blackberry leaves from getting fertilizer on them and also provides the bushes with optimal nutrition.
Experienced gardeners advise beginners to change fertilizers for blackberry bushes annually. So, for example, if in the spring after the snow melted the bushes received organic nutrition, then next year at the same time they should be fertilized with mineral complexes.
In addition to the mandatory spring feeding, many summer residents also take a set of measures to prevent the occurrence of diseases such as:
- Anthracnose
- Didimella
Although blackberries are considered a more disease-resistant crop than raspberries, they still require some preventive measures. Therefore, you should not ignore treating bushes with fungicidal preparations!
The influence of soil composition on the choice of fertilizer
Fertilizer is selected not only taking into account the age of the crop and the lack of microelements. It is important to keep the soil type and pH level in mind. So ash solution is not recommended for blackberries on acidic soils.
The product increases acidity, which will affect the taste of the fruit.
If the shrub was planted according to the rules, on loamy soils with weak or neutral acidity, then any of the above products will be suitable as a top dressing.
Provided that the land on the site is classified as limestone or clayey, then the composition will have to be replenished with iron and magnesium.
Blackberries grow well on black soil when standard fertilizer complexes are applied. To improve the yield, you can create a carbonate layer.
Feeding methods
Fertilizer application occurs exclusively in two ways: root and foliar. The second is used as an adjuvant or for resuscitation of blackberries.
Root feeding is an option for direct delivery of microelements to the root system.
Root
Any organic and mineral substances are added to the tree trunk circle. Before fertilizing blackberries, the selected product is diluted in water.
There are fertilizers that are used in dry form.
In this case, mixing also occurs, but with sand or soil. Regardless of the type and type of fertilizer, the root method is used throughout the growing season.
Foliar
You can feed blackberries using this method only with minerals in liquid form. Before application, the selected product is diluted according to the clear instructions included with the product.
Spraying on the leaf involves working in the evening so as not to burn the foliage.
Weather conditions are taken into account, since with the promised rain in the coming days, the fertilizer will not give the desired result.
Care at different times of the year
The main care of the crop is carried out in spring, summer and autumn.
Spring care
Spring care is about restoring the bush’s strength after the winter period. At this time, the crop must be provided with all the nutrients that will increase the yield.
The following activities are carried out in the spring:
- remove the shelter and carefully examine the shoots. Those branches that have mechanical damage, signs of frostbite or disease must be removed. Such shoots cannot be left on the bush, as they can cause crop disease, and also, if there is damage, the crop will waste energy on restoration, which will lead to a decrease in yield;
- abundant watering - 5 buckets per bush;
- prune (beginning of May): leave 6-7 shoots on one stem;
- secure the bushes with trellis wire at the top and bottom. Shoots with fruits are attached to the top, young branches are attached to the bottom;
- Fertilizing of the crop is carried out three years after planting. In spring, it is best to sprinkle ammonium nitrate under each bush. Then the crop is mulched with a 5 cm thick layer of compost or manure. These substances saturate the roots with useful substances.
Removing winter shelter from bushes and checking for mechanical damage to branches
Autumn care
It is also necessary to care for blackberries in the fall. The main essence of care during this period is preparation for frost. The following procedure is performed:
- The bush is being pruned. Those branches that bear fruit are removed, since they will not bear fruit next year.
- Irrigation and fertilizing with fertilizers are carried out before wintering. This will saturate the plant with nutrients during the winter period.
- The tree trunk circle is mulched with sawdust, straw or dry leaves.
- Next, steps are taken to bend down the branches and cover them, which are described above. Before bending down the branches should be treated with copper sulfate or fungicides in order to protect the plant from fungus.
Autumn pruning of the plant
Row care
The space between the blackberry rows also requires care: remove weeds, loosen the soil slightly. In the autumn period (October-November), the soil is plowed to a depth of 15-17 cm, adding phosphorus, humus, and potash fertilizers once over several years. Mulch the soil with organic matter (manure, peat), spreading it in both directions. These actions are carried out before the first shoots appear. Not all types of mulch may be suitable. For example, the slow decomposition of sawdust, bark, and mushroom compost protects against weeds and drought. The best material is grass and straw. They are placed on top of a layer of peat and humus. This mulch will protect against dryness and strengthen the effect of fertilizing.
Summer care
In summer, during the heat of June and July, when the temperature reaches +30 degrees, blackberries are watered at least three times a week. Pour a bucket of water onto one bush. Watering is done twice a day: in the morning and in the evening.
At normal air humidity and temperature no higher than +25 degrees, as well as in the presence of rain, you should refuse watering. This procedure is carried out only in cases where the soil dries out by about 15 centimeters.
Scheme of planting and watering blackberries
Feeding schedule by season step by step
A common mistake novice gardeners make is the thoughtless use of fertilizers “in reserve.” The amount and pattern of application depends on the type of soil.
