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The berry season is very fleeting, two or three weeks – and a new harvest has to wait for another whole year. To prolong the season, breeders have bred remontant raspberry varieties that bear fruit several times, the first time on last year’s shoots, the second on shoots that have grown this season. One of these varieties is raspberry “Hercules”.
Description
The raspberry variety “Hercules” was bred by domestic breeders. Recommended for cultivation in the Central region, but successfully grown in more southern and northern regions. It is used for cultivation in private farms and for industrial production.
The main advantages of this variety:
- High yield;
- Excellent taste;
- Frost resistance;
- Resistant to adverse weather conditions;
- Resistance to falling berries;
- Fruiting on new shoots.
Berries of raspberry variety “Hercules” are very large, weighing up to 12 grams, have a dense skin and small seeds. Due to the density of the skins, they easily tolerate long-term transportation without losing their presentation.
Raspberry bushes of the Hercules variety are medium, up to 2 meters high. The branches are dense, strong, do not bend under the weight of berries. Green branches are quite resistant to gusts of wind; last year’s woody shoots can break off. Does not require garters. The branches are densely covered with small spines. Up to 6 shoots are formed annually. The fruiting zone occupies one third of the shoot.
Fruiting is friendly, plentiful. The first wave of fruiting occurs at the end of June, the berries are formed on last year’s shoots. The second wave of fruiting occurs at the end of August or the beginning of September, and can continue until the first frost. The total number of berries reaches 1,5 kg. With a high level of agricultural technology, raspberries “Hercules” can produce up to 2 kg of berries from a bush.
Landing
For planting raspberry bushes “Hercules”, it is advisable to choose a well-lit place, sheltered from the northern winds. This raspberry can quite successfully bear fruit in shady areas, lit by direct sunlight only in the morning.
Raspberry bushes are planted in the spring, before the formation of green buds, or in the fall, when the raspberry bushes are already at rest.
For growing raspberries “Hercules” it is important to consider the characteristics of the soil. Raspberry bushes can successfully develop on all soils, except for depleted and high acidity. Before planting raspberry bushes, depleted soils must be fertilized; lime should be added to acidic soils to reduce acidity.
Before planting raspberry bushes, the soil is freed from perennial weeds, dug up and fertilized. Since raspberries grow in one place for quite a long time without a transplant, long-acting fertilizers can be applied. The dosage is determined according to the instructions.
To control the beds with raspberry bushes, you can dig a fence around the perimeter of the beds to a depth of 40 – 50 cm. The fence material must be dense enough to hold the raspberry roots. You can use sheets of old slate.
The distance between the planting holes should be at least 65 cm. You can plant raspberry bushes with a single-line or two-line method. Leave space between rows to allow for easy maintenance. As a rule, 80 – 90 cm is enough.
The root system of raspberries is not deep, so the depth of the planting pit can be no more than 50 cm. Organic fertilizers, a glass of wood ash and 2-3 liters of humus are applied to the bottom of the planting pit.
Planted raspberry bushes are covered with soil and poured abundantly with water. After 2 – 3 days, watering is desirable to repeat.
For these purposes, it is very convenient to use old cardboard boxes. The soil around the planted raspberry bushes is covered with cardboard, sprinkling a layer of earth on top.
Care
The description of the raspberry variety “Hercules” claims that it is undemanding, but in order to get large berries, as in the photo, you need to make a little effort. Care for raspberries of the Hercules variety consists in watering, fertilizing, removing weeds, protecting bushes from pests, and timely harvesting.
Watering is carried out as needed, abundantly flooding the bushes. If the soil around the bushes is covered with mulching material, the amount of watering can be reduced.
It can prevent young shoots from getting out of the ground.
Fertilization is necessary on soils poor in nutrients, the development of raspberries is difficult. Berries become smaller, bushes develop poorly, more often suffer from diseases and freezing in winter.
The first fertilization is carried out in the spring, before the first leaves appear on the bushes. During this period, raspberries “Hercules” most of all need nitrogen and phosphorus for the formation of green mass and shoots. Nutrients are introduced into the near-trunk circle in accordance with the instructions, they dig in a little and water the bushes abundantly.
Overfed raspberry bushes bear fruit poorly, fruiting begins much later.
The repairability of Hercules raspberries can be used to get a larger crop at a time. To do this, in the fall, the shoots that bear fruit are cut off at the root. Next year’s harvest will be formed on new shoots, the berries will be larger, their total weight will be higher. Raspberry fruiting in this case will begin in early or late August, depending on the region.
This method is also recommended for the northern regions, where Hercules raspberry bushes can freeze and break off in winter. In addition, the berries of the second wave of fruiting may not have time to ripen before frost.
Planting raspberry bushes of the Hercules variety and caring for them are not particularly difficult in order to harvest a rich harvest of fragrant berries, it is enough to give her a little attention and love.
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