Blackberry variety Darrow: description, characteristics, photos, reviews

Blackberry Darrow is a popular berry variety with numerous advantages. At the same time, the plant has weak points, so it is important to study all the features before planting.

Breeding history

Blackberry Darrow is a fairly old variety with a long history. Work on breeding the variety began in New York in 1940, and in 1946, scientists managed to get the first copy.

The Darrow variety was bred by crossing the blackberries Hedrick and Eldorado.

The name of the new blackberry was given in 1958 in honor of the American breeder J. Darrow, who worked for many years on the creation of fruit plants in Maryland. The originator of the variety is Cornell University of New York, which was once an agricultural experimental station of the state.

External description of Darrow blackberry

Blackberry without Darrow thorns looks like an erect shrub up to 3 m tall with long climbing branches. The leaves of the plant are feathery, with five lobes, green. At the beginning of the decorative period, the shrub brings white flowers, collected in panicles of 8-12 pieces.

Berries of the Darrow variety are conical, elongated, completely black after ripening. The length of the fruits is about 2.5 cm, and by weight they reach 4 g under favorable conditions and good agricultural technology. The berries taste sweet and sour, very juicy and refreshing.

Characteristics of Darrow's Thornless Blackberry

Although blackberries have a beautiful flowering, they are usually planted in the garden for a tasty harvest. Before purchasing a Darrow variety, you need to study the key features of the plant.

Flowering period, ripening period and yield

Blackberry Darrow begins flowering at the end of June, a little later than currants and raspberries. Pollination does not require and forms ovaries without the presence of related varieties in the immediate vicinity. From the middle of summer, fruits appear on the branches, at first red, and then gradually turning black. At the same time, the berries are located in the outer part of the bush, so there is no need to reach deep into the plant after them.

Darrow fruits ripen for about 1.5 months. Gardeners note that the berries become black rather quickly, but they need to be plucked from the branches only when a characteristic glossiness appears. Ripe fruits should be soft, firm, easily separating from the bush. Under good conditions, up to 10 kg of the crop can be harvested from one plant.

Darrow can form a small number of fruits in the fall, but such berries usually do not have time to ripen.

The keeping quality of Darrow's blackberry is average - at room temperature the berries remain fresh and flavorful for only 1-2 days. In the refrigerator, the fruits can be kept for up to two weeks, and with deep freezing - more than six months.

Frost resistance

In temperate climates, Darrow demonstrates good frost resistance.The shrub calmly tolerates cold snaps down to -34 ° C, while there is no need to build a shelter for the plant. It is recommended only to mulch the trunk circle with a dense layer of organic matter to provide insulation for the roots.

Disease and pest resistance

The degree of resistance to fungi and parasites in Darrow's blackberry is average. Under unfavorable external conditions, the bush can suffer from the following ailments:

• rust - orange spots and growths appear on the shoots and leaves, the yield can be halved;
  
  

  Rust often affects blackberries with waterlogged soil and close proximity of conifers

• anthracnose - purple areas appear in the lower part of young shoots, which gradually turn into ulcers and cause the bush to wilt;
  
  

  Anthracnose is especially dangerous for thickened Darrow blackberry bushes.

• didimella - purple spots appear on the blackberries, the leaves begin to crumble, and the shoots and buds dry out.
  
  

  Didimella can spread to blackberries from raspberries and strawberries

For the treatment of ailments of the Darrow variety, Bordeaux liquid 1%, garlic infusion and sulfur preparations are used. As a preventive measure against fungi, it is recommended to monitor the condition of the soil at the roots of the shrub and remove plant debris in time.

Of the pests for Darrow's blackberries, the most dangerous are:

• raspberry shoot aphid - the insect feeds on the juices of young bush branches, and subsequently they freeze slightly, and the development of the plant stops;
  
  

  Aphids often attack blackberries when planted near raspberries

• bear - a dangerous pest gnaws at the roots of a bush and can lead to its death;
  
  

  Medvedka poses a particular threat to young blackberries

• raspberry stem fly - the larvae of the parasite gnaw long passages inside the shoots, as a result, the branches begin to fade from the tops.
  
  

  Gardeners often notice the raspberry fly already in the late stages of a bush disease.

Spraying with 1% Nitrafen solution and other insecticidal agents helps well against garden pests. With a weak lesion, soap infusion is also beneficial. Treatments are carried out several times per season, but avoid spraying Darrow's blackberries with purchased chemicals after fruit setting.

