When to replant blackberries? When to replant blackberries When is it better to replant blackberries in spring or autumn

Garden blackberries are now grown in almost every country house or garden plot. Most cultivated varieties are unpretentious and produce high yields. But in order for the bush to develop well and bear fruit abundantly, it is necessary to regularly rejuvenate the bush, as well as periodically transplant the blackberries to another place. And if planting for the crop is preferable in the spring, then it is recommended to replant blackberries or plant bushes in the fall. The article will discuss when and how best to replant so that the plants take root and acclimatize.

It would seem that blackberries grow in the garden, bear fruit, and why disturb them, replant them, and worry about whether they will take root. The fact is that a crop grows well in one place for 10–12 years, and then the bush begins to age, which is manifested by a decrease in yield and a decrease in the number of young shoots. When this starts to happen, it is recommended to transplant the bush to another place. From the point of view of biologists, replanting renews and rejuvenates the plant, after which it can bear fruit for the same number of years. Also, replanting can solve the problem of redeveloping a site or planting too large a bush.

There are two stages in replanting blackberry bushes: preparatory and main. The preparatory stage consists of selecting and preparing the site. The following points are taken into account:

  • a place must be chosen that is open to the sun, but at the same time windless - a site on a small hill is best suited, since blackberries do not tolerate excessive humidity and stagnant water, or along a fence on the south or south-west side;
  • the area must be cleared of debris, leaves, roots; if strip planting is planned (in trenches), then the soil can be dug up - if the presence of larvae or spores of fungal diseases is suspected, it is recommended to water the area with a disinfecting solution (salt, potassium permanganate, or copper sulfate);
  • The soil for blackberries should be loose, fertile and slightly acidic - loamy or sandy loam soil with the addition of peat and humus is ideal.

The main stage consists of the following activities:

  • bed layout (plantation) - blackberry bushes are planted in a row at a distance of 1.5–2 m for varieties with erect shoots, and 2–3 m for creeping varieties, the distance between rows is 1.8–2.5 m (depending on varieties);
  • constructing planting holes or trenches - holes are dug for blackberries 0.5 m deep and the width of the rhizome; with the trench method, a recess is dug up to 0.5 m deep, 2 m or more in length;
  • applying fertilizers - as during planting, fertilizers are added to the planting hole (humus or compost 0.5–1 bucket, mineral mixture 100 g), which are mixed with part of the soil;
  • digging up a bush from its original place - the earth around the bush is deeply loosened (to make it easier to dig), then the bush is carefully dug up from all sides and taken out along with a lump of earth (the roots are not shaken off);
  • An adult bush has a very long main root, and it is not easy to dig it out, so if necessary, you can chop off this part of the root;
  • then the bush is placed in the planting hole, the roots are straightened, covered with the remaining soil, and compacted;
  • After replanting, the bush is watered and the soil around it is mulched.

Autumn replanting of blackberry bush

Blackberry bushes can be replanted in very early spring, before the plant’s juices begin to flow, or in the fall, after fruiting has ended. Since the soil is often frozen in early spring, and replanting at this time is very difficult, many gardeners replant bushes in the fall. Autumn replanting is suitable for regions with temperate and southern climates, where there are no early frosts and winters are relatively warm.

Replanting should be done a couple of months before the onset of constant cold weather - this time is enough for the bush to take root and not freeze in winter. It’s good if the plant is moved to a new place along with a lump of earth - in this case the adaptation process will be easier. In any case, after replanting, be sure to cover the blackberries for the winter with a thick layer of mulch made from sawdust, straw, dry leaves or peat. Snow can also be used for shelter - it is poured on top of the mulch in an even layer.

In the fall, not only adult plants are transplanted, but also young seedlings obtained from the roots of the mother bush - offspring. These shoots appear around the bush throughout the summer. By autumn they grow up and gain strength, so planting offspring in the autumn is considered the most successful. Many gardeners plant young shoots in the summer, but by mid-summer they are usually 10-15 cm high and still quite weak, while autumn specimens are much stronger and their adaptation is more successful.

Creeping blackberry varieties have virtually no offspring. It is propagated by layering. To do this, at the end of summer, a young and healthy shoot is tilted to the ground, fixed, and sprinkled with earth so that the top remains on the surface. With good humidity, in about a month the roots will sprout at the site of bud formation, and in September the young bush can already be transplanted to its permanent place. Also in the fall, planting (dividing the bush) is practiced in order to renew blackberry plantings.

Proper care of blackberries

Caring for mature bushes is quite simple. If the row spacing is covered with mulch, then the need for loosening and weeding disappears by itself.

