Content
Raspberry Brigantina has secrets that allow the variety to remain in demand.
The agricultural technology of the drought-resistant, undemanding variety Brigantine is somewhat different from conventional raspberry care. Following simple techniques will help you obtain large yields of sweet berries.
The Brigantine Mystery
Considering the speed at which new varieties are emerging, Brigantine raspberries can be called an old variety, which is time for “retirement.” But amazingly, the medium-late raspberry variety Brigantine is still listed in the catalogs of trade organizations, which means it is for sale! And if you look at customer reviews, ratings, and compare photographs of the Brigantine, the discrepancies on many points seem incomprehensible. Some have small berries - weight 2.7 grams, sour, others have large berries - 4 or more grams, sweet. According to breeder I.V. Kazakov, who developed this variety, Brigantina is capable of revealing amazing properties. You just need to know the characteristics of the Brigantine raspberry and create conditions for unleashing its full potential.
Pomology
The mid-late raspberry Brigantine gave birth to many new varieties. It is suitable for cultivation in central Russia, Western Siberia, and the Urals. Brigantine bush 1.8-2 m high, corrugated leaves.The upright shoots are strong, covered with thorns, do not crack, and are frost-resistant. Round, slightly conical berries, sweet and sour, juicy. The good density of raspberries allows them to be transported over long distances. The yield of raspberries of the Brigantine variety varies from 2 to 5 kg, depending on care. Brigantine blooms at the end of June, August ripening is amicable. The berries are numerous, do not fall off, and are easily separated from the stalk. The Brigantina variety is unpretentious, resistant to drought and fungal diseases.
Landings
Raspberry Brigantina is a variety with a two-year development cycle. First, shoots grow, and in the second year berries appear. Brigantine raspberry seedlings should be planted in places well lit by the sun. Then the berries become sweet and aromatic. The most suitable soil is medium and light loam, rich in nutrients, easily permeable with oxygen, and quickly warms up. Heavy loams are not suitable for planting raspberries of the Brigantine variety; they must be improved in the fall by adding for digging: sand - 2 buckets, humus - 3 buckets, wood ash - half a bucket. (Calculation per 1 sq. m.).
The installation of a trellis facilitates obtaining a bountiful harvest of Brigantine raspberries. The poles are placed every 2.5 m, two wires are pulled in the sheath - otherwise the stems will get sunburn. The lower wire is at a distance of 50 cm from the ground, the upper one is 1.5 m. The rows of the structure, directed from west to east, contribute to better illumination of the Brigantine bushes.
A trench 50 cm deep and 60 cm wide is dug along the trellis.The sides are covered with unnecessary pieces of galvanized iron, old slate, and boards that prevent the growth from getting into the aisles. The fence should protrude 20-25 cm above the ground. The bottom is covered with humus - a layer of 5 cm, with the addition of wood ash - 1 liter jar per bucket.
It is better to plant Brigantine raspberries in the fall - the last ten days of September, the beginning of October. Raspberry seedlings are shortened to 50 cm. Pruning promotes greater survival rate, the formation of a root system, and abundant shoot growth. The distance between plants is 80-100 cm, in rows - 2 m.
Brigantine seedlings are covered with nutritious soil to the level of the root collar. Water - 5 liters per plant. Mandatory mulching with humus and compost is not an easy task, but it allows you to subsequently abandon the labor-intensive processes of caring for raspberries: watering, weeding and loosening. It is better to sow wide row spacing of Brigantine raspberries with lawn grass and clover. This will prevent overgrowth weeds, will increase soil fertility.
Trimming
Increasing the yield of the Brigantine variety is facilitated by the correct formation of the bush, starting with spring pruning.
After the snow melts at ground level, weak, broken, frozen shoots are cut out - less than the diameter of a pencil. 15-20 main stems should be left, which are shortened to the top strong point. In July, the emerging shoots of the main stem are pinched.
After harvesting, it is necessary to remove the fruiting shoots.
In autumn, broken, diseased, thin shoots are removed from Brigantine bushes.A properly formed bush goes into winter with 15-18 mature stems.
Mulching
Humus, which is a product of the vital activity of microorganisms and earthworms, affects productivity - an increase of up to 70%, taste - the sugar content and aroma increase. Mulching raspberry plantings of the Brigantine variety with organic matter will create an environment conducive to the rapid development of fertility-increasing assistants. You can use the following as mulch:
- Rotted manure;
- Compost;
- Chopped plant residues;
- Grass without seeds;
- Last year's foliage of trees.
The layer of mulch in beds with Brigantine raspberries should be double: first, leaves are laid, crushed plant residues - 10 cm, then humus or compost - 10 cm. Covering the soil with a layer of 20 cm helps maintain the water and temperature regime of Brigantine raspberries, and serves to protect the roots from freezing.
Constant mulching of Brigantina raspberry bushes simplifies care: the number of waterings is reduced and the loosening process is eliminated.
