Blackberry: growing and grooming

The plant is a growing half-shrub, belonging to the genus of evergreen family of heather. In earlier editions, it can be called a lynx, siksha, bearberry , black grass, lamb or blueberry. Virtually all subspecies have edible fruits, but only one species can be cultivated in vivo - a blackberry. Let us consider this plant in more detail.

Black water shiksha (description)

The peduncle grows about 20 cm and has long enough shoots, which can reach one and a half meters, it all depends on the climate and soil. Each individual is a separate bush and grows as it were "spots". One of the characteristic features of the wateryard is a branch, which can easily be called additional roots. The main stem has a dark brown color, but the young shoots are covered with small villi. The bush loves freedom, that's why it grows throughout life, while older shoots eventually die, but it's almost invisible thanks to new branches.

The conductor of nutrients is the fungus, which, in turn, is connected directly to the rhizome. The leaves, whose length is from 2 to 8 mm, have an elliptical shape and grow in a certain sequence. Externally, the cadavers are reminiscent of needles, since the shape of the leaves has a slightly twisted surface. Life expectancy is about five years.

Inflorescence and flowering

The inflorescences themselves are not particularly attractive, since they have only three petals of pink, purple or pale red color. Rarity is the ovary (they only have the upper), which has more than three inflorescences on one branch. The shiksha (black cucumber) Siberian begins its flowering around the end of May or the beginning of June, while in the European part this period is shifted to the end of April-beginning of May.

Blackberry has a color of the raven's wing. The name, most likely, is directly related to the wonderful properties of berries, which have a weak diuretic effect.

Blackberry cultivation

In nature, this plant is found quite often, especially in areas of peat bogs and a number of other areas - Ivanovo, Tver and Smolensk. Growing in your own garden siksha is unlikely to succeed, as it grows poorly under similar conditions and eventually dies. If there is a need for its cultivation, it is necessary to acquire a full cultural form, together with the rhizome and the fungus itself. Strongly branched shrubbery, which reaches 50 cm in height, has berries not on all branches, since it belongs to the category of dioecious plants.

By the way, berries, which reach a diameter of a centimeter, are tasteless, although most believe that they have a slightly sour taste. Such a plant needs a lot of sunlight, and can not exist without fungi, which are a direct source of mineral elements and participate in photosynthesis. Black watery prefers peaty or sandy soils, while the ground must be loose and without strong seals and any stagnation of water.

Planting of each bush should occur at a distance of not less than half a meter from each other, but the depth should not be more than 35 cm (the neck itself is 4 cm). Do not forget about the drainage system, which should consist of sand and crushed stone and make up at least 10 cm, while the soil mixture itself should be made from equal volumes of sand, peat and turf. Black water (shiksha) has a rather interesting chemical composition, as it includes such useful substances and microelements:

• vitamin C;

• essential oils;

• Flavonoids;

• Triterpene saponins;

• carotene;

• Anthocyanins;

• manganese;

• Benzoic and acetic acids;

• Different tannins.

Care of the plant

In the additional fertilizer, however, the plant needs it, but it should not be carried out more often than once a season. Young shoots are mulched using peat, the layer of which should not be more than 7 cm. It does not need additional shelter during the winter period. Pruning should consist solely in the form of pruning dry shoots. Weeding should be regular and only in the first few years of her life.

Germinating weeds will be suppressed by the plant after several years of independent life. If the plant is in a dry climate, frequent watering should be carried out, and only with standing water, not flowing.

Reproduction

The plant multiplies by separate layers, cuttings or seeds. You can try to plant wild-growing shrubs that were found in the nearest forest, but this method, although quite simple, in many cases remains ineffective. Many inveterate gardeners cut the branches incorrectly, after which the plant begins to grow, but ceases to exist in a few years. The best way is to dig out the root system and the surrounding earth layer, after which an immediate landing should follow. Do not forget about the sanitary pruning, since the blackberry can significantly grow, thereby ruining the rest of the crop.

Useful properties of the plant

In addition to the useful elements listed above, the berries contain minerals and acids necessary for man, which allows the body to function normally. Picking berries can begin in late July and continue until the beginning of spring. Collect fruit is recommended in the morning in baskets or clean and dry buckets. The berries that survived the winter are also useful, since they do not lose their properties in conditions of low temperature. It is recommended to store fresh fruits in sealed glass jars in a cool room.

Later in the fall, only those berries that are intended for freezing are collected, which are produced in bulk. The berries will feel great in cellophane bags, which are also conveniently stored in the freezer. Traditional medicine uses not only berries, but also foliage, young shoots. Raw materials must be cut during the flowering period of the plant. Drying is very ordinary. Thus, the branches are folded into one layer on a dry and clean cloth, after which they are sometimes mixed.

Areas of use

To calm down the nervous system will help a small amount of juice made from berries of watermelons, besides it is able to calm a strong headache and at the same time greatly improve the metabolism. Some attribute to it marvelous properties: they say, siksa helps in the treatment of such a disease as scurvy. Berries are used instead of potent diuretics. Infusions made from blackberry cadavers can help with diarrhea and other disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. The broth is effective for various eye diseases. Alcoholic infusion can help with paralysis and epilepsy. And the leaves are used as a healing agent aimed at strengthening the roots of hair.

Adding a small amount of grass to the tea allows to normalize the work of the kidneys. To heal wounds, hold a branch of wateryards in warm water, then attach to the wound for several hours. In this case, the plant has a beneficial effect on the human CNS. A black waterhorse, or a crow, or a siksha, has no contraindications. An exception can only become personal intolerance of individual elements contained in the juice of this plant. It is not recommended to use berries for future and nursing mothers. Before use it will not be superfluous to get advice from a specialist.