Blackberry Brzezina
Content:
Blackberries are no longer considered exotic. Everyone knows it, most have tried it. However, unlike raspberries, which grow in almost all garden plots, blackberries are not widespread in Russian regions and the CIS countries. But years passed, the Internet, television, printed literature appeared, from which Russian gardeners get information about what kind of vegetation is cultivated abroad, and what money can be made from this. As it turned out, blackberries were also included in the list of popular berry crops. It is not necessarily sour and has thorns. There are varieties without thorns, with excellent taste and high yields. One of these varieties, Brzezin's blackberry, will be discussed in this article.
Blackberry Brzezina: description and characteristics of the variety

Blackberry Brzezina: photo
Blackberry varieties Brzezina were brought out by breeders from Poland, or rather, scientists from the Institute of Horticulture, which is located in the city of Brzezina. The authors of the variety are Agnieszka Oryol and Jan Danek. The mother varieties are the popular Black Satin andDarrow».
The goals of Polish breeders differ from those of scientists from North America. North Americans develop varieties with excellent taste, the yield index plays a secondary role. Breeders from Poland want to get a blackberry that would be easy to care for and there would be no need to cover it for the winter season. Although good taste also does not stand aside.
Brzezina's blackberry variety is a novelty. It was registered and patented in 2012, however, it has been sold only since 2015.
Descriptive characteristics.
Brzezina's blackberry variety has not yet had time to show its full potential. According to the short growing period (4 years), it is not yet worth judging whether it corresponds to the characteristics given by the authors. Perhaps it is for this reason that the gardeners' reviews of this blackberry have slight differences from the stated description. It is possible that the plant could be influenced by the climate.
A strong bush is formed with shoots that spread in half. The color of young lashes is light green, as soon as the wood ripens, they are repainted in light brown. In the first year after planting, one or two shoots are formed; in the future, a large number of lashes are formed.
There are no thorns, the fruiting branches are shortened, and there are many of them. The variety begins to bear fruit at three to four years. By this time, the lashes are thickened, no longer so soft, reaching a length of up to three meters. They are not very flexible, it is difficult to cover them for the winter season.
A large number of side branches are formed, so the shrub looks large. The offspring, with the help of which it would be possible to propagate the bush, on the contrary, a small number is formed. To increase their number, the root of the bush is specially damaged with a shovel. The leaves are pale green, have a large number of teeth. The root system is well developed. Fruits are formed on last year's shoots.
Brzezina blackberry fruits.

Blackberry Brzezina: photo
The berries are collected in tassels, there are a lot of brushes. Each of them contains approximately ten fruits. Polish scientists are developing varieties that are suitable for cultivation on an industrial scale. Therefore, the fruits are plump, attractive, they are well transported, because the marketable and taste qualities are not lost during transportation.
Brzezina's blackberry variety is the newest, so people from the field of gardening cannot say with great certainty what the berries will turn out to be when they reach their full potential. But the first bushes that have grown are already promising a lot. Fruits of different sizes - on one bush you can find berries of five to six grams and seven to nine grams. Some foreign sources claim that as soon as the bush matures, the mass of the berries becomes larger and ranges from eight to twelve grams. In time we will see.
Berries of black color, shiny, elongated, resemble the fruits of the blackberry variety "Karaka Black", but several times smaller in size. In addition, the Brzezina blackberry does not look like a huge elongated mulberry, but as a simple one, and even thick.
The taste is sweet, slightly sour, the aftertaste is excellent. Assessment of tasters - 4.6 points. Russian gardeners have not yet put the variety in their rating, perhaps the time has not yet come.
Blackberry Brzezina: photo
Difficulties arise with the peculiarities of Brzezin's blackberries. They differ from those that scientists stated in the characteristics. Perhaps the blackberry has not yet shown its full potential, or the climate, even the Ukrainian one, has its own differences from the Polish climate. It is possible that the variety was hastily advertised, giving what you want as the truth. In general, we will receive the answer to this question only after 4-5 years, and now we are figuring out what is in reality.
We note for the second time that they began to cultivate this variety in private garden plots and for commercial purposes in 2015, so it is possible that adult specimens will indeed be as indicated in the characteristics.
Main advantages.
The description states that the variety does not need to be covered for the winter. However, blackberry buds can freeze out, therefore, if the shoots are not insulated, the yield will significantly decrease.
Breeders assure that the variety has good tolerance to dry and hot periods. The fact that blackberries prefer to grow in moist soil and loves to be systematically watered, wrote and said almost everywhere, so every gardener knows that the resistance of a shrub to a dry season is a relative concept. Southerners need to know that under elevated temperature conditions, the fruits of this variety can bake.
The fruits are really well transported when kept cool, do not spread. The thorns on the shoots are completely absent. The variety is undemanding to care, it is whimsical to the soil and location to the same extent as other blackberry forms.
Flowering and ripening.
