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In recent years, gardeners are increasingly paying attention to blackberries. This crop attracts small farmers, and large farms are testing overseas or Polish varieties. Unfortunately, domestic breeders have paid little attention to blackberries for many years, and the market dictates its own laws. Thanks to the Internet and the abundance of printed publications, the consumer has become literate and picky. The information that blackberries are not only healthier than raspberries, but can be sweet, fragrant and devoid of thorns, contributed to the growth of the culture’s popularity in the post-Soviet space.
History of breeding
We are used to the fact that new varieties of blackberries come to us from North America or Poland. But scientists from New Zealand also contributed to the selection of this crop. Variety Karaka Black (Karaka Black) is often positioned with us as new. In fact, work on its breeding began in 1982. Karaka Black is a complex hybrid, in the creation of which blackberry and blackberry took part. Parent varieties are Oregon-bred Aurora and Comanche bred in Arkansas.
Harvey Hall, an employee of the Hort Research Station (New Zealand), first obtained several promising seedlings from crossing the above cultivars. Then he connected the genes of the most large-fruited and dense-fruited specimens. Thus, the blackberry variety Karaka Black, registered in 2003, was obtained.
Description of berry culture
Karaka Black is very decorative throughout the season. This variety of blackberries can not only bring a rich harvest, but also decorate any garden.
General idea of the variety
Karaka Black is a typical dewberry. Its shoots are of moderate thickness, flexible, which facilitates shelter for the winter, not too long – from 3 to 5 m in an adult plant. The bush cannot be called powerful, but the whips covered with thorns with short internodes are quite strong, they are easy to bend, but not break. The shoot-forming ability of the Karaka Black variety is average.
There are many fruit branches, because each of them carries no more than 3-6 berries in an adult blackberry, and 2-3 in a young bush. Overgrown variety Karaka Black gives little, unless a well-developed root is specially damaged.
The leaves of this blackberry are green, with 3-5 elongated serrated lobes. Young ones can be painted yellow – this is not a disease, but a feature of the variety. The spines of Karaka Black are numerous and sharp. But they are not as large and tough as most spiked varieties.
Fruiting occurs on the growth of the previous year.
Berries
The berries of Karaka Black blackberries are beautiful, black, with a glossy sheen. Not fully ripened fruits are purple, in the early stages of ripeness they are red. From afar, the berries of the Karaka Black variety look like large mulberries – their shape is elongated, narrowed towards the top, and can be slightly curved.
The average length of fruits is 4-5 cm, weight is about 10 g. It is noteworthy that on young bushes the berries are smaller than on adult plants. After the fourth year, blackberries weighing about 14 g or more are not uncommon. Individual berries can gain weight at 17 g.
Taste and texture varies depending on the degree of maturity. Unripe fruits are reddish, sour. At the stage of technical maturity, they become sweeter, with a pleasant sourness and aroma. They are well transported and in a cool room do not lose their consumer qualities for 4-5 days. Gourmets say that the taste of Karaka Black blackberries cannot be confused with other varieties.
Overripe berries become soft and lose their piquant sourness. They tend to crumble, so gardeners should get used to picking the fruits on time, especially if they are for sale.
The tasting assessment of blackberry berries Karaka Black is 4,5 points. Folk experts rated the variety more restrained and gave it 4,07 points.
Characterization
Variety Karaka Black in England and other European countries is grown as an industrial variety in open ground and under film shelters. This blackberry came to us not so long ago, but small farmers and gardeners have already appreciated it. In large farms, the Karaka Black variety is still being tested for resistance to the vagaries of our climate.
Main advantages
Blackberry Karaka Black is not intended for frosty winters. Its shoots and flower buds are not able to withstand temperatures below -16-17⁰ C. They cover it even in the south of Ukraine, with the exception of areas where winters are mild and frosts are rare.
The drought resistance of the variety is low, regular watering is needed, especially if you want to get a decent harvest. Extreme heat can damage those berries that are exposed to the scorching sun all day, but this only happens in the south.
The transportability of fruits in the stage of technical or full ripeness is excellent. Overripe berries become soft. Not only do they become difficult to transport, their taste becomes worse.
