Content
The topic of today's article: features of the Blestyaschaya raspberry: description of the variety, cultivation. Raspberry is a perennial shrub plant. The plant and its unique properties have been known since ancient times. As a garden crop, raspberries began to be cultivated in Europe starting in the 16th century. Wild raspberries are also known, but cultivated varieties are among the favorites among both amateur gardeners and professionals. Each berry weighs on average 4 g and consists of about a hundred drupes. What explains the popularity of raspberries?
Benefits of raspberries
Raspberries have a pleasant taste and aroma. The popularity of the culture is also due to its remarkable beneficial properties.
Beneficial properties of raspberries:
- Neutralization of free radicals in the body, which prevents damage to cellular structures and the appearance of tumors. Raspberries inhibit the growth of malignant cells due to ellagic acid (the strongest anticarcinogen).
- The high content of salicylic acid in berries helps prevent cardiovascular diseases.
- Improving vascular permeability from consuming berries.
- Regular consumption of raspberries reduces the likelihood of vision loss in older people.
- Pronounced anti-aging effect of raspberries.
- Thanks to vitamin C, contained in abundance in raspberries, the body's immunity is strengthened. Increases resistance to bacterial and viral infections. Anthocyanins contained in berries, in addition, have a pronounced antifungal effect.
- Despite the high sugar content, consuming raspberries does not cause an increase in blood sugar levels. Therefore, raspberries are beneficial for patients with diabetes.
- Raspberries are a great helper for those who are struggling with excess weight.
- Raspberries have anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic effects. The famous tea with dried raspberries for colds is a clear indication of the benefits of these berries. For the same reason, berries are useful for people suffering from joint pain.
Raspberry leaf tea is beneficial for everyone, but especially for pregnant and lactating women. It, like berries, reduces the manifestation of toxicosis in pregnant women, improves lactation, and promotes faster recovery of women after childbirth.
With all its wonderful qualities, raspberries are very unpretentious, grow well and bear fruit even with minimal attention. However, proper care makes it possible to achieve excellent berry yields and avoid damage to bushes and berries by pests and diseases.
Raspberry Brilliant: description
The “Brilliant” raspberry variety was bred by employees of the Siberian Horticulture Research Institute.
The Blestyaschaya variety is based on raspberry varieties:
- Cumberland.
- Malling Landmark.
The variety is distinguished by increased winter hardiness, drought resistance, and low susceptibility to fungal infections and pests. The declared frost resistance of raspberries is -34 degrees. In fact, raspberry bushes can withstand much lower temperatures (according to gardeners, 45 degrees below zero is far from the limit). Raspberry Brilliant is unpretentious in care; the bushes tolerate adverse weather conditions well. A variety for universal use. The plant is medium-sized (up to 1.5 m), with elastic shoots of medium thickness.
The berries are large in size (the weight of one is from 2.5 to 5.5 g). The pulp is dense, deep red “ruby” in color, glossy and shiny (hence the name). “Brilliant” raspberries are successfully grown not only in Siberia, but also in other regions of the country. The berry ripening period is August. The berries are collected in 5-6 stages. An important advantage of the variety is that the berries do not fall from the bush. At the same time, they are very easy to pick from the bush. The variety tolerates transportation of berries well over long distances.
The Blestyaschaya variety is universal. The pleasant sweet and sour taste of raspberries, delicate aroma, high percentage of sugar and vitamins make the berries quite suitable for fresh consumption and for making preserves, jams, and compotes.
You need to buy Blestyashchaya raspberry seedlings (like other varieties) from proven, well-established farms. Seedlings purchased from dubious sellers will not allow you to fully appreciate all the advantages of the variety.
Landing
Raspberry bushes can be planted both in spring and autumn (September-October).Raspberries are light-loving, so you need to allocate an area well lit by the sun for the raspberry garden. If you choose a shady corner, the young stems on the bushes become very elongated, shading the fruits. Naturally, one cannot expect a good harvest from the variety in this situation.
There are no strict regulations regarding soil. Raspberry bushes feel great on both black soil and loamy soils. More requirements for soil reaction. The optimal pH value for planting raspberry bushes is 5.7-6.5.
Raspberries grow poorly both in lowlands and in elevated areas. In the lowlands, water stagnates, and on a steep slope the bushes will dry out. The best option is a flat area. At the very least, with a slight slope.
Legumes and grain crops are favorable for planting raspberries. And nightshades (tomatoes, eggplants, peppers) are absolutely not suitable for subsequent planting of bushes.
If you plan to plant raspberries in your summer cottage, you can plant the bushes in partial shade near the fence or near outbuildings. It will grow well, verified. On traditional “six hundred square meters” you can’t really roam around, so you have to save space. The advantage of this location of raspberries is that in winter these places are better covered with snow. The risk of freezing of raspberry bushes is much less.
