In almost every homestead, you can see the spreading raspberry bushes. But not every gardener can boast outlandish seedlings of this plant, whose fruits are comparable to cherry tomatoes. We are talking about large-fruited raspberry varieties, among which the raspberry "Beauty of Russia", the photo on the bottom left, has earned special popularity and respect among gardeners. The cultivation of this variety belongs to the Moscow breeders of the Institute of Horticulture by combining the properties and qualities of raspberry varieties - "Maroseyka" and "Mirage".
Raspberry "Beauty of Russia", a description of the variety
Raspberry "Beauty of Russia" bears its name. Indeed, raspberry fruits have an incredible taste and beauty. It is for these qualities that Raspberry "Beauty of Russia" is so much appreciated among amateur gardeners. The variety description includes such characteristics as: fruit ripening dates, yield, bush shape, size of shoots and rhizomes, size, shape, color and taste of the fruit. This variety is a plant that discards foliage for the winter. Perennial shrub with a well-developed rhizome is raspberry "Beauty of Russia". The description of the variety includes the absence of thorns on the shoots, which makes it possible, without injury, to pluck the fruits.
Fruit ripening
On the timing and features of fruiting raspberries "Beauty of Russia" reviews are everywhere the same. Fruit ripening begins in mid-summer and lasts until the tenth of August. During this period, up to five berries can be harvested. Accordingly, the fruiting of the variety is attributed to the average ripening period.
Variety Productivity
After planting raspberry bushes, fruiting occurs only in the second year. With good care and proper fertilizer application, the yield from one bush reaches five kilograms, which indicates the high productivity of raspberries of this variety. Seedlings of young bushes will produce slightly less fruit.
Sizes of shoots and rhizomes
Raspberry stems grow for about two years, then they need to be updated. When forming bushes, they achieve their compactness and not overgrowing, leave up to seven shoots, the rest are removed. The length of the shoots reaches two meters. Raspberries "Beauty of Russia" are completely devoid of thorns. Description of the shoots of the first year - stems soft as grass, green in color, with short internodes, covered with a gray fluff and a slight wax coating. Next year, the branches of the shrub become tree-like, and their color changes from green to brown. In the axils of the leaves of annual shoots, there are two flower-bearing buds of different sizes, from which branches with buds are subsequently formed. Fruit shoots are thicker than vegetative ones and have 4 tier branching. About twenty berries ripen on such shoots. A small number of flowering branches develop from the lower buds. After the shoots cease to bear fruit, they dry out, and next year new young shoots will grow from the overwintered rhizome. If the shoot grows in the spring, it has time to grow until the fall, it is these shoots that are used to rejuvenate the bush.
The rhizome is convoluted, lignified, with numerous roots that form a branching root system. Most of the roots are located at a depth of 30 cm. In the dry season, single roots reach a level of up to a meter of depth, thereby conducting qulagu bush and nutrients to the bush. In width they grow up to two meters. Raspberry roots are provided with accessory buds, from which almost white transparent shoots are formed in the earth without light, and from them annual stems grow. The adnexa are laid in July. Unlike other varieties, Raspberry "Beauty of Russia" has few root processes. The variety description indicates the absence of thickening of such bushes.
Raspberry "Beauty of Russia", a description of the fruit
Raspberries belong to the Rosaceae family, the fruits are a complex fruit consisting of small drupes that are densely fused together on the receptacle.
In shape, the fruits resemble an elongated cone, crimson or saturated red in color, glisten in the sun. Raspberry variety "Beauty of Russia" (photo on the left) is famous for large berries, whose weight reaches twelve grams, and in maximum size are comparable to a box of matches. That is why this variety is referred to as large-fruited raspberry varieties. Sweet berries with raspberry flavor and smell, the pulp is dense and juicy, few seeds. Fruits can be used both fresh and for conservation.
Planting raspberries
Raspberry seedlings "Beauty of Russia" should be planted in the autumn or spring. If you plant bushes in the fall, then they are covered with earth from frost, and with the advent of spring, this land is removed. A place under raspberries is chosen not windy, so that snow lingers in the winter. The earth needs to be prepared in advance, removing all weed grass, and let the soil rest for a year. As planting material, you should choose raspberry seedlings “Russian Beauty”, which have well-developed fibrous roots and ripened aerial shoots. Organic and mineral fertilizers should be added to pre-prepared wells. The distance between the holes is about a meter. Before planting, the roots of planted plants are immersed in a special solution with growth stimulants, after which they plant and moisten the earth. For better rooting, shoots are shortened, leaving several tens of centimeters.
There is still a method of planting raspberries at the end of summer; root shoots taken from the ground are used as planting material. The shoots should be planted by spreading the roots and not sprinkling the base of the shoot strongly with earth.
Planting raspberries "Beauty of Russia" is carried out in several ways. The first method involves the formation of a bush in each seedling. To do this, at the end of the second year, fragile shoots are cut, leaving up to seven of the strongest stems.
