Growing raspberriesin home and allotment gardens brings many benefits. Raspberry fruits are very he althy, they can be eaten raw or in preserves. What will make us successful in the cultivation of raspberries? See how to choose the bestraspberry varietiesfor amateur cultivation on a plot or in a home garden and find out what it looks likeraspberry care , planting, fertilizing and cutting them, very important for maintaining the he alth of raspberry bushes and their abundant fruiting.
Growing raspberries in a home garden or on a plot will not be a problem as long as the plants find a sunny place with moist, fertile and at the same time well-drained soil with a slightly acidic reaction
Grown in gardensraspberry varietiesare shrubs derived from the species - raspberry (Rubus idaeus), belonging to the rose family (Rosaceae). In the wild, it occurs almost all over Europe and parts of Asia. It prefers a variety of habitats - mountain slopes, forest edges, meadow thickets, etc. Raspberry is one of the most popular fruits, which is why people particularly like its cultivation.
Growing raspberries
Raspberry cultivationshould be in a sunny place. These plants do best on plains or light slopes sheltered from strong winds. Raspberries prefer fertile, nutrient-rich soils that are well-drained and slightly acidic at the same time. Raspberries are cultivated best in fairly moist but not waterlogged soils. Raspberries should not be grown in flood plains (even for a short period), and also in areas where the groundwater is very high. These plants also do not like too sandy soils.
Raspberry seedlingswe can of course buy (they are quite cheap) but it is worth making sure that someone you know does not have the variety you want in your garden. Raspberries very easily produce suckers that are pulled from the ground and cut from the mother plant. It is a simple and reliable way to propagate raspberries in amateur crops.
Planting raspberriesis best done in late autumn or early spring, but in areas with harsh winters, spring is preferable, because the risk of freezing is avoided, especially if the winter is snowless. However, it should be remembered that shrubs planted in spring require more irrigation. Plants should be planted shallow, preferably 2-3 centimeters deeper than they grew in the nursery. After planting, it is necessary to tamp the soil around the plant, which will facilitate water soaking, you should also water the raspberry abundantly. Finally, cut the stem of the newly planted plant about 10 - 15 cm above the ground. If you plant raspberries in the fall, remember to form mounds of soil at the foot of the bushes, which will prevent the root system from freezing.
Whenplanting raspberries , you should also remember to keep the appropriate distances between the bushes. It is best to place the plants every 0.5 m in a row and every 2.0 m between the rows. The most popular way of growing raspberries is to grow raspberries in a row next to the wires with which the shoots of the bushes are stretched. Raspberry care is then much easier.
Raspberry fruits are rich in nutrients. They can be eaten raw or used for preserves
Wgrowing raspberriesIrrigation is a very important care treatment. Plants that produce a lot of fruit need a lot of water. The best solution to this problem is to install an irrigation system, more precisely a drip line. Thanks to this, the raspberry will receive regular water, which will allow it to grow luxuriantly and bear fruit abundantly.
Fertilizing raspberriesis also one of the most important care treatments in raspberry cultivation.Fertilization procedures begin before planting raspberries, digging the soil with manure. In the following years of cultivation, the type of fertilizer varies depending on the season. Early spring raspberries should be fertilized with a slowly releasing nitrogen fertilizer, especially in the first years after planting raspberries. Then, in May and June, use ammonium nitrate, which you apply 2 to 3 times. The several-year-old raspberry cultivation in autumn should be fertilized with mineral fertilizers rich in potassium and magnesium.
Raspberry cut
Pruning raspberriesis one of the most difficult care treatments for novice growers. Meanwhile, it is a very simple procedure if you follow all the recommendations. It is worth learning the rules of cutting raspberries, because when properly made, it not only improves the fertility of the bush, but also prevents their excessive thickening and the development of diseases such as raspberry shoot dieback or gray mold.
Cutting raspberries growing on the bars
This type of raspberry guidance is especially suitable for small gardens where there is no space to unfasten lines of wire. In this case, after fruiting, remove all fruiting shoots, leaving a maximum of 5 young shoots, on which fruit-bearing branches will develop next year. It is worth remembering to mulch the soil around the raspberry stake (40 cm radius) to prevent weeds from overgrowing.