At first, the transplanted bush needs frequent watering (1-2 times/1 week if there is no rain), and then, when it takes root, watering is carried out only when necessary (abnormal heat, drought, fruiting period).

The main care activities remain pruning and covering for the winter. For blackberries, two prunings are required: in spring and in autumn, after harvesting. Some varieties may require thinning pruning in the summer, but the main ones are autumn, which is also preparatory for winter, and spring.

In September (for late varieties in early October), when fruiting has completely ended, all old shoots (bearing fruit this year) should be removed at the base. They will no longer produce a harvest, and if they are not cut out, they will simply create additional stress on the bush. Along with the old shoots, some of the young branches, the weakest and thinnest, are cut out.

For good yield on the bush, it is enough to leave 6-8 of the strongest shoots that will produce a harvest next year - the rest must be removed at the root. It is not recommended to leave stumps, as they will rot and infect healthy branches. After all unnecessary shoots have been removed, the remaining young shoots are shortened by a quarter (20–25 cm); in creeping varieties, a third of the shoot can be cut off.

Now you can start covering for the winter. Blackberries do not have high winter hardiness - some of their varieties are not able to survive winter with temperatures of -10–15 °C.

To prevent the bushes from freezing, they are covered with a thick layer of mulch. To do this, you need to remove all the shoots from the trellis, lay them on the ground, or bend them if the shoots are erect, and then cover them.

In the spring, when the threat of frost has passed, the blackberries are freed from shelter and examined for the safety of the shoots. Healthy branches are flexible, shiny, and have a healthy brownish color; frozen branches are loose, rough and brittle. Dead branches are removed during spring pruning. If there are 4-6 shoots left on the bush, we can assume that it has safely survived the winter and will enjoy a bountiful harvest in the summer. If there are 3 or fewer healthy branches left on the bush, then you cannot count on a high harvest, but the berries will grow larger and sweeter.

Video “Transplanting a blackberry bush”

An expert will tell you in this video how to properly transplant blackberries to a new location.

Despite their excellent taste and many beneficial properties, blackberries can rarely be found in home gardens and gardens. The unpopularity of the culture is explained by the presence of sharp, hard thorns and the ability to grow uncontrollably with the formation of impassable thickets.

Features of autumn planting blackberries

Like most berry bushes, blackberry seedlings are best planted early or late in the growing season when the plants are dormant. The autumn planting method has some advantages:

  • for successful rooting, blackberry bushes need warm soil, and in the fall the soil has not yet cooled down after summer;
  • prolonged autumn rains allow you not to worry about watering young plants, since there is enough moisture;
  • immediately after planting, the plant spends all its energy on high-quality rooting, trying to develop the root system to the maximum, and in the spring it immediately begins to grow;
  • Next year you can expect the first harvest.

It is better to plant blackberries in the fall, when the plant goes into a dormant state.

A significant disadvantage of autumn planting of blackberry seedlings is the possibility of freezing in winter.

There are no blackberries on my plot. Although a couple of years ago in the spring I tried to plant a bush. The seedling has taken root well and has sprouted several new shoots. But it did not survive the winter, although the variety was quite frost-resistant and zoned for the Siberian climate. Believing the seller, I did not cover the plant for the winter.

Landing dates

The exact time for planting blackberry bushes greatly depends on the local climate. The main thing is to place the plant in the ground 20–30 days before the onset of real cold weather. The seedling must have time to take root well in its new location.

Blackberry seedlings must have time to take root before the start of winter.

In northern regions with harsh climatic conditions, planting is carried out from the end of September until the first days of October. The mild, warm climate of the southern regions makes it possible to postpone this period until November and even mid-December.

A blackberry bush planted in autumn develops its root system until frost, when the soil temperature drops to -4 °C.

Video: when to plant blackberries

Selection and preparation of a site for blackberries

Blackberries are in dire need of sun and warmth. For it, you need to select the sunniest area, which is protected from cold gusty winds from all sides. This berry bush feels very poorly and does not take root well in dry places; it requires constant light moisture. But excess moisture, swampiness and close groundwater levels (above 1.5 m) are destructive for the crop.

For blackberries, choose a well-lit place

Blackberry bushes grow best on moisture-intensive, fertile, rather heavy clay and loamy soils. Even on hot summer days, the soil should hold water well and not dry out. It will not be possible to obtain a good harvest on sandy and rocky soils that do not retain moisture well.

Heavy clay carbonate soils rich in magnesium and calcium salts are not suitable for blackberries.

