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Blackberry Agavam: variety and description
Blackberry “Agavam” was bred over a century ago in America from wild varieties. Its continued popularity is due to its successful combination of properties and ease of cultivation. Information about it will help when choosing a variety for planting.
Description of the blackberry variety “Agavam”
The erect shoots of this powerful bush with strong roots reach 3 m. At first they are colored light green, but as they age they turn red-violet, become covered with fluff, and in the second year they darken and die off after fruiting. The spines on the trunks are rather large, curved. The dark green leaves are also studded along the veins, falling late. The bush grows strongly, it is often used to decorate arches.
Blackberry “Agavam” bears fruit in the second year
In May, flowers collected in large clusters bloom, and in August, large black berries ripen, weighing about 5 g. Ripe fruits have a dense pulp, very sweet with a barely perceptible sourness. The yield depends on the conditions and is up to 20 kg per bush. Ripe berries are very juicy and soft, they are not stored for long and are poorly transported.
The variety is distinguished by high frost resistance, withstanding temperatures down to –30 ° C. Shoots do not need to be covered for the winter, but flower buds freeze under severe frosts. The plant is almost not attacked by pests and diseases, it withstands heat and drought well, the berries are smaller with a lack of moisture.
How to grow the Agavam blackberry variety
The bushes bear fruit abundantly until the age of fifteen. They are unpretentious, but certain conditions are required for normal development:
- Well prepared soil. Loosen the plot in the fall, apply nitrogen-containing fertilizers. Illumination doesn’t matter.
- Plan out the location. Bushes grow, therefore, with a single planting, the distance to other plants should be up to 2 m, and with a group planting – at least 1 m from each other. Dig a wide hole up to 0,6 m deep, cover the bottom with compost from the tops of vegetables and weeds, fertilize with humus and superphosphate.
- Reproduction. In the spring, separate the root shoots from the bush and plant them on a separate bed. After a year, transplant to a permanent place.
- Pruning. Do not allow the bush to thicken, otherwise, due to the thorns, harvesting will turn into torture. Remove dead scions in spring, pinch for better yields in June, and cut out XNUMX-year-old branches in fall.
The main disadvantage of this variety is the ability to grow and capture territory. This will become a problem if you miss the time, but it will simplify reproduction, constantly providing new shoots.
If you form a bush correctly and fix it on a trellis, the thorns will not cause much inconvenience. A pleasant taste, high yield and ease of care compensate for some of the disadvantages.