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Blackberries are not often seen in the gardens of s, but nevertheless, recently this culture has begun to gain more and more popularity and is becoming in demand. One of the varieties that gardeners can grow on their plots is called Chief Joseph. It will be useful for those who are interested in this crop to learn about this blackberry, its features, advantages and disadvantages, as well as the method of cultivation.
History of breeding
Blackberry Cheif Joseph or Chief Joseph is an American cultivar bred at the University of Arkansas, as are many varieties of the series to which it belongs. It is named after the leader, who became famous due to the fact that at the end of the XNUMXth century he led one of the Indian wars. The origin of the variety is not exactly established, so the parent plants are not known for certain.
Description of berry culture
Blackberry belongs to the genus Rubus (Raspberry) of the Rosaceae family. It is a semi-shrub with flexible stems, with or without thorns. The leaves are trifoliate, similar to crimson, but larger. The berries are green at first, then successively acquire a brownish, red, dark blue color, and, finally, when fully ripe, they become black-violet. It is for the sake of these large sweet fruits that farmers on an industrial scale and amateur gardeners grow blackberries on their private plots.
General idea of the variety
Blackberry Chief Joseph has a powerful bush with strong shoots growing up to 3-4 m. There are no thorns on them, which is typical for all varieties included in the line of American varieties from the University of Arkansas. The bush is distinguished by strong growth, strong semi-spreading shoots that can withstand the load of berries and do not break. The leaves are medium in size, bright green, there are a lot of them on the bush, so they form lush greenery. Flowers white, large. The root system is powerful, well nourishes and keeps the plant in the ground. Overgrown a little, often it appears only after damage to the roots.
Berries
The berries of the blackberry variety Chief Joseph are large – up to 25 g, round-elongated, shiny, bright black, collected in numerous clusters. Their taste is sweet, almost without acid. It resembles wild blackberries, the aroma is pronounced. Gardeners note that the very first berries taken from young bushes (the so-called signaling) are often mediocre. But, starting from the next season, their taste becomes brighter and more characteristic of the variety. There are many berries on the bush, abundant fruiting. Ripe blackberries have a good density, so they can be transported over long distances.
Characterization
Blackberry Chief Joseph is considered remontant, that is, it is capable of producing 2 crops per season. This attracts many gardeners to her, who choose this variety for cultivation.
Main advantages
According to the characteristics of the remontant blackberry variety Leader Joseph, it tolerates drought and heat well, and is perfectly adapted to various weather and climatic conditions in Our Country. Plants are unpretentious in care, resistant to major diseases, and also do not impose special requirements on the soil. Shoots need shelter for the winter, but due to the fact that they are semi-creeping, they are easy to lay and cover.
Flowering period and ripening period
Blackberry of this variety in the Middle lane ripens by the beginning of August. In the southern regions – by the end of July. According to this indicator, Chief Joseph is almost on a par with the well-known variety Triple Crown, even somewhat ahead of him.
Yield indicators, fruiting terms
The yield of remontant blackberry Chief Joseph is very high – an adult 3-4-year-old bush gives as much as 35 kg of berries. But this volume may vary depending on the correctness of growing and shaping, the nutrition of the plant, the load on it. You can pick berries for 5-6 weeks.
Scope of berries
Ripe blackberries Chief Joseph can be eaten fresh, and you can also make all kinds of sweet homemade preparations from it: jams, compotes, preserves. Due to the fact that the fruits are dense, they can be stored for some time in a cold place, transported for sale.
Disease and pest resistance
The blackberry of this variety is considered resistant to diseases and pests, so it can be grown without agrochemical treatments. If they do appear, then standard treatments with common fungicides or insecticides will be quite enough to cure.
Advantages and disadvantages
Blackberry Chief Joseph has the following advantages:
- strong shoot growth;
- rapid growth of the bush;
- powerful lateral branching.
Plants begin to bear fruit early and are highly productive, give large sweet berries.
Among the shortcomings of this generally wonderful variety can be noted:
- soft taste of the first berries;
- low sugar content in them with heavy rainfall;
- many replacement shoots, which somewhat complicates the care of the bushes.
