Blackberry Natchez: description, characteristics, features of care

Description and characteristics

Blackberry “Natchez” – one of the latest developments of American breeders. Work on the breeding of the variety lasted more than 6 years, and only in 2007 it was patented at the University of Arkansas by the famous breeder and author of the best varieties of blackberries, John Clark. The Natchez variety quickly won and has long maintained a leading position among the Western and European assortment due to its amazing taste and presentation of berries.

According to the ripening period, it is considered super early. The berries reach their removable maturity by the beginning of July, a couple of weeks earlier than other varieties of blackberries ripen. The fruiting period is extended – lasts 3-5 weeks from the beginning of the collection of the first berries. Both the shrub and its fruits have a very colorful description: the plant is tall and vigorous (up to 6 m), during fruiting it literally bends under the weight of blackberry brushes.

“Natchez” – creeping variety. At the very beginning of growth, seedlings take a vertical direction, but upon reaching 4–5 meters, they begin to bend and acquire a position characteristic of creeping plants. Blackberry seedlings grow very quickly, in the first year powerful shoots with multiple stepsons up to 3-4 meters high are formed on the plant. The bush blooms in the second half of May with simple white flowers, consisting of 5-6 petals.

Blackberries have an equally spectacular appearance – they are large, black, with a barely noticeable blue elongated-cylindrical drupe. It tastes very sweet, even tart, with a subtle hint of acidity and a slight bitterness in the aftertaste. In technical maturity, the surface of the berries is shiny, when overripe it becomes slightly matte. The drupes are located on fruit twigs in large brushes of 10–30 berries. They can hang on a bush for a long time, remaining dense and not crumbling.

The commodity characteristic of the variety is very high. In addition to the delicious multifaceted taste, the Natchez blackberry is distinguished by its impressive fruit size.

Berries from the first harvest are 3-4 cm long and weigh 9-15 g, but with each subsequent harvest, the size and weight of the fruit increases, and can reach 5-6 cm with a weight of 20-22 g. This is a record weight indicator among the entire range of varieties blackberries.

The shrub bears fruit twice per season, so the total yield of the variety is high – 15–20 kg per bush. Despite their juiciness, the berries are well transported, and in a cool place they can be stored for up to 14 days.

Video “Natchez Blackberry”

Watch the Natchez blackberry video review and learn about the characteristics and benefits of this variety.

Advantages and disadvantages

According to gardeners, blackberry “Natchez” is one of the best and most sought-after varieties for private and industrial cultivation. Such popularity of culture is caused by its numerous advantages and positive qualities:

• excellent taste and presentation of fruits;
• good transportability and safety of berries;
• early ripening;
• extended period of fruiting (up to 6 weeks);
• high productivity (the formation of multiple clusters containing more than 2 dozen large berries allows you to collect high yields from a small area of ​​​​land);
• the absence of thorns on the shoots, which greatly facilitates harvesting and caring for the crop;
• relatively high disease resistance.

The disadvantages of the variety are much less, but they also exist. First of all, it is low winter hardiness. The root system of the plant is able to tolerate temperatures down to -14 ° C, so it needs shelter for the winter. Also, the plant does not respond well to a sharp cold snap – a sudden drop in temperature to -15–20 ° C leads to freezing of the buds and, accordingly, loss of yield next year.

Another disadvantage of the variety is the high demand for sunlight – a bush can please a good yield only if it is planted in an open sunny area, where it is provided with proper care. In the shade, blackberries grow small, tart in taste and not juicy enough.

Also, many gardeners note such a drawback as the fragility of the branches. The fact is that the shoots of the Natchez blackberry are already thinner than those of other varieties, and since the berries are of considerable weight, the branches often break off under their weight. To prevent this, it is necessary to install supports during the fruiting period, which somewhat complicates the care of plants.

Features of landing

In general, the Natchez variety is unpretentious in content, but in order to achieve high yields in the future, blackberry seedlings must be planted correctly. The ideal soil for cultivation is fertile and well-drained sandy loamy, loamy soil with neutral or low acidity. Poor soil with a low potassium content causes a change in the taste of berries – they become sour and dryish. The area where the seedlings will be planted should be well lit, but at the same time protected from winds and drafts.