Blackberry Karaka Black cannot be called either a capricious or unpretentious variety. His care requirements are moderate, but you can’t just plant a bush and ignore it. To a large extent, the shoots, equipped with thick small thorns, make it difficult to care for.
Flowering period and ripening period
The flowering of blackberry Karaka Black in the southern regions begins in early or mid-May, in the north – a little later. There, the first buds open from the middle or end of May.
One of the features of the Karaka Black variety is that flowering (and, consequently, fruiting) occurs in waves. First, the upper buds open, located at the ends of well-lit shoots raised on a support. Then the flowering seems to flow down. When the buds open on the lower fruit twigs located almost at ground level, the upper clusters are already ripe.
Blackberry Karaka Black is one of the first to ripen. In Ukraine, the first berries are harvested in early-mid June, in the middle lane – by early July. And the fruiting of Karaka Black is really stretched – 6-8 weeks.
Yield indicators, fruiting terms
The blackberry variety Karaka Black is considered promising and productive. An adult bush gives an average of 10-12 kg of berries, and with a good location and good agricultural technology – up to 15 kg. 15 centners are harvested per hectare, in their homeland, in New Zealand, the yield of Karaka Black blackberries reaches 25 centners / ha. There is evidence that some farms in Europe are approaching this indicator, but only with active feeding and good care.
Fruiting blackberry Karaka Black extended for two months. This is not always convenient on large plantations. But the early dates (June-beginning of July) of the ripening of berries allow them to be sold at a high price. When grown in small areas, long fruiting makes it possible to feast on fresh blackberries for a long time. If there is not enough space, you can not grow other varieties.
Scope of berries
Blackberry Karaka Black belongs to the elite varieties. It can be eaten fresh, frozen for the winter, prepared wine, juices, jams. At the stage of technical maturity, the Karaka Black variety withstands transportation well, is stored for a long time and can be sold in the markets or in supermarkets.
Disease and pest resistance
Blackberry Karaka Black is resistant to diseases and pests. Despite this, preventive treatments are mandatory.
Advantages and disadvantages
Variety Karaka Black is definitely promising for cultivation in private and small farms. In our conditions, planting it on large plantations is still in question. The undoubted advantages of this blackberry include:
- Large beautiful berry.
- Good taste.
- Flexible whips that are easy to bend to the ground and cover for the winter.
- Karaka Black is one of the earliest varieties.
- If you do not specifically damage the root, the variety gives little shoots.
- High yield, as for dessert blackberries.
- Extended fruiting (good for private households and small farms).
- High resistance to pests and diseases.
- Good transportability in the stage of technical maturity.
- Long shelf life of berries.
- Firm juicy flesh.
The disadvantages of the Karaka Black variety include:
- Low frost resistance.
- Spiny escapes.
- Medium resistance to heat and drought.
- Extended fruiting (for large farms).
- Overripe berries are prone to shedding.
Methods of reproduction
Blackberry Karaka Black is easily propagated by layering and pulping (rooting of apical shoots). The variety gives little overgrowth, but if the root is deliberately damaged with a bayonet of a shovel, the bush will give more young plants that can be planted. In nurseries, Karaka Black blackberries are often propagated from green or root cuttings.
Rules of landing
Planting Karaka Black is not much different from other blackberries. In order for the rooting of seedlings to be successful, you need to choose the right place, prepare a nutrient mixture and do not forget to water the young plant.
Recommended dates
Blackberries should be planted in the spring, when the soil warms up by 40-50 cm. This will enable the seedling to adapt to a new place and take root before the cold weather. Only in the southern regions, landing is done in the fall. The late onset of frost allows the blackberry to take root. Spring planting in the south is extremely unfavorable – the heat can come suddenly and destroy the plant that has not had time to take root.
Choosing the right place
Blackberry Karaka Black prefers sunny places, protected from the cold wind. Lack of light will adversely affect the taste of the berries. Shading may be required only in southern regions with a scorching sun.
The soil should be loose, ideally a fertile, slightly acidic loam.
