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The result of fruitful breeding work is a variety of modern raspberry varieties. Among them, the Solnyshko raspberry especially stands out, the description of the variety, photos and reviews of which testify to the wonderful taste of its aromatic berries.
Raspberry Solnyshko successfully combined the best properties of the old Russian variety “Novost Kuzmina” and the Bulgarian variety “Kostinbrodskaya”, on the basis of which it was bred - good winter hardiness, early ripening, resistance to some fungal diseases.
Characteristics of the variety
Solnyshko raspberry bushes form tall, straight shoots with a graceful curve at the top. Hung with clusters of ruby berries, they are used by many summer residents as a beautiful hedge. The stems of the Solnyshko raspberry are slightly thorny and have a noticeable waxy coating, which prevents excessive evaporation of moisture. Young shoots are green in color, and as they grow they acquire a brownish tint. Not being a remontant variety, Solnyshko raspberries demonstrate a fairly high yield - more than 80 c/ha, and up to 1.5 kg can be harvested from one bush.
Description of the variety and reviews classify Solnyshko raspberries as the best dessert varieties.Its bright, juicy berries are distinguished by:
- delicate sweet and sour taste;
- rich berry aroma;
- round-conical shape;
- large in size - their weight reaches 4.5 g;
- high content of ascorbic acid;
- universality of purpose - berries can be consumed fresh, processed and frozen;
- good transportability.
Planting raspberries
Raspberry bushes have a shallow root system, which should be taken into account when choosing soil. They grow well on light loams. The soil in the top layer should be quite fertile, with a weak acidity level. To reduce it, you can pre-lime the soil.
Planting dates
Bushes can be planted at any time during the growing season. But the preferred timing for planting the Solnyshko raspberry variety depends on the climatic conditions of the region. For southern regions with long, warm autumns, the optimal time for planting berries will be the second half of September or the beginning of October. Sunny raspberry seedlings will have time to take root before the onset of frost and will begin to grow together in the spring. Spring planting is risky, since this season in the south is usually short and dry, and the buds on the raspberry bushes will bloom before the root system has time to develop. Therefore, young seedlings may simply die.
In colder climates, raspberry bushes planted in the fall may freeze. Therefore, it is better to postpone planting to a long spring with high humidity. Before the weather warms up, the Sunny raspberry bushes will have time to take root. It is better to prepare the soil for spring planting in the fall. You can fertilize it naturally by sowing green manure.They will have time to sprout before frost, and over the winter they will rot and, under the influence of soil microflora, will turn into an excellent organic fertilizer for raspberries. At the same time, you can prepare compost from fallen leaves, plant and food residues.
Site selection
Reviews of the Sun raspberry advise choosing a planting site in the southern part of the site - open to sunlight and protected from cold winds. The level of illumination of the bushes can be increased by arranging the rows of raspberries in the direction from north to south. The more sunlight the berries receive, the tastier they will be. To obtain good harvests, raspberries should be provided with a thick snow cover in winter. You should not plant Solnyshko raspberries in areas where potatoes or strawberries grew, as they are prone to the same diseases. But it grows well after currants and chokeberries.
Hole planting method
Holes for planting raspberries of the Solnyshko variety need to be prepared 2-3 weeks in advance, adhering to the following recommendations:
- the distance between the holes should be at least 1 m, and the row spacing should be up to 2 m;
- the bottom of the holes should be lined with a nutrient mixture of rotted manure and superphosphate;
- mix it with garden soil and a small amount of ash.
Adding too much ash can increase soil alkalinity, which is just as bad for plants as acidity. When planting, do not deepen the root collar too much, otherwise the bush may die.The Sun raspberry should be planted in such a way that after the soil is compacted, its root collar is flush with the ground surface.
Trench method
Many gardeners prefer to plant Sun raspberry bushes in trenches. Although the trench method is more labor-intensive, it has its advantages:
- plantings are more evenly provided with nutrients;
- it makes caring for raspberries easier - watering, weeding rows, mulching;
- the productivity of bushes increases.
Approximately 2-3 weeks before planting raspberries, the area is cleared of weed and mark it with a cord. The trench width is usually up to 0.5 m, and the length corresponds to the size of the plot. Strong supports are fixed at the ends of the trench, between which wire is pulled to tie the stems.
