Blackberries from seeds: growing at home

Blackberries are not as popular among domestic gardeners as raspberries or strawberries. Large farms rarely cultivate this crop. The range of varieties presented in nurseries is not diverse, and buying blackberry seedlings through online stores often leads to the fact that the buyer spends a lot of money and does not always receive planting material of the proper quality. For this reason planting blackberry seedlings turns into a difficult event that is not always crowned with success. The way out of the situation is the independent reproduction of blackberries by seed sowing. This method captivates with its low cost and does not require much trouble, as it might seem at first glance. This article will talk about how blackberry seeds are grown at home: how to properly collect blackberry seeds, prepare the soil for sowing and carry out the sowing procedure.

Blackberries from seeds at home: features of this method of berry propagation

The seed method of breeding blackberries at home is an exciting business, but it requires some knowledge and skills, as well as patience. The seedlings obtained as a result of this procedure do not always retain varietal qualities, but they are distinguished by a higher survival rate, in contrast to ready-made seedlings.

The main disadvantage of blackberry seed propagation is its duration: from the moment of sowing to the first harvest, as a rule, it takes at least 4-5 years. Blackberry seedlings alone will grow and develop for at least 3 years. However, the result of this leisurely process will be the creation of a real berry plantation, provided that the selected blackberry variety is suitable for growing in the climatic conditions of the region.

The germination rate of blackberry seeds varies quite significantly: seeds purchased in the store and packaged in bags will germinate only in 10% of cases. Seed material purchased in the nursery or harvested on their own gives a higher percentage - 70-80%. There is always a temptation to purchase more budgetary seed, usually of Chinese origin. Unfortunately, in many cases, a gardener who decides to save money receives a packet of weed seeds by mail, which he often finds out about only after their germination. For this reason, it is recommended that you learn to distinguish blackberry seeds from seeds of other crops in order to immediately identify a fake.

Planting blackberries with seeds at home: collection rules

Overripe berries are suitable for harvesting blackberry seeds: they can be purchased already picked from retailers in seasonal markets. Whole blackberry bushes with already ripe fruits are sold there: it is enough to purchase only one copy in order to subsequently get a large number of seedlings. Before planting the bush itself, you should cut off its upper part - the berries collected from it become a source of seed. When buying a seedling, you need to make sure that it is healthy and that there are no signs of diseases and the presence of harmful insects.

The actual collection of seeds consists in separating them from the pulp of blackberries.To do this, overripe fruits must be mixed well until porridge is obtained, which should then be thoroughly rinsed in a container with water. Fibrous parts of fruits and empty seeds will float to the surface, and those suitable for sowing will sink to the bottom of the container. They should be laid out on paper or on a cloth in a shaded area and dried.

Growing blackberries from seeds at home: preparatory work

Growing blackberries from seeds at home: photo

Suitable for sowing are seeds harvested in the same year and pre-treated. Its first stage is to keep them in a fairly humid and cold place for 2-3 months. A good solution is to immerse them in a container filled with raw sand, which will be kept in the refrigerator at 2 to 4 degrees. The sand must be regularly moistened - this procedure, called stratification, will harden the seeds. Storing too long in a moist environment can reduce the quality of the seed or destroy it. Staying in wet sand for more than 12 months will cause them to rot, and being in a dry state will deprive them of germination.

Another preparatory procedure practiced by many gardeners is scarification. Damage to the upper shells of the seeds with a sharp knife will allow them to germinate faster.

Seed sowing should be carried out in soil warmed up to 25-28 degrees, for this reason it is not recommended to sow blackberry seeds directly into open ground. In spring, this can lead to frostbite as a result of recurrent frost. It is optimal for a start to place the seed in containers for seedlings, and plant already strengthened blackberry seedlings in open ground.

Homemade blackberries from seeds: timing for planting

Growing blackberries from seeds at home: photo

Gardeners practice two options for sowing blackberry seeds - in spring and autumn.

In early spring, blackberry seeds should be removed from the refrigerator and sown in seedling containers at room temperature. The best time for this is the period from late February to early March - about 8-10 weeks before the planned transplantation of seedlings in open ground. Placing containers with seeds under phytolamps will speed up the process of their germination.

Autumn sowing of blackberry seeds can be carried out at the end of leaf fall, directly into open ground. The damp and cold winter soil will create the necessary conditions for the natural stratification of blackberry seeds, after which they will successfully sprout with the arrival of spring.

Each of the two seeding options has its own pros and cons.

Spring sowing: advantages and disadvantages

The main advantage of spring sowing of blackberry seeds is the ability to care for the seedlings at home, which greatly facilitates the whole process. In addition, the planting time can always be adjusted depending on the germination rate of the seed - just place it on wet pieces of cloth or cotton pads, or in a container with warm water. Seedlings are planted in open ground after the danger of return frosts has passed.