The scheme by which the crop is planted depends on the purpose of cultivation. In an amateur garden, seedlings are recommended to be planted at a distance of 2,5–3 m – this is the optimal distance at which adult bushes will not interfere with each other. In industrial cultivation, it is permissible to place seedlings more densely (2–2,5 m). Since the blackberry of this variety does not tolerate low temperatures, it is better to plant seedlings in the spring, before bud break. In comfortable conditions, plants will take root faster and survive the winter safely.

For landing to be successful, it must be carried out in the following sequence:

• In a clean area, without weeds, stones and other debris, they dig a hole 40–45 cm wide and 0,5 m deep. If you plan to plant several bushes at the same time, then the holes are dug at a distance of at least 2,5 m.
• The top layer of the earth should be set aside, and the planting hole should be filled with a mixture of fertilizers (humus 5-6 kg, superphosphate 100 g, potassium salt 50-60 g).
• Then add part of the earth to the pit and mix it with fertilizers.
• In this earthen mixture, make a recess and vertically place a seedling in it.
• Gently sprinkle the roots of the plant with earth, after which it is slightly compacted.
• Form a hole around the bush, into which watering will be carried out and carefully pour 1-2 buckets of water into it.
• Then cut the seedlings to a height of 30 cm, and mulch the soil with a small (3–5 cm) layer of peat or humus.

Care

The agrotechnics of the blackberry variety “Natchez” involves care, consisting of a number of activities: watering, top dressing, pruning, protection from diseases, pests and cold.

As already mentioned, when growing a crop, you have to use supports. It is better if the supporting structure is installed as early as possible – this will eliminate the need to support the branches during the fruiting period. The best option for blackberries are trellises up to 2 meters high. Young shoots are pinned to them, which are released by seedlings, and thus direct the plant.

Further care is as follows:

1. Watering. Blackberries prefer moderately moist soil. Drought and stagnant moisture are harmful to it, so you need to water it no more than 1 time per week at the rate of 3-4 buckets per bush. During the formation of the ovary, water more often – every 2-3 days.
2. Top dressing. Fertilizers are applied 3-4 times during the season. In early spring, before bud break – humus or compost 5-7 kg under a bush, saltpeter 50 g under a bush. During the growing season, liquid mullein or litter is introduced (diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10). After fruiting, 500 g of ash under a bush and 100 g of superphosphate are embedded in the soil. Before the onset of frost, the trunk circles are mulched with organic matter.
3. Clippings. Held 1 time / 2 years. With the help of a pruner, old branches are removed, as well as some of the young ones – this allows you to maintain fruiting at the same level. All side branches are shortened by 20–30 cm.
4. Diseases and pests. Since the blackberry is resistant to these negative factors, care consists only in the preventive treatment of the bushes with Bordeaux liquid or tobacco dust.
5. Shelter. The main care before wintering is to shelter the bushes from frost. Depending on the climate, you can cover with organic mulch (peat, sawdust, leaves, straw) or more reliable covering materials (film, agrofibre).     

Harvesting

Harvesting dates for blackberries depend on climatic conditions. In warm regions, fruiting begins at the end of June, and in more severe conditions, berries ripen only by mid-July. The coloration of drupes in a dark, almost black color is not yet a sign of their technical ripeness. As a rule, freshly colored berries are rather sour, so it is recommended to keep them on the bush for another 3-5 days before picking them, so that the taste and characteristic blackberry aroma are better revealed.

Dried sepals and a slight detachment of berries testify to the complete readiness of the fruit for harvest.

Since the Natchez blackberry shoots are devoid of thorns, the harvesting process becomes a real pleasure. The average yield per bush is 13–16 kg, but proper care can increase productivity to 20 kg or more. Blackberries of this variety are perfectly preserved and transported over long distances, for which farmers and gardeners love them so much. From berries, you can cook any desserts, blanks, alcoholic beverages, as well as freeze and dry.

It is no secret that blackberries contain a huge set of vitamins and nutrients that give it healing properties. And in order to have a vitamin product on your table regularly, plant blackberries in the garden and enjoy the excellent taste. 

Video “Planting blackberries in open ground”

Thanks to this video, you can watch the process of planting a Natchez blackberry seedling in open ground.