There is no more proven remedy for colds than ruby raspberry jam. It tastes good, it will help with fever, cough, chills, and it will just become a tasty addition to evening tea drinking. Let's take a closer look at such a familiar plant as raspberries. Even a novice gardener can master the care, planting rules and methods of combating diseases.
In order to have a good harvest of berries every year, you need to choose several different varieties, giving preference to zoned. There are three main varieties of this shrub. These include red raspberries, which are divided into European red and American bristly, black raspberries and purple. Each of these species can be divided into numerous groups and subspecies. Black and purple raspberries are most often used for breeding. Red raspberries are the progenitor of most commercial varieties. Saplings should be purchased at Zelenkhoz nurseries located a short distance from your site.
After you have chosen a suitable variety, you need to determine a place convenient for planting. You should choose a well-drained sunny area with fertile soil and natural protection from frost and strong winds. Since this shrub grows rapidly, the planting site must be protected. To do this, we dig a trench fifty centimeters deep and cover the side walls with an old film, roofing material, or enclose with pieces of slate.
At the bottom we fill up the drainage. Perfect for construction debris, broken brick or rubble. We cover from above with old newspapers and sheets of cardboard, after which we fill the ditch with fertile soil. Before planting, we soak the roots of seedlings in a weak solution of manganese for 2-3 hours. We cut off the upper part, leaving the height of the twigs about thirty centimeters. The seedlings prepared in this way will perfectly take root and get lush raspberries, the care of which in the first two years will be minimal.
We plant seedlings in ditches, trying not to deepen the root neck very much. After that, water abundantly and mulch the area with peat, straw, cut grass, overripe sawdust or chopped bark. Landing should be done on a warm September day. Although this shrub is often called "unpretentious raspberry," care for it is necessary. Let's look at the main steps:
- After the snow has completely melted, we remove the special studs that held the bushes near the ground. Cut old dried shoots, and young cut to a height of about one and a half meters. We examine the bark and kidneys, removing pests. We remove fallen leaves and loosen the soil. We tie the shoots to the trellis.
- In the summer, we monitor the soil moisture. We carry out watering on especially hot days. Several times during the season we feed plantings with manure or green fertilizer. Thin out landing, maintaining good ventilation of each row. At the time of flowering, spray the bushes with the drug "Ovary." This will help double the yield. If necessary, add a layer of mulch. We fight pests and diseases. We harvest and make preparations for the winter.
- In the autumn, we are preparing a plot for planting new varieties. After harvesting the last crop, we bend the seedlings to the ground and fix with hairpins.
- In winter, we rake the maximum amount of snow to the berry, covering them with plants.
Follow these simple steps, then you will always have delicious and juicy raspberries on the site. Care is very simple and does not require deep knowledge. Performing each stage on time, you can prevent the appearance of pests and massive planting diseases. Let's look at raspberry diseases most commonly found in garden areas.
- Stem gall midge. It can be recognized by the appearance on the stems of small rounded swellings. Damaged shoots must be cut and burned. Never put such stems in a compost heap. This will lead to the defeat of all shrubs on the site.
- Wormy berries. The presence of damaged fruits indicates that a raspberry beetle visited your plantings. Sprinkle the seedlings with any insect repellent or onion husk infusion. In autumn, we remove all foliage from under the bushes and cover the ground with cardboard sheets.
- Purple and white spotting. The appearance of stains of a characteristic shade on the stems, berries and leaves of raspberries and the subsequent drying of the plants is caused by infection of the plantings with fungal spores. After harvesting, it is necessary to cut off all the seedlings at ground level and burn them. Then apply phosphate-potassium fertilizer to the soil. Cold watering should be avoided and good ventilation between rows should be ensured.