Blackberries can rarely be found on garden plots. It is less in demand than strawberries or raspberries. However, in taste and useful properties, it is not inferior to its rivals. Black Satin variety is one of the best representatives of blackberry. The berries have a unique taste that combines juiciness, sweetness and sourness.
Blackberry has a rich balanced composition. It includes glucose, ascorbic acid, fructose, copper, potassium, manganese and many other equally useful components. The use of blackberries reduces the risk of colds, strengthens the immune system.
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Description and characteristics of the variety
A distinctive feature of the Black Satin blackberry variety compared to other shrubs is growth. A powerful stalk is capable of reaching a length of more than 5 meters. At the beginning of growth, the stem grows vertically, then after a meter and a half, the shoot begins to “creep” and takes a horizontal position. There are practically no thorns on the trunk. Green leaves are located along the entire length of the bush.
During flowering, light purple inflorescences appear on the bushes. When the inflorescences fall, a berry is formed. Ripe blackberry has an intense black color with a glossy sheen. On one brush 12-15 pieces of berries are tied. The weight of one fruit is 5-7 grams. Ripening lasts from late July to mid-August.
Black Satin is grown in the southern and central parts of the country in open ground. Landing for the northern regions is also allowed, but only after the shrub will additional care be required to avoid winter frostbite.
The blackberry is capable of producing a good crop. At the peak of the season, from one bush you can collect up to 12 kilograms of ripe berries. Blackberries are grown for sale, it has a beautiful appearance and clearly does not lie on the counter. From the berry make preparations: jam, syrups, smoothies, berry puree. Blackberry leaves are dried in the sun and added to tea leaves; they have an amazing aroma that will remind you of summer.
Cultivation and Black Satin Care Tips
For growing berry shrubs seedlings will be needed. They can be purchased at horticultural fairs in early or mid spring. Before planting, seedlings must be processed to remove possible harmful microorganisms from the roots. To do this, add several crystals of potassium permanganate to a pink color in a bucket of water. The solution is prepared before planting, then the blackberry roots are immersed for a couple of minutes in a bucket and immediately planted in the ground.
Land for landing must be dug up in advance. Potassium sulfate, humus and superphosphate are added to the soil. Such a strong composition of the elements will provide roots with nutrition and accelerate the process of shrub growth. The root system of blackberries grows deeply, therefore, pits for plantations are dug 50-60 centimeters in depth. The distance between adjacent bushes should be at least one and a half meters.
Immediately after planting, they begin to form a bush. On one shoot you need to leave 3-4 of the most developed buds. If you do not remove new branches in a timely manner, then the bush will grow in length and width, and there will be few berries. The soil is spilled plentifully. Sprinkle a hole with a seedling on top with mulch - peat or compost.
To grow a blackberry, you need to make a trellis garter.Sticks or stakes are inserted into the ground and a wire is pulled between them so that the blackberry bushes are between the wire on both sides. When the bush grows, the trellis will hold the stem and prevent it from bending.
Watering the bush is carried out 2-3 times a week in the summer. During rains, abstain from watering for a week. A blackberry normally tolerates a little drought and heat, but an excess of moisture in the earth has a bad effect on the root system of the bush.
In the first year after planting, the blackberry will not bloom and bear fruit, it will only be assimilated in a new place and gain strength for next summer. However, if the summer is warm and sunny, a small amount of berries may form.
In the second year after planting, when the blackberry fades, a full crop appears in the second half of summer. Berries may not be so large, the highest quality yield is observed in subsequent years of cultivation. It is easy to collect a blackberry; it leaves the stalk perfectly and does not wrinkle. The berries are picked once every two days. Unripe fruits do not pick until they become dark or black. The collected berries are washed, dried from moisture on a towel or napkin, and stored in the refrigerator for no more than two days.
In order for the blackberry to please its harvest and subsequent years, it must be properly looked after. Especially you need to carefully consider wintering shrubs. Since blackberries can react sensitively to a strong drop in temperature (branches can freeze, in the worst case the bush will completely disappear), the bushes are prepared for frost. In mid-September, leaves, dry and overgrown shoots are removed from the stem. Small bundles are formed from the remaining branches and tie them together with a rope. Then the branches bend to the ground. Blackberries can be covered with a film or warm material.
In the spring, the bushes are untied and straightened. If there are frozen branches, they are deleted. All shoots are cut to about ¼ part. The blackberry is ready for flowering again.
Black Satin Grade Advantages
- sweet and large berries of the correct form;
- marketable condition;
- universal purpose;
- achieving a high yield indicator;
- extended fruiting period;
- resistance to drought.
Gardeners reviews about Black Satin
Alla from Tuapse says: “Blackberry Black Satin is exactly the kind of berry that I wanted. The berries have a sweet, but not sugary taste. I freeze part of the berries so that in winter there is an opportunity to make smoothies from them or add them to baking. ”
Irina from Oryol writes: “Blackberry is a healthy berry. It perfectly quenches thirst, has a tonic effect. The benefit lies not only in the berries, but also in its leaves. From blackberry I like to make jam. It has a slightly tart and sweet taste. ”
