Fragrant, tasty and healthy berry grows in almost every garden plot. However, gardeners often complain that raspberries are spiky jungle through which it is very difficult to get through. And the yield in this case is very small. What is going wrong? Most likely, proper processing of raspberries in the spring is not performed. There is a wild growth of culture, often it even migrates to a neighboring garden plot on its own. Unfortunately, its productivity will be low, but it will soon take up a lot of space, so take a pruner in your hands and put the raspberry in order. You will need to devote time to these bushes in spring and autumn, so that every year they will delight you with fragrant berries.
Spring pruning
Processing raspberries in the spring is primarily a double pruning. It is very important to understand what and why you are going to cut off. You need to trim the bushes with a sharp garden knife almost immediately, as the snow has fallen. Be sure to warm up the soil and the plant will start growing. Most often this is the end of March, but each region is different from the other, so be aware of the weather. During this period, you need to remove all weak, old, diseased and broken branches. Ruthlessly remove the frozen shoots, and cut the rest to a healthy kidney. That is, a garden knife should touch each raspberry branch. Repairing raspberries in spring are also processed.
If you miss this moment, the shoots will not have time to develop, and the crop will be in jeopardy. What happens after trimming? The buds are awakening, which during fruiting will give about 5 shoots 50-60 cm long. But our work does not end there. After the buds have blossomed, you need to remove about 15 cm from the top of each shoot. This is the secret of double pruning, which will allow you to harvest a good crop. In the process of pruning, you will receive 10-15 new shoots, each of which will bear fruit. This method as a result leads to a thickening of the planting, therefore, based on the density of plantings, it is necessary to calculate how many shoots can be left.
When cropping, it’s especially important to choose the right time. Too early, when there is still snow, it is very difficult to determine which of the shoots should be left and which one will not wake up. Be late - and it’s better not to touch, otherwise you risk being left without a crop. In this case, it is better to transfer the pruning to autumn. A well-formed bush at this time will perfectly winter and in spring there will be little need for additional adjustment.
Pest treatment
Raspberries are susceptible to attack by fungal diseases and many pests. That is why raspberries are processed in early spring. Before the growing season, immediately after pruning frozen and diseased branches, it is necessary to spray the raspberry with Bordeaux liquid. A little later, before flowering begins, a preventive spraying from a spider mite should be carried out - colloidal sulfur is used for this. Around the same time, powdery mildew is being prevented. One of the best drugs to protect against this scourge is Topaz. Do not forget that all methods of processing raspberries are good only before flowering. If you are late, you will have to sacrifice the crop.
The most dangerous pests
There are a lot of them. Unlike fungal and viral diseases, their appearance is quite difficult to prevent. For example, a raspberry beetle bites into the fruit and lays eggs, which will develop in the berries. It will have to be collected mechanically before flowering the bush. Preventive treatment of raspberries from pests can be carried out during the appearance of buds. To do this, prepare the tansy infusion, which processes the plant.
Raspberry stem fly is another parasite that is used for loosening the soil under the bush in spring and autumn. So its larvae are destroyed. Raspberry-strawberry weevil destroys a large number of buds. In order to combat it, spraying plants with garlic infusion with the addition of laundry soap is used. Processing should be done during the appearance of the buds. As you can see, processing raspberries from pests in the spring takes time and observation.
There are also folk methods that will help save your planting from diseases and pests. They have been tested for centuries. As a prophylaxis of gray rot, pine needles can be used, which need to be laid out along rows of shrubs. Herbal infusions will also help. Yarrow and dandelion, onions have such properties. All fungal diseases are very afraid of garlic. All these funds are used in the form of infusions.
Transplanting and feeding raspberries in the spring
For about 3-4 years, bushes can grow in one place. After this, the soil must be allowed to rest and recover, otherwise the yield will drop dramatically. The best places are beds where potatoes or tomatoes grew. To do this, prepare trenches in advance, where you will need to make mineral and organic additives, including manure and ash. A transplant is performed in spring or autumn, in anticipation of winter colds. Remember to water the raspberries well in a new place. In the spring you need to make fresh mullein to stimulate the formation of new shoots. A rich harvest greatly depletes the soil, so you can not forget about fertilizing.
Autumn activities
Caring for raspberries in spring and autumn is a bit similar. After harvesting, you need to carefully inspect the bushes and cut out all the weak shoots that will not survive until spring. Shoots are best shortened to avoid freezing. The bushes themselves are bundled and stacked as low as possible. Leaves must first be removed, as they can cause rotting of the kidneys.
In autumn, fertilizers must be applied, since raspberries drained the soil during the season. To do this, once every three years, between the rows of manure is applied at the rate of five buckets per square meter. Every year you need to make mineral fertilizers.
Plant density adjustment
As you can see, requires some knowledge and the cultivation of raspberries. Processing raspberries in the spring plays a large role in shaping the future crop, but it is it that contributes to the growth of additional shoots, which means thickening of plantings. In order to cope with this, it is recommended to plant bushes no more than 50 cm after, and leave up to 2 meters between rows. In addition, no more than 20 shoots are left per meter of each strip.
Density can be adjusted throughout the growing season. But if it is a pity to cut fruit-bearing branches, it is better to wait for autumn. There is one more nuance: pruning somewhat weakens the plant, therefore it is better to leave a cardinal cleaning for the spring period, marking in advance with ribbons the branches that are to be removed.
Secrets of a good harvest
Raspberries love the sun very much. Shady location will cause shoot growth and a complete lack of harvest. Therefore, the brightest place in the garden should go to her. The second secret is abundant watering. Only through this procedure can you increase the yield several times. If the soil is light, then you can not be afraid to overfill, because even a slight drying of the soil will lead to loss of crop. Be sure to timely feed. If raspberries are transplanted to a new place where fertilizers are applied under each bush, then you can take a break for several years. But as the soil is depleted, you need to remember about this necessary procedure.
To summarize
Caring for raspberries is not as simple as it seems at first glance. A creeping plant may appear on your site completely unexpectedly and grow beautifully. But so that in addition to a large number of untidy branches you also have a berry, you need to work hard. A good, well-groomed raspberry is a real sight for sore eyes. The shrub grows in even rows, without intertwining. The aisle is neatly pulled by wire, and the branches are strewn with ripe berries. It is compliance with all necessary conditions that will allow us to count on a similar result. All of these methods of processing raspberries will help you achieve these goals.