Against the background of the usual red raspberry varieties, its black version looks unusually exotic, since it is painfully rare in the domestic territories. What can I say, even on sale it is not always possible to find seedlings of black raspberry "Cumberland", which is why few people care about its planting and care. However, given that this variety is valued for large, dark purple berries and is quite suitable for cultivation in our latitudes, it is likely that there will still be gardeners who can use the following information.
The history of breeding raspberry varieties "Cumberland"
The Cumberland raspberry variety was bred in America as early as 1888, which means that this culture is over 100 years old.
This frost-resistant representative of the American school of breeding was born by crossing red common raspberries and saplings, thanks to which the new plant has a refined and unique taste. Perhaps it is thanks to him, as well as the unusual color, that the black raspberry has been very popular among gardeners in Europe and America all these years.
However, as we noted earlier, “Cumberland” is still rarely found on the territory of the states that were previously part of the USSR.
Description of Cumberland Raspberry
Some amateur gardeners consider Cumberland black raspberries to be blackberries (with upright stems), but to make sure that this is not the case, it is enough to familiarize yourself with its description. This root-plant has arcuate, powerful, fairly long stems, reaching a height of 1.5 meters.
Black raspberry prefers fertile drained soils with light compositions. In addition, it is highly desirable that such sites are located on illuminated terrain. Stems of plants have rare, but rather sharp thorns, as well as supplemented with complex five-fingered leaves.
The shoots of the Cumberland variety are located two or more meters from the main body, and their offsprings are located at a depth of about 20 cm, which allows for the usual digging without fear for the plant. However, such raspberry tolerates a change of the place of growth poorly, which is explained by a small number of adventitious roots. Care (including the formation of crown), is performed as in the cultivation of any other type of raspberry: old and dead shoots should be cut.
The blooming of the black raspberry coincides with the blooming of the ordinary, but the Cumberland variety ripens later: approximately in August-September. Fruits are formed on last year's shoots, and the first berries that appear are quite large in size, and the next ones are becoming smaller. They taste very pleasant and resemble a blackberry.
If you decide to purchase Cumberland black raspberry saplings, having decided to start growing this particular variety closely, then only choose winter hardy plantsbecause they have a much lower frost tolerance than the well-known red raspberries (although Cumberland is more beneficial during dry periods).
Important! During the rainy season there is a high probability of hitting this variety with anthracnose, therefore plants should be regularly checked for signs of this disease. This will allow time to start treatment.
There are a number of features that distinguish black raspberries from the usual red, which largely affects the cultivation of the variety. In particular, a gardener should know that:
- Cumberland does not produce root shoots;
- has good drought tolerance;
- the berries of this variety are not showered when ripe;
- can withstand frost to -30 ° C;
- black raspberries are much less likely to suffer from diseases and attacks of pests than its red counterpart;
- she does not need special care;
- Cumberland bush boasts a powerful root system.
Did you know? The main difference between raspberry and blackberry varieties from blackberries is that mature fruits are easily removed from the stem.
The advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Based on the description of the Cumberland variety, it can be said that taking care of black raspberries should not be too difficult, which means that it is suitable for growing even by “lazy” gardeners.
However, in addition to the obvious advantages (high resistance to pests and diseases, the density of fruits and their good attachment to the stem, the lack of root growth and the need for shelter for the winter), there are certain disadvantages that are also worth paying attention to. For example:
- the bones of the berries are tougher and larger than those of a regular raspberry;
- there are much more spines on the shoots, which often scratch the skin when harvesting, which is why trellis needs a trellis for comfortable harvesting: by tying the shoots to them like a fan, you will be able to avoid microtraumas from sharp spines;
- the variety needs a mandatory garter of the branches, because otherwise the shoots will become too long, their ends will fall to the ground and grow anywhere.
Simply put, the Cumberland raspberry has its own agricultural cultivation, but knowing all the above nuances and observing the above requirements, you will definitely get a generous harvest.
The timing and choice of place for planting raspberry seedlings
As we just noted, black raspberry is undemanding in care. It will be able to grow almost anywhere, with a high level of survival rate.
However, experienced gardeners know exactly in which area such a bush will be able to bring the greatest harvest.
In addition, when planting Cumberland raspberries, which often ripen in August, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the growing season begins very early in it, which means that it is better to plant in the fall to get an early harvest. Although this recommendation is more suitable for regions with not very severe winters, as a young plant may not survive the severe cold.
In addition to the location and timing of planting, it is also worth considering the neighbors and predecessors of the raspberry in the selected area. The most profitable neighbor of the Cumberland variety is considered to be the red raspberry, although with its other close “relative” - the blackberry - the black raspberry cannot “get along”. As for the predecessor plants, it is extremely undesirable to plant a variety after solanaceous crops: tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes. It is worth avoiding those areas where such a fungal disease, such as verticillary wilting, has already been observed.
The rules of planting black raspberries provide for compliance with the requirements for the distance between the bushes. So, it is important not to plant them too close to each other, even despite the fact that they do not form root shoots. This will help avoid thickening of the landings and all related problems (especially fungal diseases).
Important! The optimal distance between plants is 80 cm, and between rows of bushes is about two meters. Compliance with this requirement will greatly facilitate care and help control the location of the branches (they should not be in contact with the ground).
Contrary to popular belief, it is impossible not to take into account the quality of the soil at the site chosen for the bushes of the Cumberland variety. So, fertile loamy soil is fairly light and contains the optimal amount of minerals and nutrients that will contribute to obtaining good fruit. Also it is necessary to take into account the fact that no stagnation of moisture is observed in the loamy soil, and it keeps the heat warmly needed by the plants while at the same time ensuring the flow of air.