The spring sowing of blackberries has a number of significant disadvantages. First of all, they are associated with the need to create a suitable environment for seed germination at home. Blackberry seedlings need good lighting and a well-chosen storage location with a temperature of no higher than 2-4 degrees Celsius.

Autumn sowing: advantages and disadvantages

Autumn sowing of blackberry seeds is good, first of all, because it makes it possible to stratify the seed in a natural way. The gardener does not have to carry out this procedure at home, and the autumn seedlings grow stronger and hardened..

The disadvantages of sowing blackberry seeds in autumn is the higher consumption of sowing material: some of the seeds inevitably die as a result of frostbite or the attack of harmful insects. In addition, weak seedlings die in spring under the influence of return frosts.

How to grow blackberries from seeds at home?

Growing blackberries from seeds at home: photo

For spring sowing of blackberry seeds, a nutritious soil is required, consisting of the following components, taken in equal proportions:

• peat;
• sand;
• Earth.

The nutritional value of the mixture can be increased by introducing vermicompost, following the instructions on the fertilizer package. For seed sowing of blackberries for seedlings, small containers are suitable - for example, ordinary plastic cups or small food containers filled with 1/3 of the substrate. In the process of seedling growth, it is necessary to periodically add soil so that the root system of young blackberry bushes is covered with a soil layer all the time. In order to provide a balanced composition and the level of acidity of the soil mixture necessary for seedlings, ready-made peat tablets can be purchased.

Sowing consists in immersing blackberry seeds in a substrate, or placing them on peat tablets. After that, future seedlings need to be watered and covered with polyethylene, and then placed under a phytolamp. You need to water the seedlings once every 5 days, fertilize - Once every 2 weeks.

Seedlings are considered ready for transplanting in open ground in the phase of appearance of 4 independent leaves - now they can be placed in greenhouses or in open ground, depending on the climate of the region. When planting, it is necessary to maintain an interval between seedlings of at least 10 cm. To place seedlings, it is necessary to choose a well-lit area with fertile soil, cleared of weeds. At the first time after transplanting, seedlings need frequent watering.

For the autumn sowing of blackberry seeds in open ground, an area sheltered from the wind and well-lit, located on a hill, is suitable. Low-lying areas should be avoided - they accumulate not only moisture, but also cold air, which can cause frostbite of seeds. Sowing seeds in a greenhouse would be a good solution - this will protect the seedlings from spring frosts, when they appear after the snow melts and the soil warms up. The soil on the site for autumn sowing must be prepared in advance by digging and fertilizing. A mixture of peat, ash and humus is suitable for this purpose. After that, the beds need to be loosened and watered. Blackberry seeds are sown in furrows about 1.5 cm deep.

Home care after planting blackberries from seeds

Growing blackberries from seeds at home: photo

With the arrival of spring, beds with blackberry seeds sown in autumn should be covered with plastic wrap to exclude the possibility of frostbite.

In the summer months, seedlings need regular watering, as well as loosening the soil and applying fertilizers. With the arrival of autumn, night frosts return - during this period, beds with still immature blackberry bushes must be covered with non-woven material. Building a greenhouse during sowing saves the gardener from these hassles, but if the greenhouse is not heated, additional shelter will not hurt. It is recommended to mulch the row spacing in the beds with peat, humus or sawdust - this will protect the roots of the seedlings from the effects of low temperatures. In general, when building a shelter for the winter for blackberry bushes, you can take as a sample protective structures for rose bushes, which are also not highly resistant to winter frosts.

Next year, you can start transplanting already matured blackberry bushes to a permanent place. The transplant is carried out both in spring and autumn, depending on the region in which the site is located.The procedure for transplanting seedlings includes the same steps as planting cuttings or ready-made seedlings and necessarily requires the correct selection of the site and its preliminary processing. However, blackberry seedlings grown independently from seeds have an undeniable advantage - they can be transplanted together with an earthen clod that protects their root system from damage. When transplanting, you need to carefully remove the plant from the container or from the soil, while trying not to violate the integrity of the clod of earth, and together with it, transplant it into the planting hole. Maintaining a protective layer of soil around the roots not only reduces the risk of injury to the root shoots of blackberries, but also allows the seedlings to quickly adapt to a new place. Seedlings grown from seeds are more likely to take root on the site, quickly get stronger and begin to bear fruit.

In general, seed sowing of blackberry seeds does not require any special skills. For the success of this event, it is enough to follow the necessary recommendations. The correct choice of the site and time for sowing is the main factor affecting the entire process of seed reproduction of blackberries. Quality seed is no less important. Despite the fact that growing blackberry bushes from seeds takes time, as a result, the gardener is able to harvest a large harvest from an entire blackberry plantation of his favorite variety.

Growing blackberries from seeds at home: video