Loch Mary is a relatively new blackberry variety. This culture is not easy to care for, but the gardener expects an amazing result. Next you will find a description of the variety, features of agricultural technology and storage rules for the crop.

Selection history

The blackberry variety Loch Mary (or, as it is also called, Marie or Mary) was bred in Scotland. Scientists from the Institute of Horticulture SCRI worked on the development.

Botanical Description

The plant has the appearance of a bush with semi-standing shoots. The branches are long, not bearing. The first 2-3 years after planting, the stems grow slowly, in subsequent years, the growth force increases. The leaves are dark green with zigzag edges. During flowering, medium-sized flowers with double pink petals bloom - because of this feature, the culture has a high decorative value.

The berries are collected in a brush, have a round shape. The color of the fruit is black, shiny. The average weight of one copy is 8 g. Sometimes large fruits of 10-15 g are found. The blackberry is medium-dense, with small seeds. The taste of berries is sweet, the aroma is felt.

Video: Blackberry Loch Mary

Characteristic

Before planting, you need to know the varietal characteristics of the plant. Important parameters for the gardener are temperature resistance, data on yield and fruiting dates.

Did you know? Kumanika is not some special kind of plants, but the largest group of blackberry varieties. All of them have direct shoots.

Drought resistance, frost resistance

Like other blackberry varieties, Loch Mary loves moisture. Drought tolerance is average, it is better to provide plantings with regular watering. The winter tolerance of the variety is low: plantations must be covered up before frosts. The maximum low temperature that an open plant can withstand is -15 ° C. At rates below this, an unprotected bush dies.

Productivity, fruiting

Productivity from one bush is 15 kg. Maturing dates are medium early. Mass fruiting begins until mid-July.

Advantages and disadvantages

• The blackberry Loch Mary has a number of undoubted advantages:
• high taste;
• productivity;
• transportability;
• decorativeness.

• Gardeners also note the disadvantages of the variety:
• small berries;
• slow growth in the first two years after planting;
• low winter hardiness;
• medium resistance to gray rot.

Landing Features

Landing is carried out strictly on time. Also, before planting, it is important to choose a suitable site, purchase high-quality seedlings and prepare them correctly.

Video: Planting a Blackberry

The timing

Loch Mary is a variety with poor winter hardiness, so they are planted in the spring. The best time for planting seedlings is from late April to early May. At this point, the earth has enough time to warm up.

Seat selection

When growing blackberries, an important role is played by the choice of site. Blackberry dies on marshy soils. For planting, it is better to choose drained loam. The location must meet the following criteria:

• a sufficient amount of lighting;
• protection from the wind;
• soil with an acidity of pH 5.5–6.5.

Selection and preparation of planting material

When choosing a seedling, pay attention to all its parameters. About the quality of planting material they say:

• age up to 1 year;
• 2 shoots with a thickness of 0.5 cm;
• developed root system;
• the roots have a developed kidney.

Before planting, the seedling must be checked for damage. Broken, diseased or dry areas are pruned.

Landing pattern

Loch Mary belongs to semi-spreading varieties; therefore, it is recommended to plant bushes at a distance of 2–3.5 m from each other. So the spreading crowns of plants have enough room for growth. After choosing a site and preparing seedlings, proceed to planting a blackberry:

1. Dig a landing hole 0.5 m deep and 0.4 m wide, separating the upper and lower layers of soil.
2. In a bucket, mix 5 kg of compost, 30 g of ash, 30 g of superphosphate, 15 g of potassium salt and the top layer of the extracted earth.
3. Place the seedling in the hole, straighten the root system.
4. Fill the empty space in the pit with the previously obtained fertile soil mixture so that the root neck is 3 cm below ground level.
5. Pour a seedling of 5-10 liters of water.
6. Mulch the plant with sawdust or straw.

Care Rules

The most important measures in the care of a blackberry are watering, top dressing, pruning and tying. Watering is carried out as the soil dries, the frequency varies depending on the type of substrate. Drying of the soil should not be allowed - the culture loves moisture and can die under prolonged drought. Overmoistening is fraught with fungal infections.

To preserve moisture, the trunk circle is recommended to be mulched with sawdust, straw or peat.