Another requirement concerns groundwater. Raspberries do not tolerate high groundwater. The harvest will be poor, and the bushes will die quickly.
Spring planting
The procedure for planting raspberry bushes in autumn and spring is no different, but the preparation is slightly different.
For spring planting you need to do the following:
- Add ash and humus to the soil in advance (preferably in the fall).
- Before planting, clear the soil of weeds.
- Prepare the planting holes so that the plant's root fits freely in the hole.
- The interval between pits must be at least 0.5 m. The minimum distance between rows is 1.5. Bushes grow quickly, so more distance is needed so that the plants do not drown out each other.
If the area of the plot allows, you can plant bushes in a checkerboard pattern.
Raspberries spread throughout the area very quickly. Therefore, it is advisable to provide restrictions at the planting stage. Dig metal or boards 0.2-0.3 m into the ground, which will create an obstacle to the further spread of the plant's roots. The barrier can be created from slate or roofing felt.
If the seedlings are large, you can use supports or trellises for planting.
Planting raspberries in autumn
Experts advise approaching the choice of raspberry varieties for autumn planting with extreme caution, as there is a risk of winter frost. The “Brilliant” variety is suitable for these purposes because it is characterized by increased winter hardiness. Planting time depends on the region. For the Middle Zone this is the end of September - mid-October. During the winter, young bushes “rest”, and in the spring they begin to grow.
For autumn planting, raspberry seedlings are selected that are strong in appearance and have well-formed shoots. You can get a young seedling by carefully separating it from an adult bush. In this case, it is necessary that the height of the planting material does not exceed 40 cm.If you choose a bush that is too tall for planting, the raspberries will spend all their energy on getting established, which will delay the harvest by a year. The minimum distance between rows is 1.5 m. The interval between neighboring raspberry bushes is 50-60 cm. The procedure for planting raspberries is as follows:
- Dig a trench or planting holes 30 cm deep.
- Place a layer of fertilizer on the bottom. Per 1 hole, 0.5 buckets of humus, 10 g of superphosphate and 20 g of potash fertilizers are obtained.
- It is better to place the roots of the plant horizontally. In this case, you need to make sure that individual roots are not directed upwards.
Autumn mulching
Mulching is a favorite procedure for raspberries. The soil around the bushes is covered with organic material. It can be shavings, sawdust, straw, humus. Fallen leaves or grass left over from weeding are suitable as mulch. Gradually, the organic mass will rot and become a good source of nutrients for raspberry bushes.
Caring for raspberries at different times of the year
You need to work with raspberry bushes immediately after consistently warm (about +5 degrees) days have arrived.
Spring revision
During the inspection, you need to analyze how the raspberries overwintered. First, cut off old shoots from the bushes, and also remove frozen ones. Frozen tops are cut back to live buds. In this case, the shoots will quickly gain strength and you can count on good fruiting.
Be sure to clear old leaves and grass debris from under the bushes. To avoid infection, it is better to burn them immediately. This way, you will be able to avoid infections.
If the raspberries were bent to the ground for the winter, you need to free them. If this is not done, the buds located near the ground may die from frost.
Tying up
This is the next stage after the “preventive inspection” after the spring audit. For garter, install trellises (at a height of approximately 70 and 120 cm). Raspberry shoots need to be tied in two places. To do this, use hemp twine or soft textile ribbons. Do not tie the bush too tightly, as long as it does not fall over.
Raspberry pruning
This is a later spring care. Pruning is needed during the period when the buds are blooming. All shoots are cut back to the first bud that opens. This also applies to unfrozen tops. Pruning stimulates abundant fruiting and the formation of side shoots.
Tillage
You should not dig up the soil in a raspberry garden in the spring. The roots of raspberry bushes lie shallow (20-30 cm), so digging them up can harm the root system.
You can use compost, humus, peat or rotted hay as mulch. Before you mulch the soil, you need to loosen it deeply and water the plants. With this approach, the raspberry roots do not dry out, the soil remains fertile, and the plants fully receive the required set of nutrients.
Features of summer care
Summer care of raspberries consists of timely watering, loosening the soil between the rows and weeding weed under the bushes. In addition, you need to promptly remove yellowed and dried leaves. The shoots that appeared in the summer should be removed, leaving a little for planting raspberries.
Autumn raspberry care
At the end of harvesting, raspberries need to be sprayed with an insect repellent. In addition, in the fall you need to remove all old vines and weak shoots from the bushes. The mulch needs to be removed and replaced with new one.At the same time, you need to apply potassium fertilizer (according to the instructions). After 2 weeks, you need to tie the bushes in bunches and bend them to the ground. This way, you can avoid freezing of living buds.
We bought a raspberry bush today and planted it in a large container. We still have up to a meter of snow in our garden. I hope that it will take root at home and we will plant a live bush in the garden.