The second option is to plant the plants in strips or ribbons, which contributes to greater productivity. Within the tape, the width of which reaches 50 cm, extra stems are periodically cut out, paths are made between the strips, also removing the entire raspberry shoot.
Bush formation
Raspberry "Beauty of Russia" does not tolerate thickening. Pruning will help to form a bush of 6-7 stems. It does not hurt to make a support for raspberry bushes, to which the stems should be tied. It is better to do this the first time that the stem has reached 80 cm in height, and then at a height of 1.8 m. Such a garter contributes to better lighting and ventilation, making the bush more accurate. The support serves to protect the branches from the wind, and also will not let the shoots break down during the ripening period of large berries, especially when there are a lot of ovaries on them. If you do not tie the lower branches, then putrefactive fungi accumulate on them. Fruits on such stems are susceptible to contamination and rapid decay. In addition, on properly tied bushes it is easier to pick berries.
Watering
He likes moderate soil moisture raspberries "Beauty of Russia". Care for this variety needs a peculiar one. For her, both a lack of moisture and its excess will be fatal. This plant loves nutritious, loose soil. Young bushes should be watered more often than already rooted ones, pouring up to six liters under each bush. To reduce the evaporation of moisture and prevent the formation of crusts around the plant, the ground is covered with mulch, using rotted grass or peat.
Top dressing
Before planting the seedlings of the variety, the microelement composition of the soil should be improved with the help of organic and mineral fertilizers (potash, nitrogen). Organics should be brought in advance to the site selected for raspberries. If you plan to plant plants in the spring, then humus is introduced in the autumn of last year, and if planting is scheduled for autumn, then fertilizer is scattered in the spring. If you didn’t manage to add organic matter in advance, then it is scattered throughout the garden in the amount of 10 kg per square meter, and then dug up for even distribution. Fresh manure is not used, since various plant pests are planted in it.
In addition to organic fertilizers, potash and nitrogen fertilizers are introduced in the form of urea, wood ash, ammonium nitrate, tincture of cow manure, potassium sulfate. The amount of these fertilizers is 5-6 kg per hundred square meters, they increase the amount of sugar in the fruit. It is advisable to apply nitrogen fertilizers in early autumn to improve the branching of shoots. Phosphate fertilizers are superphosphate.
Chlorine-containing fertilizers are not used, since chlorine ions inhibit plant growth. When raspberries grow in one area, it releases toxic substances for it, so you should periodically change the place of planting.
Winter preparations
The frost resistance of the variety is medium; it withstands frosts down to –30 ° . In areas where there is little snow in winter, the Russian Beauty raspberries can freeze. Care for raspberry plantations in the autumn period is to prepare them for winter. To do this, young shoots are bent back in September, and their tops are covered with earth. They make special fences to hold snow using branches or shields. In the spring, you should dig out the branches of raspberries and trim the broken and weak shoots.
Reviews about the variety "Beauty of Russia"
In addition to the positive aspects, the raspberry “Beauty of Russia” receives various reviews, including critical ones. Among the shortcomings, gardeners distinguish a slight sweetness and an inexpressive smell, but these shortcomings are understandable. It is proved that the lack of potassium and magnesium fertilizers in the planting soil leads to a slow synthesis of sugars in plants, respectively, the fruits will not be sweet. On light soils, fertilizers are quickly washed away by precipitation. The taste of the berries is also affected by the amount of light, less carbohydrates are produced in shaded areas in plants.
Therefore, you should entrust the cultivation of these berries to professionals. Raspberry variety "Beauty of Russia" reviews of beginners in gardening are not always correctly characterized. After all, they still do not know all the intricacies of planting and caring for large-fruited varieties. Further - about the possible diseases of the variety "Beauty of Russia".
Raspberry Disease Prevention
The most common diseases are chlorosis and a mosaic of raspberry leaves. The first disease is manifested by yellowing of leaves in the summer, and in the second disease, the leaves resemble a mosaic of dark and light spots. These diseases affect not only the leaves, they reduce the yield. It is impossible to cure the affected plant, it can only be destroyed in order to avoid the spread of the disease.
In rainy weather, fungal diseases such as brown spotting of stems and gray rot can develop. To prevent these diseases, raspberry bushes are treated with Bordeaux liquid or the Fitosporin biological product, which inhibit the development of pathogens.
How to deal with pests
The most dangerous pest of raspberries is the raspberry beetle, or rather, its larvae. They feed on flowers, leaves and fruits of raspberries and leave leafless shrubs without a crop. Fighting bugs is problematic, as they hide in the soil.
Another representative of the insect squad does considerable harm - this is raspberry-strawberry weevil. Harmful raspberries bring eggs that the female lays in the buds.
The spider mite brings a lot of damage to raspberry bushes. White spots appear on the leaves. These are sections of the leaf from which the tick sucked juice. Usually the affected leaves are twisted into a tube.
The stem gall midge penetrates into the shoot wood and leaves eggs there, thereby damaging raspberry bushes, which can subsequently dry out. The affected bushes are dug up and burned.
To kill parasites, special pesticides are used to spray bushes and the ground around them, or they can manually catch insects.