Blackberry Triple Crown: variety description, cultivation, care

The article presents the Triple Crown blackberry: a description of the variety, instructions for growing, care, prevention of diseases.

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

Blackberry Triple Crown: the origin of the variety

Blackberry Triple Crown: photo

The appearance of the Triple Crown blackberry occurred at the end of the 20th century. It was developed by a group of scientists from two research centers in the city of Beltsville and Portland, Oregon. In order to develop a new, thornless variety, Black Magic and Columbia Star.

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

Blackberry Triple Crown: variety description and characteristics

Blackberry Triple Crown: photo

The Triple Crown garden blackberry 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 a berry that is eaten fresh should first of all be tasty, and high yields are in the second or third plan.

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

The shape of the leaves of this variety is very different from other varieties, so you cannot confuse them. Form and density of descent 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, their average weight is 8 grams, they are collected in a brush. They can be oval, rounded or elongated. Glossy black surface. Gardeners say that regardless of whether the first collection of berries or the last, all fruits are equally large. There are small drupes inside.

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

The characteristic that is given to this variety is reliable, because it has been tested by time. Two decades is a sufficient time to understand how it behaves and what crops it brings in different habitats and climates. In the United States, the cultivation of the variety takes place 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 growing on a large scale, while overseas for dessert berries, the main thing is taste.

In that country, buyers would not eat sour or bitter berries, even though the benefits were great.

Blackberry Triple Crown: the advantages of the variety

Triple Crown Blackberry: photo

Describing the thornless blackberry Triple Crown variety, first of all, we can talk about the excellent taste, the ability to withstand transportation over long distances and the fact that the variety is completely thornless. However, America, where the berry is grown on an industrial scale, has a mild climate with warm winters. Therefore, other characteristics are also important for us.

Cold resistance of the plant is low. 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 fine here. The berries will not be baked in the summer and only need to be cooked during particularly hot periods. Watering correctly, even in the heat, the berries will not shrink.

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

Productivity, use, sustainability

The triple Crown brambleless blackberry begins to bear fruit in the middle of summer, but in some regions in August. Long-term fruiting awn from a month to one and a half. This variety belongs to the medium-late.

It is difficult to say whether or not to grow the Triple Crown in regions with a cold climate, gardeners themselves need to make such a decision. Due to late flowering, return frosts will not be terrible, but the fact that the bush bears fruit until September can deprive the crop by about 15%.

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

It is interesting to know that the upper part of the shoots with flowers and berries can be dried and later brewed like tea. They are much more beneficial and taste better than the leaves. You can stock up on them even when the first frosts begin.

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

Blackberry Triple Crown has good resistance to diseases and harmful insects. If pests are found, then it is extremely rare. However, this does not mean that preventive measures should not be taken, especially if the plants are densely planted or grown on large plantations.

Blackberry Triple Crown: planting varieties

Propagation of Triple Crown garden blackberries is quite simple with the help of apical cuttings, tilting towards the ground for rooting. It is important from a young age of the plant to choose a shoot and incline it to the ground, since after a couple of years it will be quite difficult to do this.

Root cuttings are also great 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 planting and care process 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 frosts come. But the best option would be to start planting as soon as the hot period is over, between September and October.

In colder regions, planting should be done in the spring after warming up the soil. Before winter begins, the blackberry has enough time to adapt and root.

A place

In the middle 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 has more requirements for it than any other, especially if the planting is thickened.

How to prepare the soil

The landing 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 there is a lot of alkali in the soil or it is neutral, then you need to add a little sour peat there. Carbonate soil needs humus, clayey in sand. Lime must be added to soil with a high acidity level.

If there is no time or opportunity to prepare the soil correctly, then you should think about whether it is worth planting this variety at all. After all, Triple Thrawn is very capricious about the soil.

The prepared earthen mixture is poured into the planting hole by 2/3, 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 without documents is very dangerous.

Inspect the plant carefully 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 thorns are completely absent on this variety. 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 put it in water and keep it there for 12 hours. For the plant to take root better, a growth stimulant can be added 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 shorter.

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

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, when planting in autumn, this will not have to be done, since the rainy season begins there, and this will be quite enough for humidification.

What the harvests will be is influenced by how densely planted the bushes and tying are. 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 for large yields. In this quality, the plant differs from other varieties that need more space for abundant fruiting.

The tapestry can be multi-row and T-shaped. Its height should be 2 meters. Scourges are tied in an upright position, last year on one side, and re-emerging on the other.

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

Watering 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 earth is. Blackberries are moisture-loving, but moisture stagnation can be bad for it. If in doubt about watering, it is better to water, since dried roots are much more dangerous for the plant.

It is necessary to feed the Triple Crown garden blackberries, especially with dense planting, so that they have enough nutrition when fruiting occurs.

The first top dressing 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 the formation of fruits occurs, it is necessary to feed the plants with organic matter twice, using infusions on cow dung or on grass for this. In the first case, it is bred 1 to 10, in the second 1 to 4. As soon as the crop is harvested, it is necessary 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 they are free of chlorine.

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

Pruning the Triple Crown variety and preparing for winter

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

In the summer, it is necessary to pin down young shoots twice, when their length reaches 45 centimeters. However, some gardeners choose not to do this. You can try different options and decide for yourself how to do it. Damaged and weakened branches can be removed at any time.

Before the frost sets in, it is necessary to remove the lashes from the trellises, bend them to the ground and secure them with staples.

It is interesting to know that most of the gardeners have been planning shelter since spring and tilt the lashes to the surface of the earth even then. Thus, young shoots are trained, which are pinned to the ground until they reach 40 centimeters.

You can cover the Triple Crown with spruce branches, straw, Jerusalem artichoke or agrofiber.

Preventive actions

The Triple Crown garden blackberry has good resistance to various diseases and harmful insects. However, with a tight fit, infections spread rather quickly. For this reason, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures by spraying plants with preparations containing copper in early spring and in preparation for winter.

Outcome

For more than 20 years, Triple Crown has been one of the best. This variety brings the highest yields among the dessert varieties. Its fruits are well stored, transported and have a delicious taste and aroma.

Blackberry Triple Crown: video about the variety