Blackberry Guy

Blackberry variety Guy is a very worthy choice of summer residents and gardeners. He fell in love for his unpretentious care and the taste of his fruits.

The Gai blackberry variety appeared recently in Poland. The authors of the variety are the Experimental Station of the Polish Institute of Floriculture and Fruit Growing. Jan Dynek bred this species, which has great advantages among its relatives. Synonym (or Latin name) Gaj.

Blackberry Guy is an upright, compact brambled shrub. Its stems are semi-creeping, branched. Shoots are massive, without thorns, up to 3.5 meters high. The plant has a medium foliage. Leaves are small, medium-wrinkled, toothed, light green in color.

Blackberries belong to the mid-early ripening period. Flowering begins depending on the region where the plant is grown. In the middle lane, the fruiting period begins in July and ends in August; in the northern latitudes, fruiting lasts from August to September.

Due to its frost resistance, blackberries can grow not only in the southern regions of Russia. It is also grown in most of the northern regions of the country.

The variety is characterized by a high yield. With proper care from an adult, two-year-old blackberry bush, at least 17 kg of berries can be harvested. Bushes that bear fruit in the fifth season can yield up to 20 kg of harvest.

The berries of the plant are aligned, oval in shape. The color of the berry is black with a high gloss. The consistency of the pulp is dense and juicy, with a bright, pronounced aroma. Large berries reach a weight of 8-9 grams. You can often find berries with a maximum weight of 16 g.

The fruits are intended not only for fresh consumption, they are also frozen, processed into compotes or jam. When stored, blackberries can lie for three weeks without losing their shape and taste. The fruits have good transportability and do not wrinkle during transportation.

It is better to plant a shrub from the end of April to the second decade of May. When planting, observe the distance between the bushes of at least 1.5 meters. They are planted according to the standard scheme: they dig a hole, apply fertilizers mixed with the ground, straighten the root system, sprinkle it with earth. After the plant is planted, it is watered with a little water. For planting, it is better to choose annual seedlings with a well-developed rhizome and the presence of at least 2 shoots on them.

The fruits of the plant grow closer to the bottom of the bushes, therefore, trellises are used when growing the plant. The lower wire is pulled at a height of 80 cm, the upper wire at the height of an outstretched arm, the third is pulled in the middle.

Blackberry Guy is moderately drought tolerant, so choose a slightly shaded planting site. If the place is chosen under the scorching sun, then the berries on the bushes begin to bake. Blackberries are not very demanding on the soil, but they will bring a large harvest if grown in loamy, well-drained soil.

Pruning of blackberry bushes is done with the arrival of spring. Broken and frozen branches are removed.One-year-old shoots are shortened, stems that will no longer bear fruit are removed completely, to the base.

Since blackberries do not tolerate drought very well, they need abundant and regular watering. In the first month and a half after planting the bushes, watering is performed daily. After the seedlings take root, the regularity of watering must be reduced. For a better and long-term preservation of moisture, the soil under the bushes can be mulched.

Fertilize the blackberries three times per season. In the spring, organic fertilizers are applied in the form of urea. At the stage of fruit formation, the bushes are fed with fertilizers, which include sulfate and potassium. After the shrub has ceased to bear fruit, potassium-based top dressing is applied. For proper care, the plant also requires loosening of the soil.

Blackberry Guy has a very high winter hardiness, can hibernate at temperatures down to –30 degrees Celsius. In late autumn, the root system of the plant is prepared for winter, it is covered with hay or spruce branches. The correctness of the shelter is an important factor. The roots must be covered so that oxygen can freely flow to them and can circulate. In regions where winter frosts are very severe, it is recommended to cover the bushes with agrofibre.

If the culture grows in the southern region, pinching the bushes is carried out to prepare for winter. This is done so that the branches of the bush are less problematic to lay for the winter.

The cultivar has an average resistance to diseases and pests, but if it is grown in dry and mild climates, the resistance becomes above average. Most often, the plant is affected by infection during periods of high humidity. The plant is moderately resistant to fungal infections. Diseases that the bushes can be exposed to: powdery mildew, gray rot, purple spot, anthracnose. Insects that can harm the plant: aphids, weevils, gall midges, spider mites, kidney moths.

Blackberries have a small root system, so they are propagated by the cuttings method. Reproduction is best done in the fall, after the complete end of fruiting. Cuttings are taken from stems more than one year old. The propagation material is buried in the ground by 20 cm.

With the arrival of spring, the seedlings are dug up and planted in a permanent growing place. In order for the root system of shoots to take root and get stronger faster, they carry out regular watering of the plantings.

The blackberry variety Guy has different opinions. Someone praises, and someone is dissatisfied with the culture. Not everyone managed to achieve a high-quality and bountiful harvest.