- Authors: Jan Danek, Agnieszka Oryol, Polish Institute of Horticulture
- Taste: with sourness
- Scent : there is
- The presence of thorns: No
- Tasting assessment: 4,6
- Berry weight, g: 5-9
- Berry size: large
- Berry color: black
- Fruiting period: from July, 5-6 weeks
- Yield: 7-9 kg per bush
Blackberry Brzezina was bred by Polish agromasters, who sought to create a variety that allows you to get juicy and sweet berries of large size. Brzezina's blackberry is a young but popular hybrid variety.
Breeding history of the variety
The author of the new blackberry variety is a renowned Polish agronomist, Dr. Jan Danek. Thanks to joint work with colleague Agnieszka Oryol, it turned out to successfully cross several clones bred from Darrow and Black Satin varieties. Many gardeners mark these varieties as having a pleasant taste and a good level of yield.
Description of the variety
The Brzezina variety is distinguished by active growth, the absence of unpleasant thorns and large berries. In appearance, it is rather difficult to find differences with bushes of other varieties of blackberries.
The plant is tall with a strong root system, can reach a height of 3 meters, however, for a better yield, it is not recommended to allow growth of more than 2 meters. Shoots of bushes are semi-creeping, light green in color. The older the plant, the darker its shoots become, acquiring a brown color. The leaves are green with a beautiful jagged edge.
Ripening terms
Blackberry Brzezina is an early ripening variety. But at the same time, it is imperative to take into account the climatic conditions in different regions. In the warm mild climate of Poland, the crop can be harvested already at the beginning of July, then in the territory of central Russia the crop will ripen one to two weeks later.
Growing regions
The variety shows good yields in warm regions, however, when sheltered for the winter period, it can be successfully grown in central Russia. There are known cases of good fruiting of this variety of blackberries in more northern regions.
Yield
Fruiting begins, as a rule, in the second year after planting. The first year is characterized by active growth of shoots, but flowers are not formed at the same time.
The total yield from one blackberry bush can reach 7-9 kilograms per season. The maximum yield can be obtained already in the third year after planting. Since a large number of flowers are formed on last year's shoots, thanks to which you can get a good harvest in July. But you should not expect a harvest until the beginning of the third year.
Berries and their taste
Blackberries of this variety are black in color, they are distinguished by increased density, pleasant taste. The taste does not differ in sweetness or increased sweetness, a slight sourness is noticeable in the taste. Bitterness in the taste of ripe berries is almost never noted. The experts' score is 4.6 out of 5, which means a very high score. The weight of an average berry is approximately 5-9 grams, but there are also larger fruits, the weight of which can reach almost 10 grams.
Growing features
Blackberries have long ceased to be a rarity in garden and backyard plots. This is far from the most whimsical plant, but it still requires adherence to the simplest rules to help grow this variety and achieve the best harvest.
Before planting, you need to prepare a trench, the depth of which is approximately 30 centimeters. It is required to lower the seedlings into it and sprinkle it with earth half the height. It is advisable to slightly compact the soil. When planting, you need to maintain a distance: at least one meter between the bushes and one and a half meters between the rows. After planting, it is important to moisten the soil well and mulch with peat and sawdust.With proper planting, a part of the shoot with a height of a little more than 20 centimeters remains on the surface of the garden.
Despite the fact that the soil can be of any kind, the Brzezina blackberry shows the best result and greater productivity on light and slightly acidic soils.
Site selection and soil preparation
Do not plant Brzezin's blackberries in places where there is little sun, and where the plant will be in the shade all the time. In such a place with little sun, the bushes will not get full development, and the ripe berries will be too sour. However, direct sunlight should also be avoided, because this will lead to "caking" of ripe fruits. Therefore, the landing site must be protected from the wind and well lit. It is recommended to install a trellis for Brzeziny bushes on the south side of the site. This will help protect the blackberries from the bright sun and possible violent gusts of wind.
Pruning
The plant has the ability to grow tall, so bushes must be pruned every year to ensure a good harvest.
Watering and feeding
There is no special need to apply fertilizers, but in order to achieve the best result in the spring season, it is recommended to fertilize with mineral fertilizers. It is allowed to scatter granules directly near the bushes, or, using a liquid composition, add it under the root of a blackberry bush. Thanks to this, the plant will recover faster after the winter period and will have the opportunity for future active growth.
At the flowering stage, you can feed Brzezina bushes with nitrogen-mineral complex fertilizer. And when the budding period comes, then mineral feeding will be useful.
The ground should be kept moist whenever possible. For this purpose, it is recommended to mulch the soil using peat, sawdust or humus.
Frost resistance and preparation for winter
The plant is quite frost-resistant, withstands low temperatures. But in the first years after planting, experienced gardeners recommend covering Brzezina to ensure the safety of plants for the cold season.
Diseases and pests
Brzezina blackberries are highly resistant to the most common pests and diseases. Therefore, without great need, it is not recommended to carry out treatment using insecticides. The same is true for antifungal medications.
Reproduction
The variety can be propagated by dividing an adult bush, cuttings, offspring. Planting can be done in autumn or spring. It is recommended to do this in autumn in September or October, in spring - in April or May. As a rule, seedlings with a closed root system are planted, but in some cases it is possible to purchase seedlings with open roots. For the preservation of the root system of the plant, it is recommended to treat it with special preparations that stimulate growth.
Review overview
According to gardeners' reviews, Brzezin's blackberries take root well and, with proper care, give a good harvest.
It can be used both fresh and frozen without losing its taste. The fruits can be processed into preserves or jams. Blackberry compote has a pleasant taste.
The berries are well transported without losing their appearance.