Raspberries belong to plants whose fruits have been used by mankind since time immemorial. Its seeds were found by archaeologists at the ancient sites of people of the Stone and Bronze Ages. Wild raspberry lives in Europe, Asia, North America. Its distribution is associated mainly with the northern part of the European and American continents, respectively, in general, it is more frost-resistant than a drought-resistant culture.
From mountain ranges and forests, raspberries gradually moved to human dwellings, today they are grown everywhere in a temperate climate, many varieties are suitable for the northwestern regions. We try to plant the best varieties of raspberries on our plots.
Biological description of raspberries
Raspberries belong to the genus Rubus of the Rosaceae family. The genus consists of almost one and a half thousand species. The sisters of the garden varieties of raspberries that grow almost everywhere in our country are blackberries, princesses, cloudberries, kumanika, stone fruits and other less well-known species.
Most species originate from the temperate or cold zones of the northern hemisphere, but some grow beyond the Arctic Circle, in the tropical mountain regions of the southern hemisphere, on oceanic islands.
Origin of modern varieties
Raspberries, the varieties of which we are accustomed to plant on our personal plots, originate from the following species:
- European red raspberry;
- American black raspberry;
- American raspberry fragrant;
- American red raspberry;
- Asian raspberry purple;
- Asian yellow raspberry;
- South American species of Glencourt (Mora).
The main modern varieties with high yield and excellent taste are obtained by crossing European red raspberries with other species. They kept its large-fruitedness and high quality of fruits.
Tasks of modern breeding
Possessing genes of various species in hybrid offspring, modern raspberries differ in color, size, and taste of berries. And also productivity, drought resistance, frost resistance, size and number of thorns differ. There are early and mid-season varieties, raspberries, fruiting in autumn and remontant (repeatedly fruiting).
When creating the latest varieties and hybrids, breeders are faced with the task of creating raspberries with the following characteristics:
- Large fruit. The mass of berries should not be less than 5 g.
- Density of holding drupes on the peduncle. What is the use of high quality berries if they fall to the ground immediately after ripening.
- High taste and nutritional qualities.
- Mechanical strength of shoots.
- Good transportability. Raspberry berries are tender, easily crumpled, breeders are trying to create varieties suitable for transportation over long distances without loss of commercial qualities.
- Resistance to diseases, pests, adverse weather conditions.
- High yield.
The structure of the raspberry bush
By the nature of growth and fruiting, raspberries belong to shrub berry crops.
The roots
Raspberries have a well-branched root system, most of which is located in the upper layers of the soil, mainly at a depth of 30-40 cm. Only a small number of roots penetrate deeper (up to 1 meter), primarily on light sandy soils. In the horizontal direction, they grow by 2-3 m, but most are located within a radius of 50-60 cm.
The strong root system of raspberries contributes to the formation of powerful shoots, provides good yields. The durability of each individual bush is determined by the time until replacement shoots grow from the buds of the rhizome.
The stems
Raspberry stalks have a two-year development cycle. Depending on the growth strength of the variety, the age of the bush, growing conditions, providing them with nutrients and moisture, shoots in the first year of development can grow up to 1,5-3,0 m. This year they do not branch (which does not apply to remontant raspberries). Some varieties have straight stems, while others grow with a slight slope.
At the beginning of the growing season, the shoots grow intensively, with a daily increase of 4 cm or more, and the higher and thicker they are, the better the raspberry harvest we can expect next season. From an excess of nutrients and moisture, the stems can grow to a height of almost 2,0 m. They will not have time to ripen before frost and freeze or freeze, which will necessarily negatively affect the yield. In addition, during the fruiting of raspberries without a trellis, the shoots will fall, which will also not have the best effect on the quality and quantity of berries.
Last year’s raspberry stalks are called fruiting shoots, they do not grow either in height or in thickness. Branches with leaves and inflorescences develop from mixed buds. After fruiting raspberries, they gradually die off until they die completely in late autumn. During aging, they draw water and nutrients from the soil. They need to be cut to the ground in a timely manner.
