Content
- 1 Is it possible to grow raspberries from seeds?
- 2 Pros and cons of propagating raspberries by seeds
- 3 The best varieties to grow
- 4 How to get raspberry seeds
- 5 How long does it take to stratify raspberry seeds?
- 6 When to sow raspberries with seeds
- 7 How many days does it take for raspberry seeds to sprout?
- 8 How to plant raspberries with seeds at home
- 9 Seedling care
- 10 Conclusion
- 11 Reviews on propagating raspberries by seeds at home
In the vast majority of cases, gardeners resort to vegetative propagation methods to obtain new specimens of raspberry bushes. But sometimes they are excluded for various reasons, so you have to look for an alternative. Raspberries from seeds are quite possible even for a not very experienced gardener. The main thing is to provide seeds and seedlings with optimal conditions and proper care.
Is it possible to grow raspberries from seeds?
Propagation by seeds is a universal method suitable for any garden crop, if it is not a hybrid, but a variety. It is also quite suitable for raspberries. There is a general algorithm that needs to be followed without skipping any of the stages.
When planning to propagate raspberries by seeds, you need to consider the following:
- even high-quality seeds will never give 100% germination;
- there is always a risk that some of the seedlings will not inherit the varietal qualities of the “parent”;
- The first harvest from new bushes is removed no earlier than the third season after they are transplanted into the ground.
Raspberry seeds are small, elongated, light beige
Pros and cons of propagating raspberries by seeds
Gardeners choose to grow raspberries from seeds, guided by the advantages of this method:
- Lower costs compared to buying new bushes. The cost of raspberry seeds in the store is much less than the same number of seedlings, even taking into account the germination rate of about 50%.
- Possibility of long-term storage. Raspberry seeds take up minimal space and remain viable for several years.
- The adaptability of seedlings to the climatic and weather nuances of a given region.
- Less risk of infection of seedlings. When propagated by vegetative methods, cuttings, layering, and root shoots in most cases “inherit” fungal diseases.
Growing raspberries with seeds also has significant disadvantages:
- The necessary preparation, sowing seeds, caring for seedlings, creating and maintaining an optimal microclimate takes a lot of time and effort.
- Regardless of the variety, germination remains at approximately 50%.
Until the first fruiting, it will not be clear whether the seedlings have “inherited” the varietal characteristics of the “parent”
The best varieties to grow
Any variety of raspberries can be propagated by seeds. The choice depends on what criterion is decisive for the gardener. In the northern regions and central Russia, more attention is paid to frost resistance, general “stress resistance,” and the ability to adapt to the negative influence of climatic and weather factors.In the south, they focus mainly on the yield, taste, and external presentation of raspberries.
Polka
Mid-season remontant variety with an extended fruiting period. The bush is 1.8-2 m high, the shoots are powerful and erect. There are few thorns, they are not large. The yield is consistently high (3.5 kg per adult plant), and the vagaries of the weather have practically no effect on it. The berries are large, have a typical shape and color for the crop, with a pronounced aroma, dessert taste, dense but juicy pulp, and small drupes.
The variety is extremely rarely affected by pests. Polka raspberry seedlings from seeds most often “inherit” its resistance to gray rot and a tendency to root canker and verticillium.
At temperatures above 35 °C, Polka raspberry bushes practically stop developing, the shoots dry out, and the berries “bake”
Bryansk miracle
The variety is large-fruited, officially considered remontant, but bears fruit mostly on annual shoots. The bush is powerful, erect, 1.5-1.8 m high, slightly spreading. The shoots are covered with frequent thorns. The berries weigh about 4.5 g, elongated, shape varies from elongated-conical to spindle-shaped. The pulp is tender, the drupes are small, the seeds are practically not felt when eaten. The taste is typically “raspberry”; the sugar content is highly dependent on the weather in spring and summer. Productivity – 2.5-3 kg per bush.
The raspberry variety Bryansk miracle is sometimes found on sale under the name Bryansk miracle
Caramel
A remontant variety, relatively undemanding in care. The bushes are low (about 1.5 m), the shoots can bend under the weight of the crop. The berries are very sweet, varied in size (6-12 g). The pulp is juicy, but dense - the variety is distinguished by almost record keeping quality and transportability for raspberries, and is suitable for mechanized harvesting.Approximate yield is 5 kg per bush.
Raspberry Caramel is prone to active shoot formation
How to get raspberry seeds
Raspberry seeds are harvested in September. The largest, most ripe berries are removed from the bushes, which do not have even minimal mechanical damage or other traces indicating damage by pathogens or insects. The plant must be healthy - unlike pathogens of fungal diseases, seedlings “inherit” viruses and bacteria from seeds.
To obtain planting material, you need:
- Clean the raspberries from plant debris, rinse, getting rid of dust and dirt.
- Rub the berries through a sieve with 2-3 mm mesh.