Cutting raspberries in a row with wire
After harvesting the fruits, the shoots with the fruits are cut out, leaving the strongest this year's young shoots, which are gently tied to the first wire stretched at a height of about 1.0 m. Only the strongest shoots should be selected. After tying them to the wire, cut them to a height of approx. 1.2 m.
Cutting raspberries repeating fruiting
Raspberries that bear double fruit belong to the varieties Polana, Polka and Poranna Rosa. The varieties of raspberries repeating fruiting are best carried out with a wire lane stretched 1.0 m high.In order to obtain the best growth and beautiful fruit, all last year's shoots should be cut in the spring, in this way the newly developed shoots will give good fruit in the fall.
Raspberry varieties
The choice of raspberry varieties is relatively large. However, in order to obtain the best effect in the conditions of amateur cultivation in a home or allotment garden, it is worth sticking to the most proven varieties of raspberries with Polish origin. They are usually less troublesome and frost-resistant.
In amateur cultivation, the most common are the traditionalraspberry varieties , which bear fruit from July to August. The fruits of these varieties easily separate from the stalks. Raspberries repeated fruiting, harvesting from the end of August until the autumn frosts, are less common.Raspberries repeating fruitingonly in theory seem an interesting solution, but in reality it is better to decide on one crop, but large, instead of smaller crops twice a year.The fertility of repeating raspberries is limited, and the fruit is more difficult to detach from the stalks.
Yellow and red raspberry varieties
Malina 'Beskid'
Raspberry variety with strong growth, profusely produces fruit only on two-year-old shoots. The fruit is large, elongated. They rarely rot. The first fruits ripen in mid-July. The variety is rarely attacked by pests and is moderately susceptible to raspberry diseases.
Raspberry 'Polana'
It has medium growth strength, but gives a lot of root suckers. Raspberry variety that produces two fruits on one-year and two-year-old shoots. However, for better fruit, only the fall harvest is recommended. A variety with high resistance to raspberry diseases and pests.
Raspberry 'Polka'
It produces numerous root suckers, medium growth. It bears fruit on this year's and biennial shoots (like the Polana variety), but only autumn harvesting is recommended. Susceptibility to disease - medium.
Raspberry 'Morning Dew'
Moderately fertile variety, repeated fruiting. It bears fruit on two-year shoots in July, and then on this year's shoots from the beginning of September until the end of vegetation. This variety is not very susceptible to fungal diseases of shoots and white leaf spot, and the fruit is not susceptible to rotting.
Black raspberry
Apart from the above-mentioned traditional raspberry varieties, it is also worth being interested in black raspberry. Black raspberries have 5 times more power to remove free radicals from the human body than traditional red raspberries. They show strong antibacterial and anti-cancer properties, prevent aging processes and civilization diseases. They are suitable for direct consumption as well as for preserves.The most common black raspberry is the 'Bristol' variety, bearing fruit on two-year-old shoots, unfortunately susceptible to fungal and viral diseases of raspberries. More and more often you can also meet the newer Polish variety 'Litacz' and the black raspberry resistant to diseases and frost-resistant 'Jewel'.I hope that the emergence of new varieties, useful for growing in our climate, will increase the popularity of black raspberries, because it is really worth taking advantage of the benefits of its fruits.
Raspberry harvesting and use
Raspberries are harvested without stalks when the fruit is well colored, soft and dry. Picking raspberries is one of the most enjoyable things you do in your garden in the summer. Every child loves to pick raspberries straight from the bush. So let's put a bit more work into the care so that the collection of raspberries is really abundant.Raspberries are one of the most widely used fruits in our kitchen. We make raspberry preserves, bake wonderful cakes with raspberries. Raspberry juice is a real delicacy on every table. Homemade raspberry juices are especially appreciated by family members. Raspberries, raspberry jams, raspberry juices are a great addition to any desserts! Both fruits and raspberry leaves are also an important herbal raw material.
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