Blackberry is one of the oldest crops on earth, from wild plants it has long been retrained into a garden plant. One of the first on the sites of domestic summer residents appeared the blackberry Agavam, whose original homeland is considered to be North America. Therefore, the culture has a high frost resistance, this attracts gardeners in St. Petersburg and other cold regions.

Description of the variety

This variety is not only resistant to harsh conditions. Agavam is a real "fighter" for survival. It is enough to plant at least one bush on the site, and after a few years the berry will fill the territory.

 Frost-resistant variety Agavam

Frost-resistant variety Agavam

Gardeners are attracted not only by this feature, so it is worth paying attention to the description of the Agavam blackberry variety:

  • a powerful bush belongs to erect kumaniks and reaches a height of 1.8 to 3 m;
  • as already mentioned, Agavam grows well, giving a large number of lateral offspring per year;
  • the plant does not skimp on shoots; while on the bush there are thick stems with slightly drooping tops (they grow straight) and thin, which practically creep near the ground;
  • the age of the branches can be determined by their color: young shoots are still green, ripe annuals are already painted in a red-purple hue; second years - red-brown, pentahedral shape, have already acquired large curved spines;
  • spines are visible on the veins of sheets with a complex shape;
  • a distinctive characteristic of this variety can be called the method of foliage formation - all the plates are formed at one point;
  • another distinguishing feature of the plant is its reluctance to shed foliage, so gardeners have to remove it on their own before preparing for the winter;
  • the Agavam variety stands out for its flowers that appear on the shoots of the second year - they are large, white and collected in racemose inflorescences;
  • berries stick around the shoots abundantly, in brushes, each of which contains up to 20 fruits; they are conical in shape and have a black sheen;
  • the size of the berries is medium (weight up to 4 g), but rather sweet, truly blackberry taste.
 Blackberry bush

Blackberry bush

Interesting. During flowering and fruiting, the plant looks beautiful and can become a designer decoration for any garden plot.

Specifications

In addition to the remarkable features of the described variety, the plant still has a lot of advantages:

  • despite the average ripening period (it blooms in May, and the collection begins in August), with good agricultural technology, Agavam is able to bestow a large harvest - from 5 to 15 kg per bush;
  • the plant is winter-hardy, calmly tolerates cold temperatures up to -30 degrees without shelter;
  • Agaves are also tolerant of droughts, except that with a prolonged absence of watering, the fruits are slightly smaller;
  • not afraid of the plant and waterlogging, so it can be planted in lowlands and on floodplain soils;
  • gives blackberry good yields even in conditions of great shade, while the taste almost does not change;
  • it is also important that Agavam is resistant to such serious diseases as anthracnose, stem cancer and rust.
Blackberry branch Agave

Blackberry branch Agave

Each given characteristic is already a reason to start this variety for summer residents who rarely visit their site.

Note! Among the disadvantages are the presence of sharp thorns, poor keeping quality and poor transportability.If the cultivation is carried out for sale, then the berries should be picked at the immature stage in order to have time to bring them to the market.

Features of planting and growing

As it has already become clear from the above features of the variety, the reproduction of the berry plant will not be difficult. But even if the culture is unpretentious in its essence, this does not mean that one should not adhere to the rules of agricultural technology. This is the only way to achieve higher yields.

Site selection

The most suitable soil for planting is a lightweight sandy loam with a neutral pH level. If there is acidified soil on the site, preliminary liming is required. Even if Agave is a shade-tolerant plant, it is better to plant it in a sunny meadow. This will ensure greater fertility and saturate the berries with sugars.

Note! This is especially important in the northern regions, where the summer is shorter. In the shade, the fruits on annual shoots simply do not have time to ripen in this case.

Site preparation

Having decided how best to plant Agaves, they start digging trenches or pits, placing them according to this principle:

  • if planting with single bushes is planned, then a square with a side of 2 m is allocated for each plant, a hole is dug in its center;
  • the ordinary method is best used along the border of the site, stepping back 1 meter from the fence.

When deepening and expanding a pit or trench, it should be borne in mind that the seedlings of this variety have a highly developed root system. Freshly planted plants should feel comfortable in the ground. Therefore, the depth should be at least 0.6 m, and the width should be about 1 m.

Agave hedge

Agave hedge

Having prepared the places for planting sprouts, the necessary fertilizers are applied: first a layer of mullein, then humus, 150 g of phosphate and 50 g of potash fertilizers under each bush. From above, all this is covered with humus on the basis that the nutritional "pillow" will fill half of the pit volume. Water abundantly and leave for 2-3 weeks, after which you can start planting.

