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Despite the fact that remontant raspberry varieties have been known for quite a long time and are grown everywhere not only by professionals, but also by ordinary gardeners and summer residents, not everyone still correctly understands their growth characteristics. The vast majority of experts agree that remontant raspberries can also be called annual. Therefore, it is much more correct to grow it by mowing all the shoots to zero in the fall, and getting one full harvest in late summer or early autumn. But many remontant varieties do not have time to fully ripen in conditions of a relatively short and cool summer. In this regard, some gardeners in the northern regions, trying to get at least some harvest from such varieties, leave the shoots of remontant raspberries to overwinter.
Eurasia raspberries, being a typical representative of remontant varieties, begin to ripen from the beginning of August and therefore can be used for planting even in regions with short summers. Since by mid-September the entire harvest from the bushes can be fully harvested. And this is not its only advantage. It seems that this raspberry variety is that golden mean that is sometimes so difficult to find in the desire to combine large-fruited berries, their good yield, and excellent taste. For a description of the Eurasia raspberry variety with photos and reviews from gardeners, see further in the article.
Description of the variety
The Eurasia raspberry variety was obtained back in 1994 from seeds using open pollination of remontant interspecific forms. Kazakov I.V., Kulagina V.L. took part in the selection. and Evdokimenko S.N. At that time he was assigned the number 5-253-1. After numerous trials since 2005, it is already propagated as an established variety and has been given the name Eurasia. And in 2008, this variety was registered in the state register of Russia. The patent holder was the Selection and Technological Institute of Horticulture and Nursery Growing, located in Moscow.
Eurasia belongs to the remontant varieties, the main difference of which from traditional ones is the real opportunity to bear fruit on annual shoots. Theoretically, it can produce a harvest on two-year-old shoots, like regular raspberries, if they are not cut before winter. But in this case, the load on the bush will be too great and many of the advantages of this method of cultivation will be lost.
Eurasian bushes are distinguished by their upright growth, they are of medium vigor and usually do not exceed 1.2-1.4 meters in height. Raspberry Eurasia is a standard variety; it grows quite compactly, so it does not require staking or trellis construction. This, in turn, greatly simplifies caring for raspberries.
Annual shoots acquire a dark purple hue by the end of the growing season. They are characterized by a strong waxy coating and weak pubescence. The spines are medium-sized and bent downwards. There are especially many of them in the lower part of the shoots; there are significantly fewer of them at the top. The fruiting side branches of the Eurasia raspberry also have a good waxy coating and slight pubescence.
The leaves are large, wrinkled, slightly curled.
The flowers are medium in size and have simple pubescence.
The variety produces an average number of replacement shoots, about 5-6, and a small number of root shoots are also formed. This amount may be enough to propagate raspberries, but at the same time there is no thickening, so you don’t have to spend a lot of effort on thinning out the raspberries.
Unlike many mid-late varieties or those that have an extended fruiting period, Eurasia raspberries ripen quite early and quite smoothly. During August, you can have time to harvest almost the entire harvest and not fall under the first autumn frosts, even when grown in relatively cold regions of Russia.
The average yield of Eurasia raspberries is 2.2-2.6 kg per bush, or if converted into industrial units, then about 140 c/ha. True, according to the originators, with suitable agricultural technology you can get up to 5-6 kg of raspberries from one bush of the Eurasia variety. The berries ripen more than half the length of the shoots.
The Eurasia variety exhibits fairly high resistance to diseases and pests. According to some reviews from gardeners, raspberries are susceptible to the broom virus. This looks like too many shoots forming from one point at the same time.
Thanks to its powerful root system, the Eurasia raspberry variety is highly drought-resistant, but its heat resistance is average. The latter property means precisely resistance to ambient temperature in combination with its humidity.
Characteristics of berries
Eurasia raspberries have the following characteristics:
- The weight of the berries is not very large - on average about 3.5-4.5 grams.The largest ones can reach 6.5 grams.
- The berries have a conical shape with a beautiful dark crimson color without shine.
- They have good density and are quite easily separated from the fruit bed. Even after ripening, the berries can hang on the bushes for about a week without losing their taste and commercial qualities.
- The taste can be noted as sweet and sour; tasters rate it 3.9 points. The aroma is practically unnoticeable, as is the case with most remontant raspberry varieties.
- The berries contain 7.1% sugar, 1.75% acid and 34.8 mg of vitamin C.
- The fruits of Eurasia are well stored and easily transported.
- They are distinguished by their versatility in use - the berries are suitable both for eating directly from the bush and for a variety of preservation.
Features of cultivation
Eurasia raspberries are well adapted for growing in almost any climatic conditions and are particularly picky about soil composition.
But due to the peculiarities of the structure of the root system - in this variety it is closer to the taproot type and is capable of reaching deep layers of soil - deeper tillage of the soil is necessary before planting new bushes.
In more northern regions, in addition, it is good to plant Eurasia raspberries on high, insulated ridges. This will create additional warming in early spring and help speed up the ripening of the berries.
When planting, a distance of 70 to 90 cm is maintained between the bushes.
Complete mowing of shoots in late autumn is strongly recommended by experts and, above all, by the authors of the variety themselves for all remontant raspberries, since this growing method allows you to obtain the following advantages:
- The winter hardiness of raspberries increases sharply, since there is no need to bend and cover the shoots for the winter.
- The problem with pests and diseases disappears by itself - they simply have nowhere to survive and overwinter, which means that treatments can also be eliminated. This way you reduce the work required to care for the raspberries and at the same time get a more environmentally friendly product.
- The berries ripen in large quantities precisely at a time when traditional raspberries are no longer available, so the demand for them is increasing.
Reviews from gardeners
Reviews from gardeners about Eurasia raspberries may vary depending on the purpose of its cultivation. For sale, this variety seems to be one of the best, but for yourself and your family it has some disadvantages in taste.
Conclusion
The Eurasia raspberry has many advantages, and although its taste is questionable, this characteristic is so subjective and individual that perhaps this particular variety can serve as a compromise between productivity and large fruit on the one hand and decent taste on the other.