The description indicates that this blackberry has a very early ripening period. But so far this is not the case. It is more related to the mid-early period of maturity. In the southern regions, it begins to bear fruit in the first days of July, in other areas later for a couple of weeks.
Productivity, fruiting period.
Blackberry Brzezina: photo
It is too early to say something about the yield indicator of the variety. But the description indicates that each adult shrub can produce approximately eight kg of fruit. Maybe, like the Polar variety, Brzezina will produce more berries if you cover it for the winter, then the flower buds will calmly survive the frosty periods without loss. The fruiting time, which is indicated in the characteristics, should be shorter than the fruiting period of the Loch Tei variety (ten to fourteen days faster). In fact, both forms mature at the same time. However, so far we are only observing the signal fruits. Maybe, when the variety begins to bear fruit in full, then the period of its ripening will really be very early.
Fruit ripening is uneven, the bush bears fruit stretched out (five to six weeks).
How the fruits are used.
Blackberry varieties Brzezina are eaten fresh, processed and frozen for the winter. The transportability of the fruits is excellent, and soon they are expected to appear in supermarkets in Europe.
Immunity to diseases and harmful insects.
Blackberry variety Brzezina is immune to diseases and resistance to attacks of harmful insects. However, this blackberry must be processed in the first and last days of the period in order to prevent it.
Pros and cons of Brzezina blackberry varieties
We can only assume what the pros and cons of Brzezina's blackberries, because it did not fully bear fruit either on the garden plots of private owners or on commercial plantations. And it is advisable not to rely on the manufacturer's characteristics. Although, maybe in a couple of years, the variety will reveal itself as a very early one, which is not afraid of frosty and hot periods. You just have to wait.
Advantages.
- Large attractive fruits.
- Good resistance to dry periods (as for a blackberry plant).
- High immunity to diseases and good resistance to harmful insects.
- Excellent taste of the fruit.
- High level of resistance to frost periods.
- No thorns.
- Bears fruit early.
- The fruits are well transported.
- Decent yield indicator.
- Shoots form well.
- Little overgrowth.
Minuses.
- Shelter for the winter period is still required.
- The fruits are spoiled due to the intense heat.
- Freezing of flower buds, if the bush is not covered, even in the southern regions.
- The shoots are thickened and do not bend well, so the garter to the support will be difficult, and it will also be difficult to remove and bend the lashes to the ground.
- As we can see, there are more pluses than minuses.
Reproduction
Breeding methods - pulping, with the help of layering - are not simple. Because tough shoots are not flexible, in order to bend them to the ground, it is necessary to get accustomed to horizontal placement from the moment they began to grow. Therefore, reproduction is carried out by dividing the bush, by cuttings (green and root cuttings are taken), and also the roots are damaged with a shovel bayonet to increase the number of offspring.
How to properly plant Brzezin's blackberries
It is necessary to plant the Brzezin blackberry variety in the same way as other blackberry varieties. Planting can be easily carried out even by a novice gardener; in this matter, a competent choice of a site for cultivation and preparation of the soil are important.
Optimal time.
Like other varieties, the Brzezin's thornless blackberry in the southern regions is planted early in the fall, so that the bush will successfully root before the onset of cold snaps. In other areas, planting is carried out during the spring season. In this case, during the warm season, the blackberry will have time to adapt to a new place and perfectly withstand the winter season.
How to choose a suitable site for growing.
Brzezina's besshorn blackberry prefers to grow on light, fertile loamy soil, which has a weak acidity level. The site must be protected from cold winds and have good illumination. In the south, at noon, you need to shade the bush so that the fruits are not baked in the sun. The location of groundwater should be below the surface soil layer by one and a half meters.
How to prepare the soil.
Planting holes are dug according to the 50x50 cm scheme. The substrate consists of a surface soil layer, humus (bucket), potassium (50 grams) and phosphorus (150 grams). With excessive acidity of the soil, lime is added to it, if the soil is alkaline or neutral, then horse (red) peat is poured into it. The compacted soil is enriched with sand, while the carbonate soil is enriched with organic matter.
Next, the planting pit is filled with a ready-made substrate for two-thirds of the part and filled with water. After ten to fourteen days, plants can be planted.
How to choose and prepare seedlings.
Blackberry Brzezina: photo of variety flowers
The Brzezina blackberry brambleless variety is a novelty. You need to purchase it in a nursery or from reputable sellers. The scourge should be smooth, there should be no cracks or other damage, the roots should be well developed.If the bush does not have thorns, then this is a signal that they are trying to sniff you a different variety.
Prepare for planting as follows: purchased seedlings are watered or soaked open root for twelve hours.
Planting progress.
There is no experience in cultivating this variety. Breeders advise in amateur garden plots to observe the interval between seedlings within two to two and a half meters, on commercial plantations - one and a half meters. The row spacing is two and a half to three meters.
After the preparation and pruning of the bush by ten to fifteen cm, it is planted.
Algorithm.