If blackberries are planted on fertile lands, then feeding once is enough for 2-3 years. A preliminary check is done to understand how much the quality of the land has decreased.
For poor or depleted soil, it is worth choosing an application scheme with an interval of 1-2 years. Calculations according to this scheme concern potassium and phosphorus complexes.
Nitrogen-containing substances are introduced every year in the spring. For an adult blackberry bush, the norm is 50 g.
Instead of chemicals for spring feeding, you can choose organic matter: litter or manure in the form of slurry. Humus is used in the fall no more than once every three years.
Spring
The first feeding of blackberries is planned for early spring. During this period, the bush requires more attention than usual.
She needs to be helped to wake up after winter sleep, enter the stage of active sap flow, and checked for the presence of pests and diseases.
Manipulation is carried out before flowering. Each region has its own timing, since climatic conditions suggest warming from early March to early May.
Spring feeding involves adding nitrogen so that the blackberries quickly grow and begin to form ovaries.
A correctly carried out procedure will ensure a bountiful harvest of berries and excellent taste.
Additional benefits of spring feeding by alternating organic matter and mineral complexes are:
- increasing sweetness in berries;
- good storage;
- transportability.
Spring nitrogen compounds used by 90% of gardeners for blackberries: urea, slurry, bird droppings. The calculation is made per square meter.
Applying bird droppings to blackberries?
Not really
To enhance the effect of organic compounds, it is recommended to use potassium sulfate. In total, 2-3 feedings are expected in the spring with an interval of 14-21 days.
Ammonium nitrate has become a good way to feed blackberries. Application method: root. You can add effect by spraying the green part with urea. In May, fertilizers are not applied before flowering.
Summer
The ripening of blackberries depends on the selected variety. The standard dates are June-July.
During the fruiting period, phosphorus substances are excluded, but potassium and a little nitrogen are needed. Both elements will help improve the taste and make the berries more juicy and rich.
In summer, it is recommended to apply ash solution using the root method or potassium salt based on the recommendations in the instructions. Potassium sulfate is also a good way to feed blackberries in the summer.
During the ripening period, it is advisable to add substances from folk recipes:
- ash solution;
- green fertilizers in combination with yeast;
- yeast infusion.
It is the latter option that is used for young plants, since the substance not only improves the composition of the soil, but also accelerates rooting.
Important! Hybrid forms of blackberries, also called blackberries, bear fruit several times per season. Therefore, in their case, fertilizing will be required up to 4 times. The varieties are not afraid of frost, but before applying, study the composition of the fertilizer. It should not contain nitrogen. Otherwise, the bush will produce new shoots in the fall, which will die in the winter.
Autumn
Before wintering, blackberries need useful microelements: potassium and phosphorus. Nitrogen is excluded so as not to provoke the appearance of new greenery. Application takes place after harvesting, leaf fall and sanitary pruning.
Before starting work, the ground is mulched (manure, humus) to insulate the roots for the winter.
Then abundant watering and application of dry fertilizers. In this way, blackberries will receive beneficial microelements for a long time.
Industrial products
Industrial products that enrich the soil with nutrients support plants during the growing season and fruiting.
Mineral compositions
These products are presented in a form ready for absorption by plants. Advantages – quick effect. Disadvantage - if the recommended dosages are not followed, it is easy to overfeed, cause a chemical burn or blockage of some substances by others, which will lead to the death of plants.
Master
This fertilizer contains many mineral elements that are in chelated form, due to which they are more quickly absorbed by plants. It is recommended to use this complex at any stage of the growing season, using it for spraying foliage and drip irrigation.
To obtain a large number of fruits, you need to apply 0.2% at the root (1 g per 5 l of water) and spray (1 g per 10 l of water).
Plantafol
The product is used to feed leaves. Its composition is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Pros - does not leave a residue on the foliage. The downside is that it is inconvenient to store and dose.
The solution is prepared in the proportion of 30-35 grams of powder per 10 liters of water and is evenly distributed over the surface of the green mass 2 times - after flowering and before the formation of fruits.
Kemira
A complex composition in the form of granules containing all the necessary components for blackberries in optimal proportions.
The drug can be used in dry form, as well as prepare aqueous solutions. It is convenient to use granules in the spring before planting seedlings, followed by digging up the soil. When feeding already planted bushes using this method, it is important not to forget to water them abundantly.
It is preferable to use diluted fertilizer, as it is better absorbed by the crop. It can be used both for root feeding (20 grams per 10 liters of water) and for surface feeding (10 grams per 10 liters of liquid).
Agriflex
The drug is used as an anti-stress adaptogen. Stimulates plant development and protects against adverse environmental influences.
To make the solution, you need to dissolve 1.5 grams of the substance in 5-10 liters of water and spray the blackberry bushes. This procedure will improve the process of fruit set and increase yield. It is better to carry out the event in the budding phase and repeat it after 20 days.
