Content
Raspberry Polka was the result of the work of Polish breeders. Today it is a popular variety of remontant raspberries, which is exported to other countries and grown on an industrial scale.
However, raspberry polka is also suitable for ordinary vegetable gardens. Its high yield and excellent taste are especially appreciated.
Characteristics of the variety
Raspberry polka is a medium-sized shrub up to 1.8 m high. The average height of this variety is 1.5 m. Up to 10 shoots are formed on one seedling. The stems have soft thorns.
The ripening of berries begins quite early. The first raspberry harvest can be harvested from new shoots at the end of July, and fruiting continues until the onset of frost. Compared to other varieties, in Polka raspberries, fruit formation begins two weeks earlier and lasts for three months.
The berries weigh about 3.6 g. With active feeding, they grow up to 6 g. As can be seen in the photo, up to 10 cone-shaped fruits ripen on each cluster.The drupe is small, you can hardly feel it, and the Polka raspberries themselves are quite juicy.
An important feature is the low winter hardiness of the variety. Raspberries may not tolerate severe frosts. Insulating the root system for the winter will help solve the problem.
Productivity of the variety
Raspberry polka has a high yield. According to the breeders' description, up to 4 kg of berries are harvested from one bush. Fruiting continues even when the temperature drops to 0 C.
The harvest is taken twice a year. On last year's shoots, berries are formed already at the beginning of summer. This regime involves a serious load on the plant. Therefore, it is recommended to prune old stems so that the main fruiting occurs on new shoots.
The skin of Polka raspberry fruits is quite dense, which allows them to be transported over long distances.
Landing rules
From the right one planting raspberries The shelf depends on the development of the bush and the quality of the crop. Raspberries are planted in early April or autumn. The most favorable time is to plant at the end of September or beginning of October.
Raspberries take root well in light to medium loam. Good natural light has a positive effect on the taste of berries. You can place the raspberry patch along fences or next to buildings.
Raspberry planting takes place according to a certain order:
- Two weeks before planting, holes are dug with a depth of 0.5 m and a diameter of 0.4 m.
- Leave 0.5 - 1 m between plants, and up to 2 m between rows of bushes.
- Fertilizer is prepared for one square meter of land: 20 kg of manure, 50 g of potassium sulfate, 70 g of superphosphate.The resulting mixture is filled into the holes prepared for raspberries.
- A raspberry seedling is placed in a hole and the root system is straightened. The replacement kidney is placed 5 cm from the surface of the earth.
- The hole is filled with soil, which is trampled down a little.
- A bucket of water is poured under each bush.
- The soil under the raspberries is mulched with straw or peat.
- 0.4 m from the seedling is left above the soil surface.
Features of care
High-quality care ensures abundant fruiting of Polka raspberries. The procedure for caring for raspberries is standard and includes pruning, watering, loosening and feeding the bush.
Pruning rules
Pruning a raspberry shelf allows you to form a bush consisting of 7 shoots. The order of work depends on the number of crops that are planned to be harvested:
- If one crop is grown, then the raspberry shelf is pruned in November. The branches are removed at the root.
- If the crop needs to be harvested twice, the stems are cut in spring and autumn. The branches on which the berries were located, as well as dry and damaged stems, are removed. On old raspberry shoots, the harvest grows by summer, and on young shoots - in autumn.
Rules for watering and loosening
The polka variety needs constant soil moisture. The plant is watered during flowering and ripening of the berries. If there is little precipitation in the fall, then winter watering is carried out.
Each raspberry bush requires up to 3 buckets of water. Thus, soil moisture is achieved to a depth of 0.4 m.
Loosening the soil improves the penetration of moisture and air. At the beginning of the season, loosening is carried out before flowering to a depth of 7 cm.The procedure is repeated 5-6 times throughout the year.
Raspberry feeding
The use of fertilizers has a positive effect on the growth and yield of raspberries. First fertilizing is done in the spring before the growing season. To do this, use organic fertilizer, which is diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 10 liters of water.
In summer, feeding is carried out once a month. For raspberries, ready-made complex formulations containing ammonium nitrate, potassium salt, and superphosphate are selected.
In the fall, organic fertilizer is applied to the raspberry patch at the rate of 5 kg per square meter of plot.
Protection from diseases
The Polka raspberry variety is not susceptible to most of the diseases characteristic of shrubs of this species. The most vulnerable is the root system, which can be seriously damaged by various lesions.
Root cancer
Root cancer is expressed by the presence of nodular growths on the roots, which over time reach the size of a walnut. As a result, the ability of raspberries to absorb moisture and nutrients deteriorates. Cancer is caused by pathogenic bacteria that can remain in the soil for up to 3 years.
To prevent cancer, the raspberry shelf is fertilized with substances containing phosphorus and potassium. They prevent the spread of harmful microorganisms and maintain soil moisture.
Purple spot
With a lack of potassium or increased acidity of the soil, purple spots appear on the raspberries. Over time, they acquire a brown tint, after which the damaged elements of the plant die.
The affected parts of the raspberries are removed and burned. Before flowering and after harvesting, raspberries are treated with Bordeaux mixture or other fungicides.
Pest protection
Garden pests can cause significant damage to raspberries. Most often, raspberries attract stem flies, raspberry beetles, gall midges, weevils, and poutine mites. As a result, raspberry leaves, inflorescences, and stems are damaged.
All affected parts of the bush are removed and then burned. The procedure is carried out in spring or autumn. When gall midges appear, raspberry shoots are cut off at the root.
The following measures help prevent pests:
- leave free space between the bushes;
- Raspberries are pruned annually;
- in autumn the soil is dug up;
- During the season, the soil under the raspberries is loosened;
- are deleted weedswhich can become a haven for insects.
Reviews from gardeners
Conclusion
Polka raspberries have excellent taste, which makes them stand out among remontant varieties. The shrub produces a bountiful harvest, so the variety is often chosen for industrial cultivation. When planting, it is important to provide fertilizing for raspberries. Plant care includes pruning, watering and loosening. Polka raspberries are rarely susceptible to disease and are resistant to most pests.
