Raspberries and blackberries melt in your mouth. The first fruits begin to ripen in July, the last ones can be picked in late autumn. Raspberries and blackberries are cultivated similarly.Raspberry is a novelty on the fruit market.Its advantages include large fruit and high fertility. Especially recommendable is the 'Tayberry' variety, distinguished by its aromatic, sweet fruit.
Raspberries are divided into two groups: summer and autumn. In the case of the first ones, fruiting lasts from mid-June to the end of July. The second bears fruit from August to October. If we plant summer and autumn shrubs, fresh fruit will be on our table for many months. Summer raspberries bloom and bear fruit on two-year-old shoots and need to be led at supports.
After cutting, 5-7 strong, well-grown shoots should be left tied to a wire stretched horizontally between the posts. Autumn raspberries develop flowers and fruit on this year's shoots. In late fall or early winter, they are cut low to the ground.Autumn raspberries can be forced to bear fruit twice (repeating raspberries).The best known varieties are 'Polana', 'Polka', 'Pokusa', 'Poranna Rosa'. In the case of these shrubs, pruning is the most important.
It is thanks to him that the bush bears fruit twice. In spring, we cut the top of the shoot that bore fruit last year. The lower part of the shoot then bears fruit in July, and the emerging new shoots bear fruit in August and bear fruit practically until frost.
Garden blackberries are not the same as field blackberries.The fruits of garden varieties are large and very tasty, the bushes are fertile and, more and more often, thornless. They are also distinguished by a more upright habit. This makes them easier to care for. Cutting is very important. Blackberries are not as cold hardy as raspberries, but they have varieties that are suitable for growing in cooler parts of the country (or worse environmental conditions).
For garden cultivation, we recommend e.g. 'Navaho' (early) and 'Loch Tay' (late). By planting them, we have a guaranteed fixed portion of fruit throughout the summer.Fruit surplus can be used for preserves or frozen.A novelty among blackberries is 'Navaho Bigandearly', a variety that is characterized by an erect habit and fruiting that begins at the beginning of July. For this variety, it is recommended to tie it to a tall pole.
Throughout the fruiting period, blackberries, as well as raspberries, should grow in moderately moist soil, so it is a good idea to lay bedding between the bushes. Thanks to it, there are fewer weeds in the beds. Raspberries contain a lot of so-called ellagic acid, which has antibacterial and antiviral properties.It is thanks to him that raspberry juices bring relief from a cold.
Blackberry collection
Blackberries can be harvested when they turn dark blue. It is worth noting, however, that the fruit tastes best about a week after it turns into the right color.This is when they become sweet and aromatic.Blackberries, like almost all blueberries, are not suitable for long storage.
They can be stored in the refrigerator for two days. The fruit is very he althy, contains a lot of vitamin C, and can be processed into juices. Fresh blackberry juice added to water and sweetened with honey has a very refreshing effect.
New flavor - raspberry
Malinojeżyna is one of the youngest fruit plants. It was created from crossing the raspberry Rubus idaeus with the blackberry Rubus fruticosus.Raspberry berries are characterized by unique fruits with characteristics intermediate between raspberry and blackberry. Most varieties have a taste more similar to blackberries.On the other hand, they resemble raspberries in color and appearance, although sometimes the fruit may take a dark burgundy color.Single fruit under favorable conditions can reach even several centimeters in length.
The bushes bear fruit for about a month, and we start harvesting in mid-July.Although the yield of raspberry berries is slightly weaker than that of blackberries, due to the original taste and early ripening of the fruit, they will be an unusual curiosity in any garden.Among the several available varieties of raspberries ('Loganberry', 'Tayberry', 'Tummel'), 'Tayberry' is worth paying attention to. It bears fruit regularly and abundantly and is extremely frost-resistant. For this reason, it can be grown practically all over the country.
How to grow a raspberry
Although raspberry berries are not troublesome in cultivation, it is worth getting acquainted with their requirements before planting. Proper care will ensure proper growth of the shrubs, which will repay you with abundant fruiting. When planting, leave a distance of at least 1.5 m between the bushes.Keeping a proper distance is necessary because these are quite vigorously growing plants.
Due to the habit of shrubs inherited from blackberries, cultivation at supports is the most recommended form of farming. Thanks to this, long raspberry shoots will not overlap. The scaffolding may consist of several horizontally arranged crossbars, to which we attach the shoots.The bushes run in this way take the form of a fan, which positively influences the lighting of the ripening fruit.
