What is the cultivation of such a fruit shrub as raspberries? Experienced gardeners say: this process is incredibly simple and at the same time fascinating. It requires only the implementation of simple, but very important rules for caring for the plant. Today we propose to talk about the types, rules for choosing seedlings and the process of planting raspberries.
Raspberry species
On the territory of the Russian Federation you can find only 3 types of raspberries:
- Traditional raspberries are rightfully considered the most hardy. It is distinguished by a regular harvest, medium-sized fruits - the weight of one berry is about 4 grams. This species perfectly adapts to environmental conditions.
- Remontant raspberries bring the biggest yields. In addition, it is incredibly resistant to cold. The weight of one raspberry of this type is also about 4 g.
- Excellent taste and large fruits distinguish large-fruited raspberries. This species is characterized by excellent transportability and abundant yields.
Why is it important to know what kind of raspberry you decide to plant on your site? This will help you choose the right plant care and fertilizer for it.
Which varieties to choose?
Of course, completely different varieties are suitable for different regions of Russia. For example, in the conditions of the south of the country, gardeners recommend growing raspberries of the "Diamond" variety. From one bush you can collect about 3 kilograms of fragrant fruits. It is worth noting that they begin to pour in August, and therefore they will not have time to ripen in other territories of Russia. Another variety suitable for the south is Eurasia. Raspberries of this variety are characterized by large fruits, their weight is about 5 grams. From one bush you can collect at least 2.5 kg of berries. No less good is the yellow raspberry of the Orange Miracle variety. From one bush, reaching a height of 170 cm, you can collect about 2.5 kg of sweet dessert berries.
Speaking of raspberry varieties for the Moscow region, it is worth noting "Polka". This raspberry is completely unpretentious in care, it is resistant to various pests and diseases. In addition, "Polka" tolerates frost well. Its fruits have a sweet and sour taste and good transportability. Another variety suitable for this region is "Gusar". Berries on shrubs of this variety begin to ripen in July. They have a rich red color, a pronounced raspberry aroma. It is also important that the "Hussar" is easy to care for, does not require a garter. The Patricia raspberry variety tolerates frost well. Bushes begin to bear fruit in early July, which is why the varietycalled early. The weight of the berries can range from 4 to 12 grams.
Among the best varieties for Siberia and the Urals, one can note "Scarlet Sail" - a variety that is distinguished by winter hardiness and endurance, the beautiful "Runaway" with apricot-colored fruits, friendly ripening of berries. No less popular is Kuzmin's News. This variety is resistant to fungal diseases, it is characterized by high winter hardiness. Well suited for these regions of Russia and raspberry "Barnaul", which has incredible frost resistance. Sweet fruits will delight the "Reward" variety.
Selection of seedlings
Before planting, you need to select raspberry seedlings. They should not be very thick, but thin ones will not work either. It is best to choose seedlings of medium thickness. It is important that they have a well-developed root system, and one or two well-formed stems are required. Gardeners warn: large raspberry bushes do not take root well. Of course, there should be no rot or mold on the shoots or roots.
An important step is the transportation of purchased raspberry seedlings: their root system should be wrapped in a damp cloth, and then lightly dug with earth in your area. It is extremely important not to allow the roots to dry out! The main rule: planting material cannot be kept in plastic bags, the fact is that waterlogged roots can rot.
Date of planting
Experts recommend planting raspberries in the spring - from mid-April to early May. Extremely importantbefore the buds open. However, the weather also plays a significant role in this: for example, if the heat begins in May, planting raspberries should be postponed until autumn, otherwise you will have to nurse the seedlings and water them all summer.
Choosing a seat
The choice of location also plays a special role. Raspberry is a perennial plant. How many years does a raspberry grow in one place? Around 12-15! Therefore, you need to think carefully about how to plant it in a place convenient for yourself and for the shrub. Gardeners recommend placing seedlings in areas protected from wind and drafts. It is best if the place is sunny. It is worth refusing to plant raspberries in partial shade, otherwise its yield may noticeably decrease. Please note: shoots should be planted in the direction from northeast to southwest and from north to south.