Caring for raspberries
After planting the bushes, they are watered abundantly and mulched with sawdust or straw. In the future, caring for Solnyshko raspberries, according to the description of the variety, consists of timely organization of watering, fertilizing, and pruning.
Carrying out pruning
Raspberries grow very quickly and fill the free space around them, so regular pruning is necessary. It allows for the growth of stronger shoots. At the beginning of spring, sanitary pruning of raspberries of the Solnyshko variety is carried out, which consists of:
- in removing dried and broken shoots;
- freeing the bush from diseased and weak branches;
- trimming healthy stems to the first bud.
Pruning raspberries is also intended to regulate the degree of thickening of the bushes. Too many extra shoots only harm the plants, as it reduces the level of illumination of the raspberry tree and the content of nutrients.Therefore, at the beginning of summer, when the raspberry bushes have grown a little, a second pruning is carried out, during which up to 10 healthy shoots remain on each. All weak branches are removed. Excess stems should not be dug up - the roots can be damaged; they just need to be carefully trimmed at the base.
After harvesting, a third pruning procedure is carried out, during which fruit-bearing and damaged raspberry shoots are removed.
Organization of watering
Reviews show that the Solnyshko raspberry variety responds to a lack of moisture with a noticeable decrease in yield, since its root system is located very close to the surface of the earth. However, excess moisture is also detrimental to bushes:
- the berries will lose their aroma and taste;
- the roots will begin to rot;
- the raspberries will fall before they ripen;
- the degree of hardening will decrease, which is fraught with freezing of the bushes in winter.
The frequency and intensity of the watering procedure depends on local climatic conditions. Most of all, the Solnyshko raspberry needs abundant watering at the initial stage of berry formation and ripening. Typically this period falls at the end of May - beginning of June. The most convenient way is to organize drip irrigation of raspberries or regular watering into prepared grooves. Watering along the furrows has the advantage that water does not fall on the crown of the bushes. After this, you need to loosen the soil around the plants, while simultaneously clearing it of weeds. However, loosening should be shallow, otherwise the raspberry roots, located close to the surface of the earth, can be damaged.
At the end of summer, after harvesting, you can stop watering the Solnyshko raspberries. However, in dry years it must be continued until October to allow the raspberry plant to prepare for wintering.
Nutrient supplements
As follows from the description, the Solnyshko raspberry can produce good yields in the same area for up to 10-15 years if you regularly feed it with organic and mineral fertilizers. When examining bushes, experienced gardeners, even by their appearance, can determine which microelements are missing for their nutrition:
- the result of phosphorus deficiency will be weak, thinned raspberry shoots;
- yellowing leaves indicate a lack of iron or magnesium;
- with a lack of nitrogen, the leaves become smaller and turn yellow, and with an excess of it, the raspberry bush grows rapidly;
- Brown, as if burnt, leaves on raspberries indicate a potassium deficiency, which is fraught with the danger of winter freezing of the bushes.
After spring pruning, the first feeding of raspberries of the Solnyshko variety is carried out. To do this, you can prepare a mixture of nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizers, mullein and wood ash, which is rich in potassium. During the summer, raspberries consume a large amount of nutrients for development and fruiting. To preserve the yield for the next year, it must be fed before wintering. Autumn fertilizing with organic matter has a good effect on the condition of the Solnyshko raspberry bushes and their productivity. It can be carried out with rotted manure or compost prepared from fallen leaves and plant debris. Liquid chicken manure gives a good effect.
Pest Control
Of the insect pests, berry bushes are most often affected by the raspberry beetle, weevil or spider mite. Digging up the soil around raspberry bushes, destroying last year's foliage, and treating with drugs helps in the fight against them. An effective remedy against aphids will be spraying the Solnyshko variety bushes with a soapy solution of dry mustard after the buds appear.
The appearance of orange tubercles on raspberry leaves indicates fungal diseases, against which spraying with special preparations will help. Spring treatment of bushes with Bordeaux mixture will prevent the appearance of powdery mildew and anthracnose.
Description of the variety and reviews of the Sun raspberry are recommended as effective preventive measures against diseases:
- timely destruction of diseased and damaged branches and fallen leaves;
- planting green manure plants in raspberry rows;
- proper care - watering and fertilizing.
Reviews from summer residents
Conclusion
If you follow simple rules of agricultural technology, the Solnyshko raspberry variety will delight you for many years with high yields of fragrant, tasty berries.
