Raspberry Pride of Our Country: reviews of gardeners

Raspberries are a unique berry that everyone loves so much. It is very tasty, healthy and indispensable in any kitchen. This is a shrub that was first bred in Central Europe. Berries are so liked by people that they are used everywhere. On top of that, raspberries are unpretentious, and it is quite easy to care for them. Today there are many varieties of raspberries. In this article, we will look at the popular variant of the berries, which were bred in 1992. This was done by the breeder V.V. Kitchina. He called it “Pride of Our Country”. We will consider the description of the variety, its characteristics, features and the cultivation process.

“Pride of Our Country” – variety description

The raspberry variety “Pride of Our Country” grows up to 1,5–1,8 m. The bush is of a compressed type, strong and powerful. When the season comes, the plant forms many shoots. Owners should remove them in time, as the plant grows rapidly. Raspberries have straight and thick stems. It is noteworthy that the replacement shoots, which can be from 7 to 12 pieces, do not have thorns. One middle branch, on which the fruits will grow, has 20–30 raspberries. The leaves are dark green, shiny and crenate. Foliage shoots at the top have rosettes.

The main difference between raspberries “Pride of Our Country” is that its fruits are quite large. The average weight of one berry is 10 or 12 grams. Here are the characteristics of raspberries:

• have a dark red color;
• are velvety and shiny;
• very juicy;
• some seeds inside;
• the shape resembles a blunt cone;
• the aroma is mild, and the taste is sweet and sour.

The raspberry variety can be considered medium-early, as the fruits appear from July to August. It is noteworthy that the harvest takes place in 5 or 6 steps. The variety is self-fertile, early maturing and high-yielding. One bush can give up to 5 kg of raspberries. You just need to properly care for her and feed her. When the berries are ripe, they will not crumble, however, removing them from the stand is quite easy.

Raspberry variety “Pride of Our Country” is frost-resistant. Uncovered bushes are able to endure cold down to -30 ° C, which is simply wonderful for the climate of the Federation. And more importantly, the berries are not subject to rot, diseases and pests.

Planting raspberries

When should you start planting? The ideal landing period in the ground is September or October. At the very least, it could be March. Nevertheless, it is preferable to plant bushes in the fall, since raspberries will be able to take root before the onset of the season. And with the onset of winter, the plant should be covered, as it is not yet quite strong.

It is important to prepare the ground for planting in advance so that the “Pride of Our Country” feels good and bears abundant fruit. Work begins 3 or 3,5 months before planting. You need to free the area from weeds, dig up the soil and fertilize it. What is included in the fertilizer? Here is a list of components, based on 1 m²:

1. Potassium – 25 grams.
2. Manure – 5 kg.
3. Superphosphate – 60 grams.

As for the choice of landing site, it should be well lit. It’s great if there is a fence or a building nearby. Loamy soil or black earth is ideal for planting. Ideally, if groundwater is at least 1,5 m away.

Let’s look at step-by-step instructions on how to plant plants in the ground:

1. Preparatory work: cleaning the soil from weeds, digging and fertilizing.
2. Before you start planting raspberries, rotted compost is added to the soil, with the expectation of 1 m² 7 kg of compost.
3. Dig holes, the size of which is 50 × 50 cm. The distance between each hole is 60 or 70 cm. Having made the first row, you need to step back from it 1–1,5 m, and begin to form the next one in the same way.
4. Fill the dug hole with fertile soil. Two thirds of the depth will be enough. After that, the seedling descends inward. Next, you need to carefully spread the raspberry roots along the hole and sprinkle it with soil. Make sure that the root neck is flush with the soil.
5. At the end, it remains to water each Pride of Our Country raspberry bush with about 4 liters of water. The final stage is mulching with sawdust or humus.

As you can see, the disembarkation process is simple, and it will take a little time to work. However, if you want to get a decent harvest that you can be proud of, then you need to look after raspberries. This care is simple, however, you can not do without it.

Care of planted plants

Your task is to do everything in time that is required for a high-quality and rich harvest. The process is not complicated by anything, so you will not spend a lot of time and effort. The first thing to do is to keep the soil under the plants clean. This includes cleaning and removing grown weeds. Remove them with your hands, and dig the soil should be 30 cm further from the raspberries.

Raspberry watering

Of course, the plants need to be watered. Raspberry “Pride of Our Country” is no exception. The variety can be safely called moisture-loving. This fact suggests that watering should be done 4 times per season:

1. Before the raspberries bloom.
2. When the fruits begin to ripen.
3. When all the berries are collected completely.
4. Before the first frosts come.

It is preferable to make a drip irrigation system for raspberries “Pride of Our Country”. Plants love water, so 1 bush needs up to 4 buckets of liquid. After successful watering, the plants should be mulched.

Feeding raspberries

Raspberries need to be fed every year. If you want to get wonderful fruits that are tasty, large and healthy, then it is important to start feeding Pride of Our Country in a timely manner. How to do it right?

1. In the first year, use slurry that is mixed with water (3:2 ratio). One raspberry bush will require 2,5 liters of slurry.
2. In the spring, half-decayed manure should be added to the soil. You can not do without potassium salt with superphosphates.
3. In autumn, when the harvesting of berries is completed, it is recommended to add ash and potassium-phosphorus preparations.
4. When early spring arrives, apply nitrogen fertilizers.
5. In the event that you have sandy soil, then apply magnesium fertilizer both at the beginning and at the end of the season.

Raspberry Cutting

In one season, raspberries “Pride of Our Country” should be cut three times:

1. At the end of the March days. Then all dry and damaged shoots should be cut off at the root. Good ones should be shortened up to the upper kidney.
2. When buds open, shorten the branches by 14 or 15 cm. So, you can increase the number of ripe berries.
3. Before the onset of cold weather, trim for the last time. When there are about 15 or 20 days left before the cold weather, remove, cut off the shoots that have been bearing fruit for two years and the old shoots. They only thicken the bush, are useless and will not be able to endure frost.

Raspberry collection and storage

When to start picking raspberries? The ideal period is the beginning of July. As mentioned earlier, from one bush you can collect from 4 to 5 kg of raspberries. Despite the fact that this variety has a dense pulp, raspberries are considered a tender berry. It’s easy to damage it. Given this, when harvesting, you should put the berries in a flat container or basket. The recommended layer is 12 or 15 cm, no more. If you follow these rules, then you can transport raspberries without problems. She will bear it.

“Pride of Our Country” is very tasty and fresh, and canned. Raspberry is a versatile berry that is suitable for the manufacture of such products:

• jam;
• compote;
• jam;
• juice;
• confiture;
• wine.

You can even freeze raspberries, grind them with sugar, or dry them. But fresh “Pride of Our Country” will be stored for about three days.

Conclusion

Raspberry variety “Pride of Our Country” is a good option that you can plant on your site. Berries grow large, tasty and healthy. Pleased with the simple care of the plant and a rich harvest.

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