Rubus fruticosus agg. 'Loch Ness'

'Loch Ness' is a fairly compact blackberry cultivar with upright thornless canes to 2m tall. White flowers are followed by firm, glossy-black, conical fruits, with the tangy flavour of wild blackberries, with very heavy crops that can be harvested from mid August until the first frosts.

Usually fan trained. Mulch with well rotted compost or manure in autumn. May have the potential to become a nuisance if not managed well.

Unlike their wild relatives, cultivated blackberries are more productive, less thorny and less likely to grow out of control. They can be trained to ramble over fences, arches and pergolas, and there are also more compact forms, which can be grown in containers.

For best results and the sweetest berries, grow blackberry plants in full sun in rich, well-drained soil. Prune annually and top-dress the soil with a mulch of well-rotted horse manure or garden compost, every autumn.

Rubus fruticosus 'Loch Ness' is both thornless and compact, making it ideal for growing in smaller gardens. Despite the size of the plants, the berries are huge – each one weighing around 4 grams.

Rubus fruticosus 'Loch Ness' has a more erect growth habit than other varieties of blackberry, and can therefore be trained on wires, or planted among raspberries.