- Pour the resulting slurry with water and mix vigorously. After 10-15 minutes, remove everything that floats to the surface.
- Clean the seeds remaining at the bottom from any remaining raspberry pulp by rinsing several times in cool running water.
- Dry them on paper or linen napkins until they flow.
Pouring ground raspberries with water allows you not only to separate the pulp, but also to discard empty seeds without embryos
How long does it take to stratify raspberry seeds?
Stratification, simulating natural wintering in frozen soil, is a necessary condition for preparing seeds for planting. Without it, germination rate is already low. Its optimal duration is about three months.
Seed stratification is carried out at a temperature of 1-5 °C. They are mixed with wet coarse sand or peat chips, poured into a small container and placed in the refrigerator.
During the winter, the contents of the container are periodically stirred, the substrate is slightly moistened with a spray bottle, preventing it from completely drying out.
When to sow raspberries with seeds
Planting raspberry seeds for seedlings in the spring is carried out at the end of February or in the first ten days of March. In this case, the seedlings can be transferred to open ground in the second half of May or early June.
Autumn planting of raspberry seeds directly into the soil is less commonly practiced. It is impossible to indicate exact dates here; it all depends on the severity of the local climate and long-term weather forecast. You need to adjust the timing so that there are 15-20 days left before the first frost. In central Russia this is approximately mid-October.
How many days does it take for raspberry seeds to sprout?
Raspberry seeds germinate unevenly. In addition, the “speed” of their germination depends on whether the planting material was treated with biostimulants or not. The first seedlings appear no earlier than 15-18 days after planting, the last - after 27-30. Some seeds may take about a month and a half to germinate; after this period there is no point in waiting.
How to plant raspberries with seeds at home
Videos from gardeners will help you clearly understand how to grow raspberries from seeds:
The process follows a typical algorithm for any seedling:
- Soak raspberry seeds in a biostimulant solution. Processing time is from 2-3 to 5-6 hours.
- Fill a shallow, fairly wide box or container about 2/3 to 3/4 full with soil. Both the substrate and the container for seedlings from raspberry seeds must first be sterilized by any available method. You can purchase soil or mix it yourself.
- Sprinkle water on the soil, let it soak, and level it.
- Sow raspberry seeds.The photo shows that they are large enough that you can take them one at a time.
- Lightly press the raspberry seeds into the soil and sprinkle with a thin (1.5-2 mm) layer of fine sand. Spray with water from a spray bottle.
- Cover the container with glass or a piece of transparent plastic, cover with cling film, turning it into a “greenhouse”. It is most convenient to use a home mini-greenhouse.
The approximate interval between raspberry seeds when sowing is 2-3 cm, between rows - 4-5 cm
Seedling care
There are no special country tricks for growing raspberries from seeds at home. For the speedy appearance of seedlings and better germination, the containers are placed in a dark place with a constant temperature of 24-27 ° C before germination. If possible, they are provided with bottom heating. Caring for the plantings so far consists of airing (5-10 minutes daily) and maintaining the soil in a moderately moist state. For ungerminated raspberry seeds, both high air humidity and a dry substrate are harmful.
As soon as the first seedlings appear, the container is opened and transferred to the light. For normal development, seedlings from raspberry seeds need 8-10 hours of daylight. The temperature for sprouting from raspberry seeds is reduced to 20-23 °C. Plants also need constant access to fresh air, but drafts during ventilation are unacceptable.
It is necessary to protect seedlings from direct sunlight; the light should be bright but diffused
Care for raspberry seedlings includes:
- Watering on average once every 3-5 days. Use only soft water and warmed to room temperature.Pour it around the perimeter of the container so that the drops do not fall on the raspberry seedlings.
- Fertilizing exclusively with specialized fertilizers for seedlings. Folk remedies are absolutely not suitable - they will simply “burn” the roots of the seedlings. Before transplanting into open ground, a single feeding is sufficient - 7-10 days after picking. If seedlings from raspberry seeds grow very slowly, after about a week you can add a weak solution of any mineral nitrogen fertilizer (1-2 g/l).
- Pick. It is carried out after the appearance of the second true leaf on raspberry seedlings. Plants are transferred to individual containers filled with the same substrate. They are removed from the common box with a spoon, keeping a lump of soil on the roots. But even in this case, “losses” are almost inevitable.
- Hardening. It begins 7-10 days before planting seedlings from seeds into open ground. They are taken out of the house to the street, gradually extending the time spent in the fresh air from 30-40 minutes to a full “overnight.”
Some gardeners practice “intermediate” growing of seedlings in a greenhouse in the summer.
Conclusion
Growing raspberries from seeds is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. The main thing is to provide the planting material with proper wintering, otherwise the germination rate will be very low. In general, seedlings are grown according to the standard algorithm for any seedling; they also do not require any specific conditions.