Planting

The best time to plant Agaves is early spring. The plants will have a whole season to root well. If an ordinary planting method is chosen, then the seedlings in the trench are located at a distance of 1 m from each other. This will provide a good hedge in the future.

Important! So that the buds, from which the replacement shoots develop, do not dry out in summer and do not freeze in winter, experienced farmers recommend burying the root collar in the soil by 2-3 cm when planting.

When the planting of seedlings is finished, they are cut off, leaving about 25 cm above the surface.Then the bushes are abundantly watered and mulched around the trunk circle. In this case, Agaves prefers coniferous litter interspersed with bark.

Garter

Since the branches of the variety grow long, and a lot of berries are formed on them, you cannot do without installing a trellis, otherwise the shoots will fall, and the fruits will begin to rot. They equip the support ahead of time, even from the moment the seedlings are planted.

If the landing was carried out by a trench method, then pillars (strong timber or reinforcement) are driven in from two ends of the row at least 2 m high. The wire will stretch gradually as the bush grows. In total, 3 garter belts are formed - at a height of 0.4 m, 1.2 m, 1.7 m.

In the same way, support is formed around isolated plants. Each branch is tied separately, fan-shaped, at a distance of 25 cm from each other.

Care features

The cultivation of this variety of blackberries does not require much effort. Agaves are unpretentious, so the main care comes down to the following points:

  • despite the drought resistance, in hot summers it is recommended to water the plant every week, bringing 2-3 buckets of water under the root;
  • blackberry roots need to provide oxygen access, so loosening and weed control is a regular procedure;
  • fertilizers applied during planting will last the plant for 3 years; then every spring it is recommended to bring a bucket of settled compost or rotted manure under the bush.

Having received decent care, a garden bramble will produce large yields of delicious aromatic berries every year.

Reproduction

The blackberry variety Agavam propagates in all ways available for upright shrubs: lateral suckers, basal cuttings, dividing bushes and even seeds. The first option is the most common, and the bush gives a large number of children every year.

Many extra shoots develop on the bush, which should be removed. They are also excellent raw materials for breeding. You can also take a part of the root at a distance of at least 0.5 m from the bush, which should immediately be planted in a permanent place or withstand the winter in the basement.

The division of the bush is usually resorted to when the roots do not give the required amount of planting material, or it is time to transplant the plant to a new place (and this must be done 12-15 years after the first planting).

Planting material

Planting material

Additional Information. The most time consuming way to propagate varietal blackberries is with seeds. To get good germination, planting material should not be bought from hand. You can go to the online store of the Sedek company, registered in Moscow, and order quality seeds from them.

Pruning

Crop maintenance means regular pruning. Their goal is to make the plant stronger, healthier and more fertile. The features of the procedure are as follows:

  • after harvesting, all fruiting stems are cut out completely, only young shoots remain;
  • one-year-old shoots are also thinned out, leaving only well-ripened, thick branches;
  • those shoots that remain are shortened by one quarter; this will provide more ovaries for the next year;
  • leaving about 10 shoots before winter, they are examined in spring to remove frozen and weak ones; for normal fruiting, 6-8 branches of the last year will be enough;
  • in summer, pruning is carried out on young shoots, shortening them by 10 cm.

Such procedures are mandatory - they will not allow the blackberry to thicken and be reborn from a garden culture to a wild plant.

Diseases and pests

The variety is quite resistant to infectious diseases, but improperly selected nutrition can lead to various problems. Both the lack of mineral elements and their excess are reflected negatively on the plant. This should be taken into account when feeding.

The main scourge of blackberries are the larvae of the beetle and bear - they prefer to feast on the roots of the plant. To avoid this, it is recommended to plant marigolds and marigolds near the bushes. Their essential scent will keep pests away.

Preparing for winter

Frost-resistant horticultural crops in the southern regions calmly endure winters without shelter. In cold weather down to -25 degrees, only a snow "blanket" will be enough. If a severe winter is foreseen, a wooden shelter should be prepared, which is built in the form of a hut above the bushes and is covered with plastic wrap.

Blackberry shelter option for the winter

Blackberry shelter option for the winter

The stems themselves, remaining for the winter, are tied in a bundle and bent to the ground. They should be tied to the bottom row of wire on the trellis. In this case, do not forget about removing all remaining leaves from the branches. If everything is done correctly, the summer resident will get a big harvest next year.