Content
Growing blackberries on personal plots is no longer exotic. High yield and excellent taste contributed to the rapid growth of the popularity of this fruit shrub. The article deals with one of the varieties of English selection - Helena blackberry.
Breeding history
The Helen Blackberry is an early ripening hybrid obtained in 1997 by Derek Jennings (UK) as a result of crossing Silvan and unidentified West American number forms. In the State Register, as of 2017, the Helen blackberry variety is not registered.
Description of berry culture
Blackberries of an early ripening period Helena belongs to the mildews - creeping varieties. It is a medium-sized raspberry-like shrub. Unlike the latter, it contains much more vitamins and minerals in its fruits. Description of the variety, photos, reviews of the Helena blackberry are presented below.
General understanding of the variety
The characteristics of the Helen blackberry variety are shown in the table:
Parameter | Value |
Culture type | Creeping shrub |
Escapes | Powerful, with short internodes, 1.5‒1.8 m in height, sometimes up to 2 m, with well-developed lateral branching |
Foliage | Strong |
Sheet | Green, matte, elongated heart-shaped, with characteristic serrated edges, leaf plate with clearly readable veins, slightly fleecy |
Number of shoots replacement | 1-2 pcs. |
Root system | Superficial, well developed |
The presence of thorns on the shoots | Absent |
Berries
Black shiny berries of the Helena blackberry do not leave anyone indifferent. The main data on fruits are shown in the table:
Parameter | Name |
Assignment of the variety | Dessert |
Fruit color | At the initial stage - ruby, at the stage of full ripeness - black, glossy |
The size | Large |
Berry mass | Up to 10 gr. |
The form | Rounded, elongated-oblong |
Taste | Sweet, with a cherry aftertaste and deep aroma |
Juiciness | Very high |
Bones | Difficult, small, poorly felt |
Tasting assessment | 4,3 |
Transportability | Low |
Characteristic
Main advantages
There are few of them. The advantage of the Helena blackberry is its original taste, but it is much inferior to many other varieties, and according to the tasting data, Helen is not even in the top ten. A positive point is almost the earliest ripening period among black varieties, amicable ripeness of fruits and the absence of thorns on the shoots.
Flowering period and ripening time
Helena blackberries bloom late in June. Thanks to this, the flowers do not suffer from spring frosts. Certain difficulties can only arise if the plant is frozen over in winter.In this case, the affected fruit buds are difficult to bloom and poorly pollinated. Below is a photo of Helen's blackberry during flowering.
Fruiting of Helena blackberries is amicable, begins in the first decade of July. Ripening is not extended in time.
Yield indicators
Among others, the Helen variety of blackberries shows very average yields. This is partly due to the weak growth of replacement shoots, as well as due to the low winter hardiness of the plant. The data of the complete first fruiting of some blackberry varieties are given in the table.
Blackberry variety | Productivity from 1 sq.m, kg |
Chester | 10,0 |
Black Satin | 8,2 |
Loch Tay | 5,7 |
Helen | 3,0 |
The figures given are statistics from field trials by the Research Institute of Horticulture in Skiernowice (Poland). In addition to a low yield, Helena blackberries show a very modest subsequent increase in productivity - about 200 grams, while other varieties - from 0.5 to 1.5 kg.
Scope of berries
The Helena blackberry variety is a dessert, therefore it is used fresh. It can also be used for making jams, compotes, fruit drinks. Due to the low yield and poor keeping quality of ripe berries, the question of industrial processing, as a rule, does not arise.
Disease and pest resistance
Helen's blackberries do not have stable immunity and are subject to the same characteristic diseases as other varieties. Therefore, it is imperative to take preventive measures.
Advantages and disadvantages
Helena blackberry ripens early and will delight the gardener with large ripe berries in early July. This is where her merits end. The disadvantages of Helen's blackberry are much more, here are just the main ones:
- low productivity;
- a small number of replacement shoots;
- tendency to chlorosis;
- weak frost resistance;
- no immunity to disease;
- poor transportability.
Thus, planting Helen's blackberries in a garden plot cannot be unambiguously recommended as promising.
Reproduction methods
You can propagate Helena blackberries in any traditional way. These include reproduction:
- layering;
- shoots;
- offspring;
- root and green cuttings;
- seeds.
The first method is the most optimal. Its essence is as follows. In early August, two grooves 15 cm deep are dug from the bush, into which healthy annual shoots are laid, fixed with wire or a load and covered with earth.
The soil is mulched with sawdust and regularly watered. After about two months, the shoots of Helena's blackberries will take root and sprout. At this time, they can be cut off from the mother branch and transplanted to a new place along with a lump of earth.
Landing rules
When planting Helen's blackberries, consider what effect the bushes will have on the garden. And also whether the shrub itself will be able to grow and develop normally in the proposed conditions.
Recommended timing
Helen Blackberries can be planted in both spring and fall. In regions with different climatic conditions, the timing for spring planting may be different, the following must be taken into account:
- The air temperature is not less than +15 degrees.
- The soil warmed up by at least 20 cm.
- The buds have not yet blossomed.
In the middle lane, this is the end of April - early May, in the southern regions - April, in the Far East - the first decade of May.
Planting Helen's blackberry seedlings in the fall should be done in such a way that at least a month remains before the first frost begins.
Choosing the right place
Helen's blackberries will grow well in sunny, sheltered places. The ideal place would be to land on the south or southwest side along the fence. Avoid places with possible stagnation of moisture, as well as with a groundwater level above one and a half meters. It is preferable to plant Helena blackberries on loamy and sandy loam soils.