Buds and leaves
Raspberry buds are laid in the axils of the leaves on annual shoots. In most varieties, they are formed in two – one above the other. Usually the upper buds are better developed, fruit twigs will grow from them in the future, and rosettes of leaves will grow from the lower buds. It happens that both are developed equally, in case of damage to the upper bud, not leaves are formed from the lower bud, but a fruit twig, however, weak, with small fruits.
During the growing season, raspberries on the shoot, replacing each other, can grow up to 40 leaves. Their formation begins in spring and usually continues until the end of summer, with each leaf living for about 30 days.
Flowers
Raspberry flowers are bisexual and are well pollinated by their pollen. Although this plant is self-fertile, the best yields come from a plantation that grows 2-3 different varieties. Raspberry inflorescences on fruit twigs collected in a bunch of 3-5 flowers do not open simultaneously. First, the upper ones open, and then the lower ones, so flowering usually lasts 25-30 days.
Fruit
The raspberry fruit is a combined drupe – a collection of small juicy drupes fused together. Fruits are formed and held on a hard inedible stem, which, depending on the variety, is from 7 to 15% of the total mass of the berry.
The shape of the fruit can be:
- round;
- oval;
- conical (truncated-conical);
- cylindrical.
The color of raspberries usually varies from pink to deep burgundy. There are very sweet but low-flavoured yellow dessert varieties and black varieties most often used for processing.
The size of the fruit in raspberries depends primarily on the variety, but soil fertility and water regime are important. Berries of the first harvest are usually the largest. Raspberries can bear fruit:
- small – within 1 g;
- medium – 2-3 g;
- large – from 4-5 to 6-8 g.
The quality of berries, in addition to taste and size, is determined by the adhesion strength of individual drupes, the density of their connection, and the density of the pulp.
The crop ripens unevenly. Berries from one bush are harvested as they ripen in 5-10 doses, depending on the variety and weather conditions. From the beginning of flowering to the time the berries begin to ripen, an average of 30 days pass.
The benefits of raspberries
In addition to the fact that raspberries are tasty, juices, syrups, jams, marmalades, wines, tinctures are prepared from it. It is dried, frozen, added to fruit salads and compotes. Raspberries are a valuable honey plant, and dried leaves are used to make tea substitutes.
Raspberries contain sugars, traces of essential oils, proteins, pectins, mucus, organic acids, alcohols, vitamins A, B, C, tannins. Its seeds contain up to 22% fatty oils.
Raspberry fruits and leaves are widely used in folk medicine, they are included in many medicinal collections, the effectiveness of which is recognized by official medicine. Active research is currently underway on the medicinal properties of raspberry leaves. As shown by the latest research, they contain substances whose action is similar to the action of some hormones, but does not cause side effects.
Varieties of raspberry
We offer you a description of raspberry varieties and photos to make it easier to navigate the huge number of existing varieties. Even in the smallest area, you can plant several varieties of raspberries with different ripening periods and enjoy tasty healthy fruits until the very autumn.
Early varieties
Of course, early raspberry varieties are the most desirable in any area. We have been waiting for this berry for a whole year, we are happy to collect the first harvest. Early raspberries are the most expensive, so we present varieties that can be grown on an industrial scale, just on large plots and intended for sale.
Novokitaevskaya
An early variety, extremely productive, it is able to produce 150-200 centners per hectare on an industrial scale. Winter and drought-resistant raspberry, resistant to stem damage. Red blunt fruits weighing 2-2,5 g have high consumer qualities.
Cascade Bryansk
Medium-sized, medium-spreading raspberry bushes produce medium-sized berries weighing about 2,5 g. They have a blunt shape and crimson color. This variety requires little care, can be grown on large plantations, where it gives a yield of about 80 centners per hectare.
meteor
This raspberry variety ripens earlier than others, and is also intended for growing in cold climates. Dumb-ended berries weighing up to 3 g are sweet and sour in taste with a raspberry color. Productivity – up to 80 kg / ha, resistance to diseases and drought – high.
Medium-ripening varieties
Satisfying your appetite, you can proceed to raspberry preparations. It is the varieties that ripen in the second half of summer that usually go to processing.