Stepwise landing process
Raspberry "Cumberland" is characterized by a fairly high yield, but only under the condition of proper planting and subsequent care. The process of planting a plant at a permanent place of growth is as follows:
- for seedlings digging pits to a depth of 50 cm;
- fill them with humus and add wood ash;
- raspberry seedlings are placed in pits and lightly covered with soil previously mixed with complex fertilizers;
- The planted raspberries are watered abundantly, after which the land under the bushes will mulch with peat, chopped straw or rotted compost (a layer of mulch should be 7 cm).
Important! Since the Cumberland raspberry variety grows very tall and flexible, the next year after planting, its stems must be tied to the installed trellis. It is better to give preference to the fanning method of tying, so that it will be much easier to pick the berries.
Flexible and long shoots of black raspberry are often used for the design of garden plots, as they are ideal for creating various figures and arches.
Tips for caring for black raspberries "Cumberland"
Unlike the standard red fruit plant, black raspberry does not form side shoots, which means it is much easier to care for it (at least you do not have to prune carefully in spring, just remove the frozen and dried branches).
However, to collect a good harvest of dark purple large berries, it is still necessary to follow a few rules.
Did you know? With proper care (compliance with the regime of watering, feeding and pruning) with one bush you can pick up to 7 kg of berries. Cumberland bushes reach maximum fructification by the third year of life.
The abundance of irrigation
Chokeberry does not need abundant watering even in the summer heat, with which it can easily cope. However, during the formation and ripening of fruits on the branches (closer to the end of June - early July), moisture plays a very important role, so during this period you should not rely on the drought resistance of the variety and it is better to fill the bushes with a sufficient amount of liquid.
One bush needs to spend at least 5 liters of water daily (the usual rate of liquid absorption by a plant is 3-5 liters of water twice a week). Due to this, there will be more berries, and they themselves will be able to differ by rather large sizes. As for the type of irrigation, the preference should be given to the drip variant, because it is precisely this variety that the particular variety loves.
When and how to conduct dressing
Timely feeding Cumberland raspberries is a prerequisite for a bountiful harvest. It is enough to carry out the procedure three times per season: during the flowering period (beginning of June), at the beginning of the formation of ovaries (approximately at the end of June), after collecting the first part of the crop. In any of these cases, manure diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 6 is perfectly suitable for the role of fertilizer (when using chicken manure, the ratio will be different - 1:15). One bush will require 10 liters of such a mixture, only after fertilizing the ground around the bush it is necessary to pour plenty of ordinary water (5 liters).
In addition, because of the abundance of ovaries, raspberries need feeding with the use of mullein infusion mixed with superphosphate (50 g) and ash (1 l). Fertilizer is also carried out after the shedding of flowers, during the ripening of the fruit and after the first harvest.
You can feed with the use of nitrogen mineral fertilizers. They provide good growth and fruiting plants.
Garter raspberries on the trellis
When growing chokeberry raspberries, a trellis is an indispensable attribute of any gardener, thanks to which its growth is directed in the right direction with the possibility of making further adjustments as necessary.
It is possible to install a trellis immediately after the planting of the bushes (at the beginning and at the end of the row), having dug wooden or metal poles along the edges of the beds. Between them they stretch the twine or wire on three levels: the first at a height of 0.5 m above the ground, the second - 1.3 m above the ground, and the third - 1.6 m above ground level.
The trellis will begin its direct function in the second year after installation. As an alternative, you can fix bushes to the fences that are near (provided that the plants are planted near them), but do not forget that in this case, the raspberries will quickly grow shoots, which under their own weight will begin to lean towards the ground and give rise to new shoots. As a result, the bush will look untidy.
Black Raspberry Trim
In addition to watering and fertilizing, gardeners are often concerned about how to cut black raspberries, because to keep it healthy, not to grow wildly and bring a rich harvest, this procedure is definitely necessary. It is necessary to perform two main pruning per year: in the summer (at the end of June) and in the fall, before the onset of cold snap.
In the summer period, the procedure is performed in order to increase the yield. By shortening the sprout at the growth point, the next year from this place you will get young twigs, forming a kind of fan. It is on them that the young shoots will form good fruit. When the flowering period ends (mostly at the end of June), you need to choose shoots that have reached a height of two meters and pinch their tops (up to 30 cm), which will help the side shoots to get stronger.
Starting from mid-September until the end of the first half of October, a full pruning of two-year-old shoots is carried out, leaving only one-year-olds to grow (up to 50 cm can be left of them). In general, autumn pruning is considered more sanitary procedure, with cutting out dry and old branches (with the arrival of spring, the pruning procedure is repeated: powerful lateral growths are shortened, leaving two to six buds on each). It helps prepare the bush for the winter period.
In addition to the sprouting shoots, in the fall from each bush, broken, weak and pest-affected branches are removed, and only 5-8 one-year-old strong shoots remain, which must be tied to a support (trellis).
Preparing for the winter
There are several ways by which you can prepare black raspberries for the arrival of winter, and the choice of a particular option depends more on the climatic conditions of a particular region. For example, given that Cumberland raspberries are distinguished by a rather high level of winter hardiness and under the condition of relatively unsound winters, you can just leave the bushes tied to the trellisby securely attaching to it each escape. Thus, neither wind nor snow can damage the bushes.
If a long and cold winter is supposed, then bushes can gently bend to the ground (not too low) and in this position to fix the branches. The snow that will eventually cover the plant will save it from frost. With the arrival of the first heat, the raspberries are raised again and tied to the trellis, after cutting out thin and diseased shoots.
Observing all the above recommendations, black raspberry will easily take a central place on your site and will delight with its abundant harvest. In addition, in a timely manner fulfilling all agrotechnical requirements, caring for a plant will not bring you virtually any trouble.
