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Raspberries are a unique berry that everyone loves so much. It is very tasty, healthy and indispensable in any kitchen. This is a shrub that was first developed in Central Europe. People liked the berries so much that they are used everywhere. On top of that, raspberries are unpretentious and easy to care for. Today there are many varieties of raspberries. In this article, we will look at a popular version of the berries that were bred in 1992. This was done by the breeder V.V. Kichina. He called it "The Pride of Russia". We will consider the description of the variety, its characteristics, features and the cultivation process.
"Pride of Russia" - description of the variety
Raspberry variety "Pride of Russia" grows up to 1.5-1.8 m. Compressed bush, strong and powerful. When the season comes, the plant will form many shoots. Owners should remove them in time, as the plant grows quickly. Raspberries have straight and thick stems. It is noteworthy that the replacement shoots, of which there can be from 7 to 12 pieces, do not have thorns. One middle branch, on which the fruits will grow, has 20-30 raspberries each. The leaves are dark green, shiny and crenate. The foliage shoots at the top have rosettes.
The main difference between the Pride of Russia raspberry is that its fruits are rather large. The average weight of one berry is 10 or 12 grams. Here are the characteristics of the raspberry fruit:
- have a dark red color;
- are velvety and shiny;
- very juicy;
- there are some seeds inside;
- the shape resembles a blunt cone;
- the aroma is mild, and the taste is sweet and sour.
The raspberry variety can be considered medium early, since the fruits appear from July to August. It is noteworthy that the harvest takes place in 5 or 6 steps. The variety is self-fertile, early maturing and high-yielding. One bush can give up to 5 kg of raspberries. You just need to properly care for and feed her. When the berries are ripe, they will not crumble, however, it is quite easy to remove them from the pedestal.
Raspberry varieties "Pride of Russia" are frost-resistant. Uncovered bushes are able to withstand cold up to -30 ° C, which is just wonderful for the climate of the Russian Federation. And more importantly, the berries are not subject to rot, diseases and pests do not touch them.
Planting raspberries
When should you start planting a plant? The ideal period for landing in the ground is September or October. As a last resort, it could be March. Nevertheless, it is preferable to plant the bushes in the fall, since before the season the raspberries can take root. And with the onset of winter, the plant should be covered, since it is not yet very strong.
It is important to prepare the ground for planting in advance so that Pride of Russia feels good and bears fruit abundantly. Work begins 3 or 3.5 months before planting. You need to free the site from weeds, dig up the soil and fertilize it. What is included in the fertilizer? Here is a list of components, per 1m2:
- Potassium - 25 grams.
- Manure - 5 kg.
- Superphosphate - 60 grams.
As for the choice of a landing site, it should be well lit. It's great if there is a fence or building nearby. Loamy soil or black earth is ideal for planting. Ideally, if the groundwater is at least 1.5 m away.
Let's look at step-by-step instructions on how to plant plants in the ground:
- Preparatory work: cleaning the soil from weeds, digging and fertilizing.
- Before you start planting raspberries, rotted compost is added to the soil, calculated per 1 m2 7 kg of compost.
- Dig holes, the size of which is 50 × 50 cm. The distance between each hole is 60 or 70 cm. Having made the first row, you need to step back 1–1.5 m from it and start forming the next one in the same way.
- Fertile soil should be poured into the dug hole. Two-thirds of the depth will be sufficient. After which the seedling is lowered inward. Next, you need to carefully spread the raspberry roots over the hole and sprinkle it with soil. Make sure that the root collar is at the same level with the soil.
- In the end, it remains to water each raspberry bush "Pride of Russia" with about 4 liters of water. The final stage is mulching with sawdust or humus.
As you can see, the disembarkation process is simple, and it will take a little time to work. However, if you want to get a decent harvest that you can be proud of, then raspberries need to be looked after. This leaving is not difficult, however, you cannot do without it.
Plant care
Your task is to do everything on time that is required for a high-quality and rich harvest. The process is not complicated by anything, so you will not spend a lot of time and effort. The first thing to do is to keep the soil under the plants clean. This includes cleaning and removing grown weeds. Remove them by hand, and dig up the soil 30 cm further from the raspberries.
Watering raspberries
It is clear that the plants need to be watered. Raspberry "Pride of Russia" is no exception. The variety can be confidently called moisture-loving. This fact suggests that watering should be done 4 times per season:
- Before the raspberries bloom.
- When the fruits begin to ripen.
- When all the berries are completely harvested.
- Before the first frosts come.
It is preferable to make a drip irrigation system for raspberries "Pride of Russia". Plants love water, so 1 bush needs up to 4 buckets of liquid. After successful watering, the plants should be mulched.
Feeding raspberries
Raspberries need to be fed every year. If you want to get wonderful fruits that will be tasty, large and healthy, then it is important to start feeding the Pride of Russia in a timely manner. How to do it correctly?
- In the first year, use slurry that is mixed with water (ratio 3: 2). One raspberry bush will require 2.5 liters of slurry.
- In the spring, half-rotted manure must be added to the soil. You can't do without potassium salt with superphosphates.
- In autumn, when the harvesting of berries is completed, it is recommended to add ash and potassium-phosphorus preparations.
- When early spring comes, apply nitrogen fertilizer.
- In the event that you have a sandy soil, apply magnesium fertilizer both at the beginning and at the end of the season.
Raspberry pruning
In one season, the Pride of Russia raspberries should be trimmed three times:
- At the end of the March days. Then you should cut off all dry and damaged shoots at the root. The good ones should be shortened up to the upper bud.
- When budding, shorten the branches by 14 or 15 cm. So, you can increase the number of ripe berries.
- Before the onset of cold weather, prune for the last time. When it remains about 15 or 20 days before the cold weather, remove, cut off the shoots that have been bearing fruit for two years and old shoots at the root. They only thicken the bush, are useless and will not be able to withstand frosts.
Raspberry collection and storage
When to start picking raspberries? The ideal period is early July. As mentioned earlier, from one bush you can collect from 4 to 5 kg of raspberries. Despite the fact that this variety has a dense flesh, raspberries are considered a delicate berry. It is easy to damage it. With this in mind, when harvesting, you should place the berries in a flat container or basket. The recommended layer is 12 or 15 cm, no more. If you follow these rules, then you can transport raspberries without any problems. She will take it.
“Pride of Russia” is very tasty and fresh and canned. Raspberries are a versatile berry that is suitable for making such products:
- jam;
- compote;
- jam;
- juice;
- confiture;
- wine.
You can even freeze raspberries, grind them with sugar, or dry them. But in its fresh form "Pride of Russia" will be stored for about three days.
Conclusion
Raspberries of the "Pride of Russia" variety are a good option that you can plant on your site. The berries grow large, tasty and healthy. I am glad about the simple care of the plant and a rich harvest.
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