Soil preparation
Pits for planting Helen's blackberries need to be made in advance, nutritious soil, which will fill the roots of the seedlings, too. Usually they are prepared a month before planting so that the soil and substrate are saturated with air.
Pits should be at least 40x40x40 cm. They are made at a distance of 1.5-2 meters from each other.
Selection and preparation of seedlings
When planting Helena blackberries, it is better to use your own seedlings obtained from the mother bush. In this case, the offshoot will be with a lump of earth and will easily transfer the transplant to a new place.
If the roots are open, then they should be moist. Before planting, such Helen blackberry seedlings should be soaked for several hours in a root growth stimulator.
Algorithm and scheme of landing
Prepared pits are filled with nutrient soil by 2/3. It should include:
- compost or humus - 5 kg.
- superphosphate - 120 gr.
- potassium sulfate - 40 gr.
The components must be mixed with turf soil. Helena blackberry seedlings are planted vertically, deepening the root collar by 2-3 cm and covered with soil. The soil around the plant must be compacted and watered with 5 liters of water, and then the trunk circle must be mulched with sawdust or peat.
Follow-up care of the culture
The planted plant needs to be watered regularly for 40-50 days. Then the watering frequency can be reduced and the weather oriented. Also, the mandatory measures for caring for Helen's blackberries include pruning, garter on trellises, feeding, watering and shelter for the winter.
Growing principles
Helen's blackberries must be tied to trellises. Usually, two or three rows of wire are pulled for this, at a height of 0.7, 1.2 and 1.7 meters. The garter principle is fan-shaped. Lateral shoots are tied to the lower trellis, the central ones to the middle and upper ones.
Necessary activities
Helen's blackberries need watering only during the period of fruit ripening. Excess moisture is harmful to her. After watering, the soil can be loosened and mulched with sawdust or straw.
Feeding Helena's blackberries is done in two stages. In the spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied (ammonium nitrate - 50 grams for each bush) to stimulate the growth of annual shoots. In the fall, after the end of fruiting, the bushes are fed with superphosphate and potassium sulfate (100 and 30 grams, respectively), introducing fertilizers along with humus into the trunk circles while digging them.
Shrub pruning
Pruning Helen's blackberries is done in the fall and spring. In the fall, two-year-old, fruiting shoots are cut at the root, in the spring, a sanitary cut is made of branches that have been broken and died during the winter.
Preparing for winter
For Helena Blackberries, winter shelter is a must. Shoots are removed from the trellis, tied together, bent to the ground and covered with two layers of agrofibre.
Diseases and pests: methods of control and prevention
Helen's blackberries are not inherently immune to disease. The table lists the most common diseases.
Disease | What is it manifested in | Prevention and treatment |
Root cancer | Growths of green and then brown color on the roots and root collar | It is not treated. Affected plants are burned. The site is treated with Bordeaux liquid. |
Curliness | Weak growth, leaves turn bright green, wrinkled, curled inward. Flowers are not pollinated | It is not treated. A diseased plant must be burned |
Mosaic | Chaotic yellow spots on the leaves, thinning of the shoots. Frost resistance is greatly reduced | There is no cure. The plant needs to be dug up and burned |
Yellow mesh | The leaves turn yellow, the veins remain green.Shoots stop growing | The virus is carried by aphids, the diseased plant is destroyed along with the aphids |
Anthracnose | Gray spots on leaves, less often on shoots. Gray ulcers on berries | It is not treated. The diseased plant is destroyed. For prevention, I treat the bushes with fungicides three times a season |
Septoria (white spot) | Round brown spots with a thin border on the leaves, black spots of the fungus. Mucus appears on the berries, they rot | It is not treated. Prevention is the same as for anthracnose. |
Didymella (purple spot) | Drying of leaves, wilting of shoots. Purple spots on the stem. | Thinning plantings, spraying with 2% Bordeaux mixture |
Botrytis (gray rot) | Berries and shoots are affected by a gray, fleecy bloom, later rot | Treatment of bushes with fungicides, with a change after re-application |
In addition to diseases, the Helena blackberry bushes can be attacked by pests. The table shows the main insects that are dangerous for this variety.
Pest | What amazes | Fight and prevention |
Spider mite | Leaves, a thin cobweb appears on the affected bushes | Cleaning and burning of all old leaves. Triple treatment with fungicides (Aktofit, Fitoverm, etc.) with an interval of 7 days after the opening of the first leaves |
Blackberry mite | Berries, affected fruits do not ripen and remain red | Treatment of bushes with drugs Envidor, BI-58 before bud break |
Raspberry stem fly | The tops of the shoots, the larvae of flies gnaw their passages inside them, then descending along the shoot down for the winter | There are no chemical methods, the tops of the shoots are cut off and burned immediately after wilting is detected |
Crimson beetle | All parts, from roots to flowers, gnawing holes in them | Digging up the soil, cleaning rot. A week before flowering, the bushes are treated with Iskra, Fufagon, etc. |
Conclusion
Unfortunately, the facts do not allow us to unambiguously recommend the Helen blackberry variety as promising for cultivation. Low yield, not the best taste with a pronounced tendency to freeze. It is more suitable for a variety, as an addition to the main crops of the garden. Helena's blackberry is not suitable for commercial production.
To better determine the choice of variety, you can watch the following video about Helen's blackberries
Testimonials
Reviews about Helen's blackberry are controversial.