Fertilizers are applied twice a year:

• in the spring before the start of the growing season - 10 g of urea or 20 g of ammonium nitrate;
• in the fall - potassium preparations or compost.

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the information on what the correct spring care for blackberries should be. The plant is tied to the trellis to guide the branches. It is recommended to choose structures with a height of 2 m with three rows of wire. The lashes are directed along the rows, spreading them in different directions. The Loch Mary variety is pruned as a half-growing crop. After fruiting, the branches are cut off, young ones are allowed to grow on the trellis horizontally. Weakened stems are also removed.

Harvesting and storage

Fruits ripen in early July. Berries can be harvested as they ripen. The Loch Meri variety is notable for its good shelf life and transportability - blackberries are stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Winter preparations

Shelter for the winter for the Loch Meri variety is a mandatory measure. In early October, shoots are removed from the trellis. Directly before frosts, the plant is covered with agrofibre folded in 2 times. In regions where little snow falls in winter, mulch from sawdust is spread on top of the agrofibre.

Did you know? Blackberry is an excellent honey plant. Honey produced by bees from blackberry pollen has an unusual transparent color.

Breeding methods

The main methods of propagation of the Loch Meri variety are by seeds, dividing the bush, root or green cuttings and rooting of the apical buds of the shoots.

• The seeds. The seed is removed from the berries and dried. Grains are first planted in pots for seedlings, then seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place. Unlike many other fruit and berry crops, varietal characteristics are preserved during seed propagation.
  

• By dividing the bush. The plant is dug up and divided into 5-6 parts. In each part there should be 2-3 young branches and rhizome. Separated lobes with old roots are thrown away, and new plants are transplanted to permanent places. The division of the bush is acceptable when the plant does not give offspring.
  

• Root cuttings. Before the growing season or at the end of it, you need to dig a bush and clean the root system from the soil. Roots 1 cm thick and up to 10 cm long are cut at a distance of 60 cm from the bush. Root cuttings are planted immediately in a permanent place.
  

• Green cuttings. In mid-summer, the upper third of the branches are cut into cuttings. Cut pieces are planted in a peat-sand soil mixture. Tanks with cuttings are placed in hotbeds and regularly watered. After a month, the planting material is rooted and planted in the ground.
  

• Rooting apical bud shoots. Creeping shoots with a length of 0.6 m are shortened by 10 cm. Due to pruning, lateral stems with leaves begin to grow from the buds. The new branches are pressed to the ground with the lower part of the leaf plate and instilled with a 5 cm layer of soil. When the lateral shoot takes root (by the end of the growing season or next year), the new plant is separated from the mother bush.
  

Diseases and Pests

The variety is highly resistant to diseases and pests. However, gardeners note that gray rot is dangerous to the culture - this is a fungal disease that actively develops when waterlogging occurs. Since the Loch Meri variety is water-loving, it is not always possible to moderate the watering of the stands. Wanting to nourish the plant with moisture, farmers do not calculate strength and water the bushes too much. Also, the problem happens in humid climates. For the treatment of the disease, spraying with Bordeaux fluid is used.

For the prevention of diseases, proper agricultural technology is enough. Thickening of rows and excessive watering must be avoided. Gardeners in regions with high humidity can treat the culture with Bordeaux liquid and for prevention purposes.

You may be interested in information about the diseases and pests of blackberries. So, not every beginner in the horticultural business will cope with the cultivation of the Loch Mary variety, but it is worth working on this. As a result of the work, the farmer receives an excellent harvest of berries with a delicious sweet taste.

Reviews

Loch Mary is currently the last blackberry variety produced by SCRI (Scotland). This is a mid-early variety, ripens 7 days later than Loch Tay. Berries are the same size as Loch Ness, glossy, black, moderately hard, fragrant, with an excellent sweet taste, which is much better than Loch Ness. In addition to its high-quality berries, Loch Mary blooms with impressive double pink flowers, which can be an attractive feature for amateur gardeners. Yields are very good, we have tested more than Loch Tey. Shoots semi-persistent, studless, vigorous. Due to the high quality of the berries, it is suitable for the fresh market. miraa //forum.vinograd.info/showpost.php?p=242754&postcount=1