Organic fertilizers
Over time, any soil becomes depleted and requires regular fertilization. Ignoring this method of agricultural technology, growing plants is a very difficult task. In this situation, gardeners resort to fertilizing the soil using organic substances.
Fertilizing blackberries without chemicals, using natural fertilizers in the video:
Fertimix Biohumus
Organic fertilizer based on vermicompost (a waste product of the red Californian worm). The drug activates root formation and growth of vegetative mass, accelerates the formation of inflorescences and increases their number.
When feeding, you need to use 20 ml per 1 liter of water. Apply fertilizer twice a month. Sprinkle the soil with plenty of water first.
Novofert berry
Complex fertilizer, which is distinguished by a balanced set of minerals. A drug:
- makes the soil looser, improves its moisture capacity;
- increases the berry plant's immunity to diseases;
- gives the fruits elasticity, aroma, helps to increase their size and retains their shape during transportation and storage.
Used for spraying blackberries from the moment of flowering until the fruits fully ripen every 12-14 days.
To make a solution, dissolve 2 scoops of the drug in 10 liters of water. Water the bushes with the prepared product or spray the foliage on both sides. 10 liters of solution is enough to treat 5 m² of area (spraying consumption - 10 liters per 200 m²).
Riverm
An environmentally friendly fertilizer in liquid form, ensures normal development of the crop. It is a slightly alkaline solution with fungicidal properties. Able to protect blackberries from fungal infections (powdery mildew, gray rot).
To speed up the growth of young plants, root feeding is recommended before bud opening with a 2% solution (10 liters per bush). Foliar feeding should be carried out when the leaf mass is fully formed, no earlier than 8-10 days after flowering, using a 2-2.5% Riverma solution.
Bioterra
Environmentally friendly organic fertilizer based on several varieties of manure and rotted waste of rural plant origin. Bioterra is a source of essential soil components that provide complete nutrition for plants and also improve the survival rate of seedlings.
When planting, apply 1-1.5 liters per hole. For feeding 1.5-2 liters per bush, around the plants, followed by loosening to a depth of 20-40 cm.
Varietal features of the choice of compositions for feeding
There are many varieties of blackberries, and each requires certain care due to the presence or absence of thorns. All types of crops are divided into remontant and conventional.
Based on the species characteristics, fertilizer mixtures are selected:
| Variety | Number of feedings per season | Features of application |
| Natchez | 3 | Nitrogen is needed in spring. Ammonium nitrate will be successful. You can take slurry. Before flowering you need mullein or bird manure. In the fall, feed with an infusion of wood ash with the addition of superphosphate. |
| Polar | 3 | The first feeding is carried out in the spring with ammonium nitrate. Next we add a mixture of humus and superphosphate (6 kg + 100 g). In the fall, insulate with manure as mulch. |
| Apache | 1-3 | Fertilizers are needed only in the spring with a gap of 3 years. Composition: soil (5 kg) + potash fertilizer (5 g) + superphosphate (10 g) + humus (1.5 kg). Ammonium nitrate or urea is used annually before flowering. In autumn - humus. |
| Agawam | 3 | The variety constantly needs organomineral complexes. In spring - complex mineral substances with an abundance of nitrogen, in summer - as needed (check the soil composition), in autumn - potassium-phosphorus substances. |
| Thornfree | 3 | The variety is thornless and prefers fertile lands. The feeding scheme is standard: nitrogen in spring, potassium in summer, potassium-phosphorus complexes in autumn. It is advisable to alternate with organic matter. |
How to feed blackberries in spring
If the soil has not been prepared in the fall, then all activities will be carried out in the spring. In order for the plant to immediately begin to grow with the onset of warm weather, it needs to be sprinkled with ammonium nitrate.
This type of fertilizer contains 2 forms of nitrogen - ammonium and nitrate. Nitrate is immediately available to plants, ammonium is gradually transformed with the help of soil bacteria. The period of action of ammonium nitrate is up to 45 days.
You can spray the leaves with urea - carbamide. It contains the amide form of nitrogen, which is absorbed exclusively through the leaves. If diluted and watered at the root, the effect will occur in 7 – 40 days
, depending on temperature. The warmer it is, the faster amide nitrogen is transformed into the nitrate form, available to the roots.
Potassium nitrate is a potassium-nitrogen fertilizer. In the spring, to feed blackberries, you can scatter them on the surface of the soil and water them with water. At the same time, potassium is added for blackberry fruiting.
Common mistakes and their solutions
Newbies make mistakes more often than old-timers. The most common is: following recommended regimens without checking whether the procedure is necessary. Also, not everyone takes into account the type of soil, which brings trouble during the growing season.
The result of this action will be overfeeding the blackberries, which is very harmful for the plant. Not only the appearance, but also the taste of the berries deteriorates.
If mistakes have already been made, do not be discouraged. You can try to fix it: transplant the bush to a new place.
