Features of autumn feeding of currants and raspberries
Raspberries and currants are perennial shrubs that grow in one place without replanting for many years. Without additional fertilizing for several years, they select the entire supply of nutrients from the soil. Many novice gardeners, having removed a bountiful harvest a couple of times, often wonder why the bushes began to bear fruit poorly. And the reason lies on the surface - the cultures simply do not have enough strength for this. Even with spring fertilization, this is often not enough.
Why fertilize raspberries and currants in the fall?
Autumn dressings for fruit bushes are no less important than spring ones:
- they make up for the lack of trace elements that were consumed during the fruiting process;
- stimulate the laying of a future harvest on young branches;
- healthy shrubs that do not lack food, better endure the winter, even without additional shelter.
Regarding what fertilizers to apply in the fall under raspberries and currants in the country, during this period, fruit shrubs need potassium-phosphorus preparations and organic matter.
How to feed currants?
Before the frost sets in (about mid-October), organic matter must be added under the currant bushes. Having departed 50 cm from the center of the bush, spread humus, manure or compost in the amount of 6 kg for each plant, and dig up the soil.
Organic matter can only be applied to wet soil to avoid damage to the root system from burns.
Mineral fertilizers help currants withstand winter frosts. For each square meter of soil, you need at least 20 g of potassium sulfate and 50 g of superphosphate. They can be added once every two years, separately or combined, including together with organic matter.
Complex preparations containing potassium, phosphorus and other microelements also work well. The advantage of using them is that the composition of nutrients is already balanced and it is simply impossible to make a mistake with the dosage of a particular mineral. One of these preparations is the AVA fertilizer in granules, which, after application, act for up to 3 years, gradually feeding the currants.
How to feed raspberries?
The first 2-3 years after planting raspberry seedlings, they only need nitrogen-containing preparations, provided that the pit was well filled during planting. The application of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers is started when the bush is already old enough (3-4 years of life).
In September, you need to make a groove at a distance of 25 cm from the bush and pour 20 g of potassium salt and 30 g into it superphosphate... You can also add 3-4 kg of humus. Add fertilizer to the soil.