Soil Preparation
To provide blackberries with the best conditions for growth and fruiting, a fertile mixture should be prepared for planting. To do this, the top layer of soil is mixed with a bucket of humus, starting fertilizers are applied – 120-150 g of phosphorus and 50 g of potassium.
Alkaline or neutral soils are acidified with red (horse) peat. Carbonate soils require additional organic matter, very dense clay soils require sand. Too acidic soil is improved with lime.
Planting pits are dug with a diameter and a depth of 50 cm. They are filled with 2/3 of the fertile mixture, filled with water and allowed to settle for 10-14 days.
Selection and preparation of seedlings
Those who talk about the thornless blackberry variety Karaka Black have either never seen it or are trying to sell you who knows what. Small dense spines on the shoots are one of the signs of varietal compliance.
In addition, the root system should be well developed – with several thick processes and many lateral thread-like roots. The bark on the shoots should not be wrinkled or cracked.
Pre-plant preparation of blackberries – watering a container seedling or soaking an open root for about 12 hours.
Algorithm and landing scheme
Blackberry Karaka Black prefers a loose fit. In private farms (if space permits), 3 m is left between bushes and in rows. On industrial plantations, compaction of more than 1,5 m is not recommended. Landing is carried out in the following sequence:
- At the bottom of the planting hole, a small mound is poured. Blackberry roots are distributed around it.
- When backfilling and compacting the soil, one should not forget that the root neck should be deepened by about 1,5-2,0 cm.
- For watering a seedling, they spend at least a bucket of water.
- The trunk circle is mulched with sour peat or humus.
Culture aftercare
A video about growing Karaka Black blackberries will help you not only learn the basics of caring for a variety, but also get to know it better:
Growing principles
Blackberry varieties Karaka Black is grown on a trellis. Choose one that is convenient for you – multi-row, T-shaped. If the shoots are not tied up, they will lie on the ground, because the variety belongs to dewdrops. Not only will the berries get dirty, the lashes can take root. Then you have additional work to do, and given the thorniness of the shoots, it will not be pleasant.
The yield and quality of berries are affected by fertilizing, watering, and in the northern regions, lighting. With a lack of sun, the berries do not gain sweetness well and remain sour. Since the ripening of the fruits occurs unevenly – from top to bottom, as the berries form, the leaves that shade the brushes should be cut off.
Necessary activities
Variety Karaka Black, like other blackberries, needs regular watering, especially during flowering and berry formation. This means that the soil needs to be moistened throughout the season – the lower buds open when the crop has already been harvested from the upper fruit branches.
At the beginning and end of the season, the soil under the blackberry bushes is loosened. The rest of the time it is better to cover it with mulch. On acidic soils, humus or straw is used, on alkaline and neutral soils, red (horse) peat is used.
In the spring, blackberries are fertilized with nitrogen, during the flowering period – with a complete mineral complex. During the pouring of berries and subsequent flowering waves, it is useful to do foliar top dressing with the addition of chelates (they will help to avoid chlorosis). After fruiting, blackberries are fertilized with potassium monophosphate.
shrub pruning
First of all, immediately after fruiting, old lashes are cut out. They are no longer needed, and will only interfere with the ripening of young shoots, drawing nutrients and moisture onto themselves.
An adult blackberry leaves 6-8 strong lashes. The tops and side shoots can not be pinched – fruit twigs are already formed in sufficient quantities. Although the conditions are different for everyone, try to shorten some of the main lashes, and leave the rest to grow as is. So in 2-3 years you can determine which way of growing blackberries is best for your site.
Preparation for winter
Karaka Black blackberry shoots bend well, like all dewberries. When sheltering for the winter, only thorns will be a problem. The branches are pinned to the ground and covered with spruce branches, dry corn stalks, spandbond or dry soil. Warming should be the more thorough, the closer to the north your region is located.
Diseases and pests: methods of control and prevention
If you do not plant raspberries, strawberries and nightshade crops next to blackberries, problems will be minimized. It is enough to treat the bushes with preparations containing copper in autumn and spring.
Conclusion
Not always thornless blackberries are the best. Although the Karaka Black variety is equipped with unpleasant thorns, its berries are so beautiful and tasty that scratched hands are a small price for the harvest.