Blackberry Black Satin: reviews, description, yield and care

Reviews about the blackberry Black Satin, Navajo and the Triple Crown are the most impressive. Gardeners like these varieties not only for high yields, but also for the fact that they do not have thorns, which allows you to harvest with more comfort without scratching. Today we decided to submit a description of the blackberry variety Black Satin. Reviews about the culture and photos will be published throughout the article. Where did this miracle plant come from?

Selection

Illinois - the state of the USA, famous for its unfavorable climatic conditions. There is a very hot summer, often all in their way destroy the tornado, and in winter the city is attacked by snowstorms. It was from there came to Russia the most persistent and good varieties of blackberries. Black Satin in Siberia 5, according to gardeners, grows excellent, and everyone knows how severe the climate is there. But about the places of growth then, and now the question: "Who was able to breed this variety?"

In Illinois, there is the city of Carbondale, it was at his university that American breeders crossed the variety under the number US1482 with Thornfree and Darrow, and as a result received the superstar of the Russian gardens Blackberry Black Satin, the reviews about which are the warmest. Initially, the variety was zoned for California and Illinois, and then it got into the countries of Europe, then to Russia. In our country, it quickly acclimatized and began to enjoy incredible popularity.

Characteristics of the bush

The plant is not prone to thickening, which will please every gardener. Sam bush strong and hardy, offspring does not give roots. As we already mentioned, shoots do not have thorns. They grow very fast and can reach five meters. The cross section is strong. At the beginning of growth, the branches stand straight, looking up, when they grow more than one and a half meters, begin to lie down. Fresh vines are green, as they mature, they become brown, those who are more than two years old have a brown color. The branches are thick, on average three centimeters in diameter, rigid. Foliage, as it is supposed, is complex, serrate, consists of plates in number from three to five.

Flowers, while flowing, decorate the bush with a rich pink color. The next day the plant can not be recognized, since the pigment of flowers burns out, and they turn white, sometimes they retain a slight pinkish hue.

Blackberry fruit and yield Black Satin

The first harvest from the horticultural shrub is obtained the next year after planting the crop. The fruit of the variety is very abundant. Reviews of blackberry Black Satin claim that the crop matures continuously, beginning in May and ending in October. Some berries catch the first snow.

The yield of the variety is exceptionally high. For a season with one bush, you can get an average of 25 kilograms of fine blackberries on average. Berries are large, weighing about 8 grams. Their aroma is strong, blackberry, the taste is excellent, sweet and sour. The fruit is juicy, with a thin skin. The color of berries is black, the surface is satin-glossy, because of which the variety has its name.

Sustainability

To say that the blackberry Black Satin, reviews about which will be placed at the end of the article, is endowed with high frost resistance, it is impossible. It can overwinter without cover, provided that the temperature does not drop more than -22 degrees. If you have severe winters, as in Siberia, then you need to use a special shelter and stably hive additional snow cover. By the way, Fumiomi Takeda - a researcher with Apallachei - conducted experiments with the variety and created unique turning trellises for him, thanks to which it is possible to hide the bush without unnecessary trouble. To hide the bush, you do not need to remove it from the trellis, you just have to switch from summer to winter.

The variety can be affected by gray rot, therefore it is necessary to follow it, properly take care of it and carry out preventive measures.

As for keeping quality and transportability, they are low, like any other blackberry. The fruits are too soft, they croak, crumple, lose their appearance.

Advantages of the variety

Judging by the reviews, blackberry Black Satin has the following positive qualities:

• Large and delicious berries;
• The bush does not thicken, it is easy to control;
• Shoots do not have thorns;
• Yield is very high.

It would seem that there are not many advantages, but all confirm the high productivity of the variety.

disadvantages

Among the shortcomings we will outline the following:

• Low fodder and transportability of fruits;
• Average frost resistance;
• High risk of damage to gray rot.

But all these minuses are corrected. As a rule, rot only encroaches upon overripe fruits, so harvesting the bush in time will protect the bush.

With regard to transportability, I would like to note that in more adult bushes the berries are covered with dense skin. They are harder to crush, it becomes possible to store and transport them.

For the winter bushes should be sheltered in order to avoid frostbite of shoots.

Landing

The place for blackberry planting Black Satin should be sunny, sheltered from the winds. The variety does not tolerate overmoistening, so it is worth taking care in case of need for drainage.

Landing is best done in the spring. And what if the seedling was bought in the fall? It's okay, it just needs to be covered well, even if the frosts in the region are not strong.

The size of the landing pit should allow filling half of the quality compost. In addition, immediately calculate the location for the installation of supports - trellis, which will be tied to the whip.

Reviews of blackberry Black Satin claim that the variety is not the most ideal for sheltering it for the winter, as the branches of an adult bush are difficult to bend. We suggest considering options that will not allow your plant to freeze.

"Education" of the vine

Do not allow the bush to straighten the shoots too much. When they grow to forty centimeters, bend the branch to the ground and fix it. When you reach the height of 1.2 meters, you can release it, move it horizontally along the trellis, create a bend that will allow you to lift the branch vertically and to pack it under the cover material for the winter.

American trimming

The homeland of blackberry is America, and there people form this variety into a very compact bush. For this you need:

• In July, pinch the tops of one-year-old shoots at a height of 1.1 meters, this will stimulate the growth of lateral branches;
• In the spring, until the buds are awakened, the lateral growths are normalized: those that grow below forty-five centimeters from the earth are removed, the rest are cut to forty centimeters;
• In autumn it is necessary to remove the branches that bear fruit.

Do not feel sorry for the branches, remove them. They still will not bring any more harvest, as they are capable of this only for two seasons. In the spring they will only thicken the bush, they will suck a lot of useful substances and contribute to the defeat of gray rot.

Watering and feeding

Drought can cause blighting of berries, and excessive moisture causes rot. Irrigation is necessary regular, but do not overdo it.

That the bush annually brings to you a good crop, from three-year age it will be necessary for seasonal top dressings. The scheme of fertilizer application is as follows:

1. Spring. Mix five kilograms of humus and ten grams of urea (this is a calculation for one square meter), get a nitrogen fertilizer.
2. Autumn. In this period, you need phosphorus and potassium, take 25 grams of potassium fertilizer and 100 grams of superphosphate for each "square".

Measures against gray rot

Blackberry Black Satin (planting and harvest described above) needs protection from disease - gray rot. To minimize the probability of its appearance, it is necessary:

• Do not allow branches to lie on the ground;
• In time to remove ripe berries from a bush;
• Do not allow thickening, cut off shoots and remove old ones;
• In the spring, until the flowering has come, to produce spraying with a three-percentage Bordeaux liquid.

Blackberry Blackberry: reviews

This variety was fond of Russians, and many when choosing a blackberry for their site stop exactly on it. They write that such a high yield was not given by any variety, the berries are large, very tasty. The fruits are universal, they can be consumed fresh, and you can also put them on the blanks for winter.

The minus of a variety of gardeners have allocated the extended maturing, write, that it is necessary to collect a crop several times. However, however that may be, they still recommend the Black Satin blackberry for cultivation.