The area for blackberries needs to be dug up well

About 2–3 weeks before planting, the area intended for blackberries must be weeded and dug to a depth of at least 0.45–0.5 m, simultaneously selecting the roots of perennial weeds. Then planting holes are prepared with a diameter of about 0.5–0.55 m and a depth of up to 0.5 m. The extracted fertile soil is mixed with:

  • humus or rotted compost - 9–10 kg;
  • superphosphate - 45–50 g;
  • potassium sulfate - 25–50 g;
  • wood ash - 100–150 g.

The resulting soil mixture fills the hole to 2/3 of its volume.

The planting pit is filled with mineral and organic fertilizers

You can add any autumn phosphorus-potassium mineral complexes with a minimum nitrogen content.

Photo gallery: autumn fertilizers for blackberries

When applied in the fall, Autumn fertilizer replenishes the lack of potassium in the soil and prepares plants for winter Phosphorus-potassium fertilizer Your garden bed is a complex, highly effective chlorine-free fertilizer containing phosphorus and potassium Agrochemical "Gera Autumn" - mixed fertilizer for the main application for autumn digging and during autumn planting of strawberry seedlings, fruit and berry and coniferous trees and shrubs, bulbous crops Autumn fertilizing with a potassium mixture will help berry bushes survive frosts and prepare them for fruiting next year. Complex specialized mineral fertilizer Autumn contains an increased amount of phosphorus and potassium, which are especially necessary for plants in the autumn. Organomineral fertilizer Autumn is used for application to vegetable, garden and ornamental crops on any soil. Autumn fertilizer is used to feed plants at the end of the growing season (August-October) Phosphorus-potassium mixture does not contain nitrogen Superphosphate is a fertilizer that has a long-term effect on cultivated plants

Video: preparing a plot for blackberries

Step-by-step instructions for planting blackberries in the fall

Direct planting work is carried out as follows:

  1. Water (5–6 l) is poured into the pit.

    At least 5–6 liters of water are poured into the planting hole

  2. After the liquid is completely absorbed, the seedling is placed in the center of the hole. If necessary, dry roots are pre-trimmed and disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate.

    We lower the seedling into the planting hole

  3. The roots are evenly spread in different directions.

    The roots should be spread in different directions

  4. Holding the bush strictly vertically, gradually fill the hole with soil mixture.

    The hole is filled in layers with soil mixture

  5. Each intermediate layer is compacted to avoid the formation of air voids. The root collar should be buried no more than 2–3 cm from the previous level.

At least 3 m is left between individual specimens, rows are placed at a distance of about 2 m from each other. When planting blackberries along a fence or wall of a building, you must retreat at least 1.5 m, since the bushes grow very much.

Video: planting blackberries correctly

Video: features of autumn planting blackberries

Breeders have developed many varieties of winter-hardy and even thornless blackberries, so you should not be afraid to plant this crop in your summer cottages. If you follow the rules of agricultural technology and appropriate care, you will be able to enjoy the taste of these wonderful berries even in the northern regions.

Planting and replanting blackberries in autumn will allow you to start a new plantation, increasing the collection of tasty and healthy berries. The main thing in this whole matter is the choice of a place that will suit the rather whimsical blackberry bushes. And the right technology will ensure acclimatization and normal development of the blackberry plantation.

How and when to plant blackberries correctly

They plant a blackberry plantation in mid-autumn, on the last September or first October clear days. Blackberry seedlings will still have time to take root and develop them in a new place.

Preparatory stage of planting or transplanting consists in determining a place for a blackberry plantation. It should be a windless, sunny place located on slightly acidic soil. If there is little sunlight, then there is a danger of degeneration of blackberries and small berry picking.

The best place for blackberries- a small hill where water does not stagnate. Blackberry bushes are resistant to dry weather. The blackberry root system goes deep into the ground. Therefore, blackberries never lack moisture.

Main stage:

  • Laying out the plantation. Blackberries are planted in rows: the distance between rows for upright seedlings is a meter, and for creeping varieties - up to two and a half meters.
  • Construction of pits. A hole for a blackberry bush is dug half a meter deep, the width of a shovel.
  • Fertilizer application. The bottom of the pits is filled by a third with a nutrient mixture of organic (up to five kilograms of compost) and mineral fertilizers (fifty grams of potassium sulfate and up to one hundred and fifty grams of superphosphate). The fertilizer is sprinkled with dry soil on top.
  • Lowering seedlings. Blackberry seedlings are lowered into the hole, straightening the root system and watering. In this case, the place between the base and the beginning of the roots (“root collar”) should “peek out” a couple of centimeters above the ground level.

Blackberries are related to raspberries, but unlike them, growing blackberries in our gardens is not so popular. Blackberries have a specific, slightly sour, but very pleasant taste. They are quite juicy and perfect for compotes and jam. The beneficial properties of the berry deserve that blackberries become no less popular than raspberries. Caring for this shrub is quite simple.

