Raspberries: how to grow a good harvest
Raspberries are one of the most beloved berries in the country, but also the most unpredictable: it happens that there are huge thickets of this shrub on the site, but there are few berries. Why is this happening and how to get a big harvest? We talk about growing, planting and care in the open field

Raspberries have been known since ancient times and for Our Country – this is a typical shrub that can be found in the forest. However, now a lot of varieties have been bred that give large yields. And their berries are much larger than those of wild relatives. They are red, yellow and almost black. But regardless of the variety, raspberry care is the same.

Raspberry cultivation

As already mentioned, in the wild, raspberries often grow in forests, that is, they are shade-tolerant. However, modern varieties are not like that – they need an abundance of light, so they need to be planted in a sunny area.

The place should be protected from cold northern winds – this is especially important in winter. And it’s also not bad if there is a blank fence on the leeward side, some kind of building or other obstacle that will delay snow in winter – the more snowdrifts over raspberries, the better it winters (1).

Raspberry soils prefer neutral or slightly acidic, loose, capable of retaining water well. However, this culture does not tolerate excess moisture at all. Groundwater should be no closer than 1 – 1,5 from the soil surface (2).

Planting raspberries

Raspberries can be planted in 2 terms – early spring (mid-April) or autumn (mid-October). It is advisable to prepare pits for planting in advance: during spring planting – in autumn, in September-October, during autumn – a month in advance, that is, in mid-September. This is done so that the soil in them is ripe, it is inhabited by beneficial microorganisms that will help the seedling take root faster in a new site.

Raspberries are grown in two ways: in separate bushes and in rows – on trellises.

Planting raspberries in separate bushes. In this case, the schema is:

  • distance between rows – 2 m;
  • between plants in a row – 1 m.

Under each raspberry bush, they dig a hole with a diameter of 40–60 cm and a depth of 40–50 cm (3). A mound of earth is poured into the center of the pit, a seedling is placed on it, the roots are evenly spread along the slopes of the mound, after which they are covered with fertile soil:

  • upper fertile layer of the earth – 1 part;
  • humus – 1 part;
  • double superphosphate – 1 tbsp. a spoon.

Mineral nitrogen fertilizers cannot be applied to the planting pit for raspberries – they interfere with rooting.

Over time, raspberries planted in this way form separate curtains, in which 10 shoots will need to be left.

Planting raspberries in rows. In this version, the scheme is different:

  • distance between rows – 1 m;
  • between plants in a row – 40 cm.

With this option, planting under raspberries dig trenches 45 cm deep and 50 cm wide. Humus is poured into the bottom of the trench, forming it as a slide. Seedlings are placed on a hill at a given distance from each other, the roots are straightened, and then they are covered with fertile soil (the recipe is the same as when planting in separate bushes).

When planting in rows, raspberries are tied to trellises as they grow – two strong stakes or two pipes are driven in along the edges of the row and several rows of wire are pulled. The shoots are tied up a little at an angle so that they form a kind of fan.

“In both cases, it is important to ensure that the root neck is level with the soil: not higher, not lower,” says agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mihailova. – After the raspberries are planted, they need to be watered well and the trunk circles or rows should be mulched with humus or peat – this will help retain moisture in the soil, which means that the seedlings will take root better.

Care for raspberries in the open field

Raspberry care includes 3 important activities.

Watering. During the season, this crop needs to be watered 4 times: in June, July, August and September – at the beginning of each month. It is necessary to water so that the soil gets wet by 20 cm.

Feeding. Raspberries are fed only 2 times a year – in early spring and late autumn:

  • in mid-April: 3 tbsp. spoons of urea per 1 sq. m – evenly distribute the fertilizer over the surface of the soil and close it with a rake;
  • at the end of October: half a bucket of humus per 1 sq. m – just pour over the soil.

In addition, once every 1 years, potassium should be added to raspberries: 3 g of potassium sulfate per 200 sq. m.

Pruning. Raspberries give the main crop on biennial (last year) shoots (4). In the first year they grow, the next summer they give side shoots, on which the berries ripen. And after the crop is harvested, these shoots need to be cut out – there will be no sense from them, and they take a lot of strength from the bush.

“The shoots should be cut flush with the ground so that there are no stumps left – pests can winter in them,” recommends Svetlana Mikhailova. – Annual shoots should be cut in autumn – shortened by about 10 cm. This will allow the raspberries to branch better, which means that the yield will be higher.

Raspberry harvest

The harvest of traditional raspberry varieties ripens together and the berries ripen very quickly, so it is important not to miss the moment – overripe fruits are difficult to collect, they crumple and quickly deteriorate.

– It is better to put them in a shallow container – a bowl or basket. It is undesirable to collect in a bucket, because under a large mass of berries the lower ones can be wrinkled, advises agronomist Svetlana Mikhailova. – It is better to collect raspberries in the morning, in warm, dry weather – at this time it is the most fragrant.

Raspberry storage rules

Raspberries are very delicate and do not keep fresh for a long time. The only way to stock them up for the winter is to freeze them. You need to send it to the freezer dry – you can’t wash the berries, otherwise they will turn into porridge.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about growing raspberries with agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mikhailova.

How to get rid of raspberry shoots?

This is not possible, because shoots are the natural way for raspberries to propagate. In addition, shoots are necessary to replace old shoots with young ones. So there is only one way out – to cut it out annually.

 

But you can reduce its amount if, before planting raspberries, dig into the ground, for example, slate to a depth of 60 cm – the shoots will not “go away” beyond it.

How many years can raspberries grow in one place?

In one place, raspberries can live 15 to 20 years. However, the productivity of the plantation begins to decline much earlier – after 10-12 years. Therefore, once every 10 years, old bushes must be dug up and planted raspberries in another place.

Are there any differences between caring for ordinary and remontant raspberries?

There are no fundamental differences. The only difference is the timing of pruning. Two-year-old shoots from ordinary raspberry varieties are cut out in the summer, immediately after harvesting. In remontant varieties – in late autumn. And all because their crop ripens until frost.

Sources of

  1. Sergeev I.V. ABC gardener (2nd edition, additional and revised) // M .: “Kolos”, 1977 – 320 p.
  2. Lavrik P.I., Rybitsky N.A., Gavrilov I.S. Gardener’s desk book // L.: Lenizdat, 1972 – 568 p.
  3. Emelyanova F.A., Kruglova A.P., Kulikov V.A., Sazhin N.S., Gryazev N.D., Klinkovskaya N.I., Berkut O.D., Molchanov A.I. Fruit and berry garden and vineyard // Saratov, Saratov book publishing house, 1955 – 476 p.
  4. Egorov V.I., Nazaryan E.A. Handbook of gardening // M .: Publishing house of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions Profizdat, 1957 – 264 p.

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