Pros and cons of the variety

Blackberry Darrow has numerous advantages, but it also has weaknesses. Before planting a variety, you need to compare the advantages and disadvantages.

Gardeners disagree on the taste of Darrow's blackberry. Officially, the variety has an average rating due to its pronounced sourness. But some summer residents note that when organic fertilizers are applied, the berries become much sweeter.

Features of planting blackberry Darrow

Planting and caring for Darrow's blackberries generally does not deviate from standard algorithms. But along with this, the variety has some features.

Landing dates

It is best to plant a shrub on the site in the spring - in this case, over the summer, the blackberry will have time to get stronger and easily endure the winter. In the southern regions, the procedure is allowed to be carried out in the fall.

Seat selection

Blackberry Darrow grows well in sunny and sheltered areas from strong winds. It does not have any special requirements for the soil, although it does not like carbonate soil. It reacts poorly to boggy and often suffers from fungi in damp places.

How to plant

The algorithm for planting Darrow's blackberry is pretty simple:

1. In the selected area, a hole is dug about 40 cm deep.
2. 5 kg of humus, 40 g of potassium minerals and 100 g of superphosphate are poured onto the bottom of the pit.
3. Place a layer of garden soil on top.
4. Place the seedling on the resulting mound and straighten its roots.
5. Sprinkle the blackberries with earth, deepening the neck by about 5 cm.

After planting, the shoots are recommended to be cut to 2-3 buds. The plant is abundantly watered and mulched around the trunk with peat or straw.

When planting Darrow's blackberry in spring, it is advisable to prepare a site for the plant in the fall.

Darrow Blackberry Care

Caring for Darrow blackberries is very simple. You need to pay attention to several procedures:

1. Watering. The plant tolerates drought well, but bears fruit better with high-quality moisture. After planting, in the summer heat and during the ripening of berries, it is necessary to add 3-6 liters of water under the trunk every week.
2. Top dressing. In the first year, Darrow's blackberries are not fertilized. In subsequent seasons, it is necessary to apply manure in the spring, and in the fall to feed the bushes with compost in combination with superphosphate and potassium sulfate.
3. Loosening. From time to time, the soil in the near-trunk circle needs to be cleared of weeds and get rid of the earth crust. Loosening is performed to a depth of 5-8 cm.
4. Pruning. After harvesting, the fruiting branches are cut off along with dry and diseased parts of the shrub.

Climbing Blackberry Darrow requires the installation of a trellis on the site. Usually, old and young shoots are laid out on a support separately to facilitate plant care.

How to prepare for winter

The Darrow variety has good frost resistance and does not require careful insulation. With the onset of autumn, it is enough to perform a sanitary shearing of the shrub, as well as dig up the soil and mulch the trunk circle with a layer of organic material.

Reproduction methods

The Darrow blackberry variety on the site can be propagated by vegetative methods. The seed method for the hybrid is not used, since the unique characteristics in this case are not preserved.

Apical layers

Climbing blackberry readily reproduces by apical layers. The procedure is performed as follows:

1. At the end of August, a groove is dug in the ground and a one-year plant shoot is placed in it.
2. The top is cut by about 10 cm and added dropwise, securing with a hook or wire from straightening.
3. Water the cuttings properly and mulch thoroughly.

With regular moisture, the tip of the shoot will give roots and its own young shoots in 1-2 months. After that, the new plant can be separated from the main bush and transferred to another place.

In the process of reproduction by apical layers, the yield of the main bush does not suffer

Root offspring

For reproduction, you can use the offspring that Darrow's blackberry gives annually from the root. The algorithm looks like this:

1. The shoots about 15 cm high are carefully separated from the main bush with a sharpened shovel.
2. Briefly immersed in Kornevin's solution, and then planted in wells with a nutrient substrate.
3. Cover with soil to the end, water well and mulch in a circle.

Root offspring have very good vitality and take root almost 100%. But you need to take planting material only from healthy and high-yielding bushes.

Reproduction by offspring for blackberry Darrow is carried out in late May or early June

Conclusion

Blackberry Darrow is popular due to its high frost resistance and overall endurance. The berries of the bush are quite tasty, although not dessert. The disadvantages of the variety include the need for a trellis and a low keeping quality of the crop.

Gardeners' reviews about Darrow's blackberry

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