How to replant garden blackberries: transplantation rules

Transplantation may be required to propagate overgrown blackberries or for the purpose of redevelopment of the site. Gardeners are often interested in whether it is possible to replant an adult blackberry bush. Such a transplant is possible and may even be useful; it will help renew and rejuvenate the plant.

Beginning gardeners may be concerned about when to replant blackberries: in spring or autumn. If all replanting rules are followed, the bush can survive replanting in both spring and autumn. The choice of time for transplantation is determined by the conditions of the region. If your region has a warm and early spring, you can replant blackberries in the spring, but before the buds begin to swell. You should not touch blackberries in May, when sap flow is active. You can injure the plant, which will lead to its death.

​In the fall, it is good to replant blackberries in regions where there are no severe early frosts. Even the most frost-resistant blackberries need to be covered for the winter after transplantation. It is better to plan the transplant a month before the start of frost, so that it has time to adapt and get stronger.

As for how to properly replant blackberries in the spring, there is no need to try to fertilize the bush at the time of replanting. Roots in contact with fertilizers are injured.

Caring for blackberries is quite simple. It needs to be fertilized with diluted bird droppings, watered regularly, loosened the soil to improve air exchange, and remove weeds that take some of the nutrients from the soil.

In autumn it is necessary to prune branches, especially old, weak and thin ones. They will take strength from the plant and reduce the number of berries. The transplanted plant must be bent to the ground and secured before wintering. This will protect the shoots from freezing.

Once every three or four years, you can apply mineral fertilizers to the soil. More frequent feeding is not required. You can add organic matter more often.

The soil around the bush should be mulched with manure or leaves. Mulch retards the growth of weeds and daughter shoots. If the soil is already quite damp, it is better to refuse mulch, as the roots will begin to rot.

Blackberries today grow on almost every summer cottage. This plant is valued for its healing and tasty berries. In addition, blackberry foliage is an excellent antiseptic; it is used to make tinctures and decoctions, which in turn are used to make lotions and compresses.

Blackberries are an unpretentious plant, they quickly take root, reproduce and almost always please gardeners with a good harvest. Replanting this plant is not a difficult task, but it still requires following some recommendations. How to correctly carry out all stages of the process of transplanting blackberries in the spring is described in this article.

Moving a blackberry bush

If the bush is purchased at the market or at a specialized retail outlet, or is transported from one site to another, it must be packaged so that the roots do not dry out during transportation to the planting site. To do this, you can use a large damp rag or a plastic bag. They are put on the roots, tied and in this form the bush is transported to the site. If, however, the roots have dried out, then before planting you can soak them in a solution of water with a rooting agent for 1 hour.

Transplanting blackberries from one place to another is carried out as follows. The bush is dug in from all sides and carefully removed from the soil. Remains of soil, if any, are on the roots, do not need to be removed so as not to injure the thin tips of the roots. The bush is placed in a wide container or on a canvas and transferred to a new planting site.

Choosing a landing site

The optimal place for blackberries to grow is an area that is well lit and not exposed to drafts. If there is little light, the power of the bush will be directed into the growth of young shoots, which will stretch towards the light and at the same time cover the fruiting branches. The berries on such a bush will be small and in small quantities.

The area where blackberries will grow should not be on a slope or in a lowland. Excess melt and flood waters, which will linger in such places, can lead to root rot and the occurrence of diseases on the above-ground parts of the plant. Groundwater in such an area should be located no closer than 1 meter to the surface of the earth.

If blackberries grow near a fence or building, it is necessary to retreat from them at a distance of 70 cm so that the bush is not injured by the fence, is not shaded, and so that it is convenient to harvest from all sides.

Preparing the site and planting the bush

In the selected area, dig a hole measuring 40x40 cm for a young bush. The soil from the pit is mixed with fertilizers. To plant one bush, up to 6 kg of compost or rotted manure, up to 50 g of potassium sulfate and up to 150 g of superphosphate are required. These components are mixed together and poured into the pit 2/3 full. Sprinkle the mixture with soil on top.

The blackberry bush is inspected, dry leaves and damaged roots are removed. Place the plant in a hole and cover it with a thin layer of soil. At this stage of work, the bush is slightly shaken so that the soil is filled between the roots. Water with settled water on top. Then they are again sprinkled with soil to ground level and watered.

Caring for blackberries after transplantation

A hole is made around the bush. You can immediately mulch the soil around young blackberry bushes. For this purpose, rotted sawdust from deciduous trees, humus, peat, and hay are used. The mulch layer should be at least 5 cm. Watering blackberries after planting is regular and moderate.