Methods of reproduction
Breeding blackberries Chief Joseph carry out rooting shoots and cuttings. In the first case, when the shoots reach a length of 1,5-2 m, their tops are placed in grooves dug near the bush and sprinkled with earth, without separating them from the mother plant. The soil is kept moist until rooting. In autumn, the layers are dug up and transplanted to a new place.
Young shoots of Chief Joseph blackberries can also be used to cut cuttings from them. To do this, take their upper parts and cut segments with one kidney. They are planted in cups filled with fertile soil. The containers are placed in a greenhouse, where they take root.
Rules of landing
It is no secret that for the successful growth and development of blackberries, it must be properly planted. This will ensure that the variety will grow well and show all its productivity.
Recommended dates
Blackberry seedlings Chief Joseph is best planted in the spring, not in the fall, so that the young plants do not freeze, especially if the winter is snowless or very cold.
Soil Preparation
Soil preparation for blackberries consists in digging it up, leveling it, and making planting pits. 5-6 kg of humus, 50 g of potash fertilizers and 100-150 g of superphosphate are added to each. Top dressing is mixed with the soil, the pits are filled with this mixture by 2/3 of their volume.
Choosing the right place
Blackberry Chief Joseph grows best in a sunny place, but it can also be planted in partial shade. But the complete absence of light is not allowed – this will affect the quality of the berries. The landing site can be open, but you can also place bushes near buildings and fences.
Selection and preparation of seedlings
Blackberry seedlings Chief Joseph 1 or 2 years old should be healthy, well developed, with fresh young foliage, not sluggish, free from damage, signs of disease and pests on shoots and roots. It is better to purchase them in specialized nurseries where they grow good varietal material. Before planting, the roots of plants are soaked in a solution of a root formation stimulator for better survival.
Algorithm and landing scheme
Planting pits for vigorous blackberry Chief Joseph are made at a distance of 1,5-2 m from each other, 2,5 m – in the aisles. Their depth and diameter should not be less than 0,6 m. Drainage and a mixture of fertilizers are poured into the pits, a layer of earth is added on top, on which the plant is installed. After that, the seedling is covered with fertile soil along the root neck, the soil is mulched with peat, humus, straw, hay, sawdust. After planting, the shoots are cut off, leaving pieces with 1-2 buds above the ground. The bush is watered abundantly.
Culture aftercare
After planting seedlings, during the entire growing season, plants need some care. It consists of watering, loosening, fertilizing, pruning and harvesting.
Growing principles
Blackberries of the Chief Joseph variety are grown on a trellis, for which high supports are installed along the edges of the beds with bushes and the wire is pulled. Shoots are tied to it individually or in bunches. You can also grow plants, leaving the shoots to spread along the ground, but then they are cut off at a height of 2-2,5 m.
Necessary activities
The Chief Joseph blackberry is considered drought-resistant, so it does not require frequent watering, especially if a mulch covering of sawdust, peat, hay, straw, last year’s foliage, and mowed grass is laid on the ground. If it is not there, then after watering the soil needs to be loosened. Bushes are fed with complex fertilizers in the spring, before flowering begins and before fruits begin to set on the bushes.
shrub pruning
In the spring, the growing branches of the blackberry Chief Joseph are cut when they reach a height of 2,5 m, the side ones growing on them – 1 m. The shoots of the first order are tied to the upper trellis, the second order to the lower wire. In autumn, all the branches that have finished fruiting are cut out under the root, leaving only young shoots.
Preparation for winter
Each growing season of Chief Joseph’s blackberries ends up sheltering them for the winter. The shoots are removed from the trellis, tied together, laid on the ground, wrapped with insulating material and sprinkled on top with another layer of earth. In the spring, the shelter is removed.
Diseases and pests: methods of control and prevention
These blackberries are in good health, so they can be grown without fear that the bushes will suffer from disease. However, there is evidence that spider mites can settle on plants – if this happens, they are treated with pesticides.
Conclusion
The blackberry variety Chief Joseph, interesting in its characteristics, can be recommended to lovers of this crop as early ripe and productive. With proper care, he can delight the gardener with delicious large berries for more than one season in a row.
Reviews
Reviews about blackberries Chief Joseph gardeners are mostly positive.