Top dressing
Laying mulch on the beds of Brigantine raspberries does not immediately give results, especially after mineral fertilizers. Liquid fertilizing with organic fertilizers, which are easy to prepare, helps create favorable conditions for the development of the Brigantine bush. Any capacious container (except iron) is filled one third with manure, filled with water, and left for 3 days. Stir. The resulting liquid is diluted with water - 1 liter of infusion per bucket.
Manure can be replaced with any unseeded herbs. The most useful is nettle. Legume plants are suitable.5-7 kg of green mass is poured with water and left for 10 days. A liter of solution is diluted in 5 liters of water, half a glass of ash is added, stirred, and used for 1-2 bushes.
Fertilizing should be done as the mulch dries out, but not less than 4 times. In rainy summers, the amount of fertilizing is reduced. Raspberry Brigantina does not like waterlogging.
Watering
Many varieties of raspberries, depending on the weather, require 5-7 waterings. The presence of mulch under the bushes reduces the amount by half. The Brigantina variety is drought-resistant. To obtain a bountiful harvest, soil moisture and rain are sufficient. The exception is dry summers. During the period of berry filling - the end of June, carry out 1 deep watering. Brigantine raspberries do not require any other watering.
Loosening
Shallow or deep loosening affects the raspberry root system - lateral surface growth occurs at a level of 10-12 cm. Injury stops growth and reduces raspberry yield. Mulching protects the beds from weeds, helps retain moisture, and ensures a loose soil condition sufficient for the Brigantina variety.
Pests
There are enough insects using Brigantine raspberries for food and reproduction. Some feed on petals and nectar, others on juice, and others on the contents of stems. In addition, some insects are carriers of infectious and viral diseases that reduce yields and worsen the quality of Brigantine seedlings. Among the particularly zealous ones are:
- Stem fly;
- Stem raspberry gall midge;
- Raspberry beetle;
- Shoot gall midge;
- Spider mite;
- Weevil.
Causes severe damage to raspberry shoots of the Brigantina variety stem fly. The May flight of the insect is the beginning of laying eggs on the tops of the stems. The shoots wither, turn black, and die.
Another pest of Brigantine stems is raspberry gall midge. During the flowering period, females lay eggs on young shoots, which the larvae feed on. The swellings are galls and serve as wintering sites.
Grayish small raspberry beetle, overwinters in the ground and comes out when it gets warmer. The main food for the beetle is the flowers of fruit trees, honeysuckle, and currants. Moving onto raspberries, it eats away the buds and first leaves. The beetle larvae feed on the receptacle, causing worms in the berries.
The damaged bark of raspberry shoots becomes a shelter shoot gall midge. The female lays eggs - 160-200 pieces. The larvae live in colonies, using the plant for food. The bush dries up and dies.
Thickened plantings of Brigantine attract spider mite. When multiplying, especially in dry years, it severely infects raspberry leaves. Turning yellow and curling, they fall off prematurely. The stems ripen poorly and frost resistance decreases. Females overwinter on leaves.
An aggressive destroyer of Brigantine buds is raspberry-strawberry weevil. At first, the beetle feeds on strawberries, then moves to raspberries, destroying more than half of the buds.
Diseases
Insects contribute to the development of viral and fungal diseases on raspberries of the Brigantina variety, such as:
- Leaf curl;
- Rust;
- Botrytis;
- Anthracnose;
- Spotting.
Diseased plant leaf curl, remains green or becomes covered with a yellowish coating. It is a carrier of the virus and must be removed.
Signs of rust - yellow-orange tubercles that first appear on the leaves, which later turn black. The stem species damages the root part of the shoot. The affected area turns brown, becomes covered with ulcers, and the stem becomes flat. Shedding of leaves and drying of stems leads to the death of the bush.
A dark coating on the berries called gray rot, is evidence of a fungal disease - botrytis. The berries rot, spread, and transfer the disease to the stems and leaves.
High humidity of the raspberry tree promotes the appearance anthracnose – a fungal disease that affects stems, leaves, and berries. A weakened plant does not tolerate winter frosts well and dies.
The formation of purplishness on the leaves, which begins in rainy summers, is caused by a fungal disease - purple spot. In August, the leaves dry out, crack, and fall off, which leads to the death of the bush.
Protection measures
Before choosing a pest control method and raspberry diseases Brigantine variety, you should know: each type of insect has individuals that reproduce stably in a toxic environment. They will produce numerous offspring resistant to pesticides. Next year there will be more pests, and the doses of chemicals will have to be increased.
The persistence of the crop is extremely dependent on soil fertility. A strong plant that can resist various insects and diseases. Therefore, the best ways to protect plants are:
- Planting healthy seedlings of the Brigantine raspberry variety purchased from reliable suppliers;
- Correct formation of the bush;
- Mulching beds;
- Sodding of rows;
- Spraying with infusions of nettle, yarrow, celandine, which repel insects;
- Transferring a raspberry plantation of the Brigantine variety to a new location after 10 years.
Reviews
Conclusion
Raspberries of the Brigantine variety, like the sailing ship after which it is named, with improper agricultural technology go beyond the horizon - hiding the best qualities. Following the recommendations allows you to see the raspberry plant in all its glory - to get magnificent harvests of the old, reliable variety.
