Ultra Early Thornless Blackberry Loch Tei
Among the thornless blackberry species, one of the most popular varieties is Loch Tay, and not only for private, but also for industrial cultivation. How did this sweet black berry, bred by Scottish breeders, deserve such love? And now we will learn about this from the description of the Loch Tay blackberry variety.
Varietal features
Blackberry Loch Tei is an ultra-early variety and is a rather tall bush with powerful semi-straight shoots, the length of which can reach 5 m. A characteristic feature of the species is the absence of thorns, which is important and very facilitates bush care, as well as directly harvesting.
Blackberries grow quickly and, with proper care, can form a full-fledged bush up to 3 m in height within a year.
The leaves have a dense structure and carved shape, are painted in a beautiful dark green color, large. Against their background, the flowering of blackberries looks very impressive, when white brushes from small inflorescences bloom on the branches.
What does the crop taste like?
The first berries ripen on average in mid-July, but in the southern strip you can eat blackberries already at the beginning of the month (accordingly, in the north of the country, fruiting occurs several weeks later). Bright black berries with a glossy sheen have a slightly elongated shape and firm flesh, very sweet, with a rich aroma. The weight of one berry is from 5 to 12 g. When fully ripe, they appear silky to the touch.
The maximum yield in terms of yield occurs from the fourth year after the planting of seedlings.
Pros and cons of the variety
Of the advantages blackberry Loch Tei is worth noting:
- early and abundant fruiting (at least 20 kg of berries per plant);
- good transportability due to the dense structure of the berries;
- lack of thorns;
- good resistance to viral and fungal diseases;
- high drought resistance (35-40 degrees Celsius for the variety is not a problem, the only thing is that the berries can be chopped without watering, but this does not affect their abundance).
Loch Tei is an excellent upright bush, but with a bountiful harvest, it is better to set up supports.
Of the shortcomings, it can be noted that if the cultivation is allowed to take its course, do not form a bush and do not cut out old branches, blackberries can start to "wander" around the site. In addition, in severe winters with little snow, there is a high probability of freezing, so the bushes need shelter.