How to care for raspberries in spring: secrets of a good harvest of sweet berries
As you know, raspberries are fast growing and in just a couple of years a small raspberry plantation grows from a dozen seedlings. However, if you want to have not only dense thickets, but also a bountiful harvest, you should not let everything go by itself. Only with proper and timely care will the culture grow and bear fruit. It is necessary to start with the first spring sun, controlling the development of the plant and helping it. And today we will talk about how to care for raspberries in the spring.
Spring activities in the raspberry tree consist of the following procedures:
- removal of shelter on covering varieties;
- trimming;
- garter;
- preventive treatment;
- watering;
- top dressing.
Let's consider each item in detail.
When to take cover?
How to care for raspberries in spring: features of pruning and garters
When the soil under the open bushes is shaken out so that you can walk, immediately start pruning. Surely many shoots froze over the winter, and some broke under the weight of the snow - cut them out first. If the raspberry is old and the shoots that bear fruit were not cut in the fall, remove the stems now, most likely they are also dry.
Raspberries wintered well, not a single shoot is frozen, but there are a lot of them in the bush? Thin by cutting out the thinnest ones at the root, and leaving no more than 5 stems per young bush.
Shorten the remaining live and young shoots by ¼ - to stimulate branching and increase the amount of ovary.
It is better to tie up cut raspberries immediately before the buds have blossomed, because later the delicate leaves will be easy to break. The most convenient way for the gardener and the plant itself is trellis growing. It is used when the raspberries are planted in rows. A wire is pulled along the row, and each stem is tied to it with a special elastic band or an ordinary cloth flap. In this form, it is easier to harvest, and there is enough light and air for the culture.
If a bush planting is used, then a support is installed for each bush to which the shoots are collected.
How to treat a raspberry for prevention?
Raspberry grows and spreads over the site quickly, but insects often flock to feast on its berries. Plants also get sick, especially often with rust or white spot. Timely prevention will help to save raspberries, which should be carried out after pruning.
Spray peeled raspberries with one of the following:
- Actellik;
- Fitoverm;
- Bordeaux mixture.
How often to water and feed?
At the beginning of spring, raspberries can do without watering, because there is still enough moisture in the soil. However, when flowering and berrying begins, do not forget to water the bushes regularly. Without water, half of the ovary will dry out, depriving you of your harvest. At the same time, let the soil dry out - raspberries do not grow in the swamp.
The culture needs additional nutrition already at the beginning of the growing season. Water raspberries after pruning and tying with a urea solution to stimulate growth. One nitrogen fertilization per season is enough. With the onset of flowering, you can feed with a mineral complex (superphosphate, ammonium nitrate and potassium salt). After the first feeding, mulch the plants with organic matter (compost, humus). It protects them from drying out, and also serves as a source of additional nutrients.