Often, beginner gardeners have a question: how exactly to plant fruit bushes if trench or tape planting is planned? It is necessary to plant raspberries in such a way that it is possible to freely pass between the bushes. This may be required for tying shoots, harvesting or processing plants. Gardeners say: in order to reduce the risk of freezing fruit buds, you can plant raspberries in one row along outbuildings. The fact is that these places are usually best covered with snow.
Soil preparation
In general, raspberries prefer fertile loamy soils. But she does not tolerate the proximity of groundwater at all: her bushes begin to die off,the yield is reduced. For this reason, it is recommended to remove weeds in time. The main thing that a gardener who plants raspberries in open ground should know is that raspberry roots are superficial, which means that it is not necessary to loosen the ground deeply. For spring plantings, the soil should be prepared in the fall. It is necessary to add ash and humus to it.
Please note: raspberries spread very quickly throughout the site. It is for this reason that it is recommended to immediately make a restriction: it is necessary to dig iron or boards into the ground to a depth of about 20-30 cm, which will not allow the roots to grow.
Preparing the seedling
Before planting raspberries, it is necessary to inspect the seedlings, remove the roots that are damaged or rotten. Growths, tumors, branches should also be removed from the roots. Too long roots need to be shortened. It will also be useful to immerse the roots of seedlings in a solution of mullein and clay. To prepare it, you need to take one part of clay, two parts of mullein and five parts of water. The mixture must be mixed well and immersed in the raspberry roots.
Landing
How to arrange raspberries on the plot? You can do this with bushes - that is, raspberries will grow in a bunch of 6-10 stems, the distance between which will be about 50 cm, and between the rows there will be at least one and a half meters. When choosing this arrangement, gardeners are advised to plant raspberries in a checkerboard pattern. Another option is tape landing. The shoots are planted in one line, the distance between them is 20-30 cm. The distance between the tapes shouldbe at least a metre. All excess shoots during tape planting should be cut out. In addition, you will need a support or trellis. Gardeners recommend digging neat posts along the edges of the line with raspberries and pulling the wire: the first row is about 30 cm from the ground, the second is about a meter. You need to tie the shoots to the wire, this will help protect them from strong gusts of wind.
The planting process itself when choosing any of the two options is absolutely the same: in the ground you need to make a hole in which the roots can freely fit, water it abundantly. Then you need to install a seedling (strictly vertically), cover the roots with earth. In this case, you should shake the shoots a little and gradually compact the ground. It is very important that the root collar is at ground level. The fact is that if you deepen it too much, the raspberry will not grow well, and if you leave it above the ground, the basal buds from which new shoots grow will dry out.
Repair Raspberry
Let's move on to remontant raspberries. Planting and caring for it practically does not differ from those procedures that are performed with simple raspberry seedlings. The only thing to consider is that remontant raspberries must be cut to the ground every autumn. Another important feature: almost all new varieties of remontant raspberry are characterized by an abundance of lateral shoots and yields. Therefore, it is extremely important to install supports and tie branches with berries so that they do not break.
Raspberry care
What does caring for this includea plant? First of all, pruning raspberries, watering them, timely fertilization. Let's talk about everything in more detail.
It is very important to apply fertilizer in a timely manner. For example, in mid-autumn, raspberries should be fertilized with organic top dressing. To do this, you need to take two or three buckets of peat or humus for each raspberry bush and add about 100 grams of urea or s altpeter. With a weak growth of shoots at the end of April, a whole bucket of the so-called organic "talker" should be poured under each plant: it consists of one bucket of water, one shovel of manure, 5 grams of urea or s altpeter. After fertilizing, loosen the soil around and under the bushes.
It is equally important to properly prune raspberries: thin, damaged stems must be cut. It is best to leave 6-7 he althy strong shoots. In the event that you leave more shoots and do not remove the shoots, the raspberry yield will decrease significantly. In early spring, gardeners recommend cutting the stems at a height of about 160 cm. This should be done because the middle is considered the most productive part of the shrub - this is where the largest fruits are formed.
Very often beginner gardeners think about how to water raspberries. It is worth noting that raspberries usually do not need spring-summer watering. The exception is summer drought. But in the fall, the bushes must be thoroughly shed with water, the fact is that at this time the growth points of the shoots are laid.
