The process of growing raspberries from A to Z
Content
How to choose a seat
First of all, it is necessary to deal with the soil and suitable conditions for the growth of raspberries, because future bushes will have to live in one place for about 10-12 years. Experienced experts recommend choosing areas along the hedges, since the culture gives a lot of growth. Also try to select flat areas with minimal slope and good drainage.
Raspberries do not tolerate excess moisture, so avoid places where there is a risk of stagnant water. This plant loves sunlight. In shaded areas, berries can grow small and sour. At the same time, it would be nice to provide conditions for installing the mesh. It will be able to protect ripe berries from burning and premature drying out in an open space. Raspberry does not tolerate drafts very well, so choose quiet and secluded places. If you are going to grow raspberries in a greenhouse, then the structure must also be installed taking into account the above tips. The place should be sunny, quiet and without the risk of flooding.
After deciding on the placement of the future raspberry tree, pay attention to the qualitative composition of the soil. It is recommended to start preparing the land in the fall. The soil is dug to a depth of 30 centimeters and suitable fertilizers are applied. In this case, humus or compost is perfect. Of the mineral dressings, potash fertilizers are used, 30-40 grams per 1 square meter of land and superphosphate, 50-60 grams per 1 square meter of planting.
Video "Repair raspberries: part 1"
We plant seeds
In most cases, raspberries are planted in shoots as they produce a large amount of growth. But there are frequent cases of growing this crop from scratch, that is, from seeds. First of all, you need to prepare the planting material. The easiest way to buy ready-made seeds in a specialty store, but you can collect them yourself. To do this, you need the ripe berries. They are rubbed gently through a sieve to remove the juice and then the remaining pulp with seeds is rubbed on paper towels and left to dry.
Try not to overdry the seeds, as they will still have to germinate in a humid environment. From autumn, the seed is laid in boxes for stratification. This procedure involves slow germination in the cold. For this, the seeds are mixed with sand and planted in a fertile substrate to a depth of 1-2 centimeters. This procedure has been carried out in the fall. If you decide to postpone the sowing work in the spring, then the seeds must be kept on the lower shelf of the refrigerator in a damp linen bag.
It should be noted that sprouting raspberry seeds at home does not always bring the expected result. Bushes often grow from seedlings, giving completely different berries in size, taste and color. You should also take into account the percentage of shoots. The seeds germinate extremely unevenly and in the best case, you will get 50% of the seedlings.If you do everything right, then in the first year the bushes will grow up to one and a half meters and begin to bear fruit the next summer. It is necessary to weigh the pros and cons and decide on the method of propagation of raspberries - seedlings or seeds.
Care
Regardless of whether you grow raspberries in the open field or in a greenhouse, planting needs constant care. For any plant, the most important thing is watering. Raspberries are moisture-loving crops. To obtain a bountiful harvest, the raspberry tree needs to be watered regularly, especially if the summer is dry. But make sure that the water does not stagnate on the surface. If the roots begin to sour, then you can forget about the sweet and aromatic raspberries. In open areas and in greenhouses, drainage systems and the removal of excess moisture should be provided.
Next, we'll talk about cropping. Raspberry bushes are famous for their active growth. They give a large amount of new growth, and fruiting branches can grow to such a size that they can no longer stand upright. All these processes must be carefully monitored, since the thickening of the planting leads to a decrease in fruiting, the colonization of pests and the development of diseases.
It is advisable to remove overgrowths immediately. Fruiting shoots are pruned after harvest and in spring. Spring pruning involves removing frozen areas and diseased stems.
According to completely different rules, pruning of one-year remontant raspberries is carried out. After harvesting in September-October, the shoots are cut completely to the root. In the spring, new fresh stems appear. Gardeners only need to control the number of new shoots. The cultivation of raspberries according to the Sobolev method is very popular among gardeners.
He suggested double pruning the bushes. The first time the shoots are shortened in May or June by 10-15 centimeters. After that, lateral stems begin to grow actively. In the fall, you need to thin out the planting and leave 4 stems on the bush. A second pruning phase is planned for next spring. Then the greened bushes are cut back by 10-15 centimeters, not forgetting to remove the frozen shoots.
In greenhouses and on plots, it is imperative to carry out the loosening procedure. But this must be done carefully, since raspberries have rather superficial roots. In open ground for the winter, it is customary to bend the bushes to the ground. The branches are tied together and pinned to the soil so that the shoots are completely covered with snow and they do not freeze.
Under the weight of the berries, raspberry branches often begin to slope, so they are tied up. In greenhouses, the most common type of trellis garter, since there raspberries are most often planted in even rows. It is also convenient to tie up raspberries using the fan-shaped method. To do this, 2 sticks are driven in between the bushes and they begin to tie the shoots of either one or the second bush to them at different heights, forming a kind of fan.
Additional feeding can be made during the growing season. Before the start of fruiting, organic matter and nitrogen fertilizers are applied in moderation. During the ripening of berries, you can add ammonium nitrate, superphosphate, ammonium sulfate, nitrogen fertilizers. After harvesting, nitroammophoska, ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and potassium fertilizers are applied.
Video "Repair raspberries: part 2"
From the video, you will learn many useful things that will help you grow a rich and good harvest.