Content
Raspberry Meteor is the product of the painstaking work of Russian breeders. An early variety with remarkable characteristics, opening the “raspberry” season in the country. A universal berry.
Very good fresh and prepared. In order for the Meteor raspberry variety to meet all your expectations, you need to first familiarize yourself with its biological features, characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. This analysis will help you grow a good harvest of Meteor raspberries without much hassle. After all, if the plant is comfortable in the soil on your site and the climatic conditions suit you, then the result will be excellent. In this article we will pay attention to various issues. For example, the external signs that the Meteor raspberry has, a description of the variety, photos, reviews and an educational video.
Description and characteristics of the early variety
Raspberry meteor, the description of the variety of which is important for gardeners, was bred by crossing representatives of medium ripening periods. But the berry itself is early and gives a start to the raspberry season.
The bushes of the popular Meteor variety are medium-sized, erect and powerful. The height of one plant reaches 2 meters. During the season, each Meteor raspberry bush produces 20-25 meter-long shoots. The plant can be grown without a garter.
The tops of the Meteor raspberry shoots are drooping and have a slight waxy coating. The thorns are few in number and not dangerous, because they are thin and short.
The main attraction of the Meteor raspberry is its berries.
Although their weight is average (2-3 g), their original shape is blunt-conical. Good care and a favorable climate allow the berries to reach a weight of 5-6 g. The color of the fruit is bright, red, and the taste is pleasant dessert. Having tried raspberry berries at least once, you will immediately want to plant this variety.
The main valuable characteristic of the Meteor raspberry for gardeners is its unpretentiousness. After all, summer residents love to plant crops that do not require special growing conditions and too much care.
What other benefits does Meteor raspberry have?
Of course, winter hardiness and resistance to common raspberry diseases. The plant overwinters well even without shelter. Of course, in regions with a harsh climate it is better not to take risks.
Among the disadvantages of the variety are susceptibility to attacks by spider mites and shoot gall midges. And from diseases raspberries of the Meteor variety are not resistant to growth and purple spot.
Separately, the yield characteristics should be noted. Raspberries, the variety of which is classified as early ripening, are distinguished by the friendly ripening of berries. Therefore, many farmers grow Meteor for sale.
The first ripe raspberries can be tasted already in mid-June, and if you are lucky with the weather, even at the beginning of the month. The pulp is dense, so raspberries tolerate transportation well.
Planting and cultivation nuances
Raspberry Meteor is a variety with a good degree of self-fertility, but summer residents use a reliable method to increase the number of ovaries. They simply plant raspberries of other varieties of the same ripening period nearby to ensure pollination. Along with the quantity of the harvest, the quality indicators of the berries also increase. Meteor is a raspberry variety that tolerates winter well.Therefore, seedlings are planted equally successfully both in spring and in autumn. But according to the observations of gardeners, spring planting turns out to be more successful. Plants planted in the spring are faster in growth than those planted in the fall.
Meteor raspberries are planted in pre-prepared holes. Some prefer to plant in trenches, the depth and width of which are 35 cm. The size of the planting holes is 30x30 cm. Gardeners grow the Meteor variety in bushes or in rows, depending on the area of the site and personal preferences. The row spacing is maintained at least 1.5 - 2.2 meters, and between plants when planting in bushes - 0.75 cm, when planting in rows - 0.5 cm.
As soon as the raspberry planting is completed, the plants are immediately watered. With the ordinary planting method, 10 liters of water are consumed per 1 linear meter. For an individual plant, 6 liters is enough.
After watering, the ground is mulched. For raspberries, it is good to use peat chips, compost, mowed grass or rotted manure. The thickness of the mulch layer is at least 5 cm. The final action will be to trim the seedling to a height of 25-30 cm.
Now the young raspberry bushes require attention. Watering is necessary especially in the absence of natural precipitation. For 1 sq. m of raspberry field you need 3 buckets of water. If watering standards are not maintained, the berries become smaller, the yield and sweetness of the fruit decreases. In subsequent years, Meteor raspberries require watering at the beginning of flowering bushes, during the period of active shoot growth.
For good development and fruiting of Meteor raspberries, you need nutrition.
Organic matter is added to the soil once every three years. Proportions – 5 kg of substance per 1 sq. m area.But mineral fertilizers for Meteor raspberries are used as follows:
- ammonium nitrate is applied in early spring in the amount of 20 g;
- foliar spraying with karbofos (10%) at the time of raspberry flowering and budding with a solution of 75 g of the substance per 10 liters of water;
- Phosphorus-potassium compounds are necessary during pre-winter preparation.
Raspberries of the Meteor variety respond well to nutrition with organic infusions of chicken droppings or slurry. After infusion, the compositions are diluted with water. In the first version it is 1:10, in the second it is 1:5. Any feeding is combined with watering for better dissolution and absorption of elements.
Preparation for winter consists of bending the shoots to the ground and sheltering.
Caring for raspberry bushes in subsequent years consists of:
- timely watering;
- feeding;
- preventive treatments against diseases and pests;
- preparation for winter.
It is imperative to loosen the row spacing and also get rid of weed.
The Meteor variety also has some minor disadvantages that should be noted:
- If the height of the shoots is over 2 meters, you will need trellises for tying.
- The variety does not like return frosts, which can seriously damage the root system of the plant.
Otherwise, raspberries completely suit summer residents in terms of their parameters.
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