Modest
Relatively low-growing raspberry bushes with upright shoots are winter-hardy, but they have an average drought resistance, they give up to 100 centners per hectare. Conical slightly pubescent sweet and sour berries of 3-4 g each have a dark crimson color, weak aroma.
Reward
A variety with medium or tall upright bushes, high resistance to cold and drought, yields 100-140 c/ha. Dark red blunt berries 3,0-3,5 g are very tasty, sweet and sour.
Balm
An upright thorny raspberry bush of this variety reaches a height of 1,8 m, has good winter hardiness. Dark purple berries reach 2,5-2,8 g are most suitable for processing. Productivity – an average of 60-80 kg / ha.
Giant
The yield of this variety is very high – it can give an average of 4-6 kg per bush, and under favorable weather conditions up to 8. Large-fruited, weighing up to 18 g, bright red raspberries with elongated dense berries have a sweet and sour taste. This variety has another name – Pride of Our Country. Raspberry winter hardiness is good, but in the north it requires shelter.
Late varieties
If for one reason or another there are no remontant varieties on your site, late raspberries will come to the rescue.
Brigantine
Upright compact bushes of this variety grow up to 1,8-2 m, it winters well and yields up to 55 kg / ha. Round-conical berries weighing 3,0-3,2 g are bright red, suitable for processing.
Hercules
Raspberries have strong erect shoots that do not require a garter. It bears fruit from August until frost, managing to give up to 70% of the crop. Berries – 5-10 g, ruby color, sweet and sour.
Repair varieties
Remontant raspberry has such a biological feature – it bears fruit in summer on last year’s stems, and in autumn – on the top of the shoots of the current year. In the next season, in the summer, a summer harvest of berries is formed on the same branches.
Babie summer
Low, with strong, well-branched shoots, raspberry bushes bear fruit until frost, yield up to 40 centners per hectare, with good care – up to 70. Very tasty berries in this variety, weighing 2,5-3 g, have a truncated-conical shape.
Zeva
Strong bushes are medium-sized, have a yield of 50 kg / ha or more. Shiny elongated berries weighing 2,5-2,7 g are very tasty. Swiss variety.
Brusvyan
Remontant variety, the first harvest gives very early, the second – from mid-August until frost. Up to 7 kg of very tasty, however, sour raspberry berries weighing up to 15 g are harvested from a bush. Shoots easily reach 2,0 m, have few thorns. The fruits keep their shape well during transportation.
Monomakh hat
A low bush of this variety looks like a tree. Elongated ruby berries weigh about 7 g, in the south they yield up to 5,5 kg per bush, in the northern latitudes even half of the crop does not have time to ripen – up to 2,5 kg.
yellow varieties
The sweetest dessert varieties, best suited for fresh consumption. Unfortunately, in terms of aroma, they cannot be compared with red raspberries.
Yellow giant
This variety is considered the most large-fruited, its berries can reach the size of a walnut. It tolerates frosts very well, its shoots reach 2,5 m.
The Orange Miracle
This variety is characterized by unpretentiousness, good winter hardiness, resistant to diseases. The conical long berries are bright orange, dense, tolerate transportation well, their weight is from 4,5 to 6 g. The semi-spreading bush needs a garter and produces up to 2,5 kg of fruit.
Black varieties
This raspberry originates from America and has almost no root growth, which makes it easy to care for.
Cumberland
The description of raspberry varieties will be incomplete if we do not mention Cumberland. This is the most popular and widespread black raspberry variety in our country, which is not at all, as some say, a blackberry hybrid. A bush very resistant to diseases and frost requires a mandatory garter, bears fruit for a long time, does not crumble. Someone thinks that this raspberry tastes very sweet and has too large seeds, but it is best to freeze it – the berries keep their shape and do not blur. Productivity – within 4-7 kg per bush.
Little coal
Variety of domestic selection, early ripe, winter-hardy, with oblong berries weighing up to 3 g and shoots growing up to 2 m.
Conclusion
Raspberries are one of those berries that s can enjoy to the fullest by growing them in their backyards. After all, Our Country is a recognized leader in the world market for the production of this crop. It is easy to care for, and many varieties winter well even in cold climates.
