Blackberry 'Loch Ness'

Blackberry 'Loch Ness' – a thornless cultivar of the common blackberry. It was developed in 1990 by breeder Derek Jennings at the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI). Jennings discovered the raspberry gene L1, which causes large fruit size, and used it to obtain the 'Loch Ness' blackberry cultivar. The cultivars Darrow, Thornfree, Chehalem and Ashton Cross were also used. The cultivar received the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Award of Garden Merit.

It is a semi-trailing compact shrub. The habit is semi-erect, branches dense, smooth and thornless. Cane length — over four meters; lower canes are upright while upper canes are trailing. Leaves consist of 5-7 leaflets.

Fruits average 4 g (up to 10 g), uniformly sized, black and glossy; transportability is very high. Flesh is juicy, firm, with a pronounced characteristic aroma. At the stage of technical ripeness the berries have a tart flavor, but when fully ripe the fruits become sweet and sugary. Ripens in August. Yield with good care can be up to 15 kg per bush. Cultivated blackberry berries contain 9.3% solids and 0.9% pectic substances, about 5.5% sugars and 0.8% organic acids. Vitamin C – 10 mg/100 g or less; P-active compounds – 200-300 mg/100 g.

Hardiness zone: 5-8 (-20°C).

Location: prefers sunny, well-warmed sites sheltered from cold east and north winds. Not demanding to soil, but will grow and fruit well on fertile, well-drained loams with neutral or slightly acidic pH (5.5-6.5). Prefers moist but not waterlogged sites. Excess moisture leads to root death due to lack of oxygen, reduces cane growth and delays tissue ripening, which contributes to reduced fertility, winter hardiness and flavor quality of the berries. Good soil moisture is especially important during the initial growth period (April-June). Does not like soils with elevated calcium carbonate (limestone), where the plant suffers from chlorosis.

Planting: depending on winter hardiness, blackberries are planted in autumn or spring. Cultivars with poor winter hardiness should be planted in spring, and those with good hardiness in autumn and covered for the winter with a 15-centimeter layer of humus or peat.

Plant blackberries in holes sized 40x40x50 cm. Into the planting hole add half a bucket of compost (5-6 kg), which is mixed with 30-40 g superphosphate, 15-20 g potash salt or 30-40 g ash. On acidic soils add 100 g lime beforehand. Mix the fertilizer with the topsoil and fill around the rootstock (bury the crown 2-3 cm). Erect cultivars are spaced 0.8-1 m apart in the row, with row spacing 1.8-2 m. Trailing cultivars – 2-3.5 m in the row, with row spacing 2-2.5 m.

Diseases and pests: blackberry is practically not affected by diseases and pests. Diseases: chlorosis, rust, anthracnose, purple and white spot, gray rot, powdery mildew, botrytis. Pests: raspberry weevil, raspberry stem gall midge, cane raspberry gall midge, spider mite, blackberry aphid.

Care: requires watering, especially in the spring period. Drip irrigation is preferable. The soil surface around the bushes must be mulched; this helps retain moisture, suppress weeds and protect from overheating on hot days. Requires annual nitrogen and phosphorus-potassium fertilization. Per bush apply 7 kg compost, 60 g ammonium nitrate, 100 g superphosphate, 30 g potassium fertilizer and a half-liter jar of wood ash. Requires rejuvenation pruning (after harvest, cut out 2-year-old canes). In spring cut out frost-damaged and diseased canes. In early June pinch remaining canes for additional branching (pinch canes in autumn when they reach 1 m in length), and shorten the grown lateral shoots to 50 cm. Blackberries require tying; trellises and fan training are preferable. Non-hardy blackberry cultivars must be covered for the winter. For this use sawdust, leaves or conifer branches; in cold winters use polyethylene film or special non-woven material.

Pruning: requires pruning or vertical trellises. For fan training – it is recommended to separate fruiting and growing canes.

Propagation: Blackberry is propagated by seed, root suckers and layering. Erect cultivars are propagated by root suckers, trailing ones by rooting layers. For this, at the end of August a cane is buried in a trench 15 cm deep, leaving 10 cm of cane on the surface. Water and mulch. The following year the rooted canes are cut off and transplanted.

Uses: berries are eaten fresh, used for making liqueurs, wine, jam, and juice. Leaves are used in medicine.