- In the middle of the pit for planting, you need to make a hill of earth.
- Blackberry roots are fully distributed around its circumference.
- The well is gradually covered with a nutritious substrate, it is compacted so that no empty spaces arise. The root collar needs to be buried one and a half to two cm.
- Then the plant is watered. For each, you need to add ten liters of water, no less.
- The trunk circle must be mulched with humus or peat with an acid reaction.
Agrotechnics
Blackberry Brzezina: photo
It is easy to care for the shrub of this blackberry variety. Scientists from Poland have bred varieties that are easy to care for. They only guessed that there was no need to cover the bush from frosty periods, they thought that their blackberry varieties would perfectly survive in the winter season on a support. But in our climate this will not work.
Agricultural engineering rules.
Despite the fact that the lashes are thickened and stiff, a garter to the support is still required. Bushes 1 and 2 years old do not need to be tied up, because their shoots are still quite shortened. From the age of three, fruit branches need to be tied to one side of the trellis, young lashes to the other.
Should I pinch the shoots? This issue remains unresolved. One part of the gardeners claims that a sufficient number of side lashes will grow anyway, while others claim that if you shorten the tops, then the yield of the bush will increase. In general, over time we will see who is right.
Agrotechnical techniques.
After planting, a young bush is watered twice every seven days. The soil is then constantly kept hydrated because the blackberry loves moisture. It must be remembered that if the soil turns into a swamp, the root system will be damaged.
Top dressing is applied three times per period. The bush is fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizer in the first days of the growing season. When the buds form and open, it is brought in
complete mineral complex fertilizer. When the shrub finishes bearing fruit, it is fed with potassium monophosphate or another identical mineral substance.
Spraying is beneficial, chelates and Epin are added to the water, the procedure is carried out throughout the entire period, once every fourteen days.
They loosen the soil in the spring and autumn seasons. At the equator of the growing season, soil mulching is carried out to conserve water, cover the root system from overheating and reduce the germination of weeds.
Blackberry Brzezina: pruning in the fall
Shoots that have given up fruits are immediately cut out, because they only take away strength from the shrub, prevent the ripening of young branches, on which berries should appear next year. The norm of lashes in an adult blackberry is according to the standard - you need to leave six to eight strong shoots.
Whether the pinching of the tops is required in order for the lateral branches to grow in large numbers, time will tell. Throughout the period, thin, weak and broken lashes are removed.
How to prepare a bush for the winter season.
Despite the fact that scientists from Poland assure that the Brzezina blackberry variety in the south can tolerate wintering uncovered, there is still no need to put the bush at risk. After all, they talked about other forms - about "Polar", "Guy", "Rushay". And these varieties were sheltered even in the Ukrainian territory in order to obtain a decent yield indicator.
The lashes are thick and hard.They are accustomed from an early age to the fact that in the fall they will be removed from the support. For this purpose, young shoots are pinned to the ground until they reach thirty to forty cm, and only after that they rise to the trellis.
It is best to cover the bush with a tunnel method. However, you can use straw, dried corn stalks, spruce branches, spunbond or agrofibre as insulation.
Diseases and harmful insects.
The Brzezina blackberry variety has immunity to diseases and resistance to harmful insects. Therefore, blackberries may not be further processed. However, for preventive purposes, treatments are carried out without fail, especially with dense planting of bushes. Spraying is carried out in the spring and autumn seasons with copper-containing agents.
Forbidden plant solanaceous plants, strawberry and raspberry crops with blackberry shrubs.
Blackberry Brzezina: reviews of gardeners about the variety
Brzezina's blackberry variety has not yet reached its full potential. However, we advise you to plant it, even if it does not fully justify the characteristics given in the description. This is especially true for those who cultivate blackberries for market sale - varieties bred in Poland are better adapted to the Russian climate than blackberries from North America.
Victor Igorevich, 48 years old, Stavropol Territory: “I planted a couple of Brzezin's blackberry bushes. I liked the fact that the variety is Polish and without thorns, yet the climate in Poland is more reminiscent of ours. The next season, the bushes gave a good growth. For better rooting, I plucked all the peduncles, left one brush at a time. The fruit tastes good, it's certainly not Black Magic, but good too. And the fruits ripen at the wrong time, as it is written in the characteristics, the ripeness period is most likely average. The first fruits of Brzezin's blackberries ripened by the 15th of July. "
Tatyana Alekseevna, 59 years old, Moscow region: “Brzezin's blackberry bush was planted in the spring that year. Over the summer, they were given a small increase, most likely due to rooting. Of course, we made a shelter for the winter season, we are in Russia. In this spring season, a nitrogen-containing fertilizing was introduced, all the flowers were picked, in the last days of May they were fed with a mixture for berry plants. Blackberry variety Brzezina released 2 thickened lashes, which have already grown to one hundred cm. This is joyful, because other forms of blackberries grow in our garden without much desire. I hope that next year we will eat the berries. "
Blackberry Brzezina: video