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Every year an increasing number of gardeners are switching to remontant varieties horticultural crops, and raspberries in this case are no exception. The main difference between remontant raspberries is that such a crop bears fruit several times per season (usually twice), that is, the gardener will be able to get two harvests on the same bushes. Large-fruited and natural "raspberry" taste are also valued among the qualities of a sweet berry. Raspberry Ruby Giant can boast of all the listed advantages - this variety definitely deserves the attention of farmers and summer residents.
In this article, you can find a description of the Ruby Giant raspberry variety, photos and reviews of those who have already planted such a crop on their site. It will also list the advantages of remontant varieties, and tell you how to grow them correctly.
Features of the remontant raspberry
Before proceeding with a detailed description of the Ruby Giant, it is worth understanding the main differences and features of all remontant varieties of raspberries. So, remontant crops have a one-year life cycle: each year they throw out new shoots, on which the fruits ripen. In the fall, all raspberry bushes are trimmed to ground level, since the shoots of the current year die off in winter.
Reparability allows you to increase the yield of the crop several times, because the plant will bear fruit either continuously or several times per season. In order for raspberries to delight you with large and tasty berries all summer, you need to properly care for the remontant bushes, because they need much more food and water.
Remontant raspberries have many advantages. Here are just the main ones:
- such raspberries bloom later, therefore, it is rarely affected by diseases and pests characteristic of this culture;
- berries do not accumulate chemicals and toxins, because the bushes do not have to be processed;
- harvesting takes 2-2.5 months - all this time the gardener will be able to pick fresh berries;
- all remontant varieties are distinguished by excellent winter hardiness, because the shoots are cut "to zero", and the roots of any raspberry tolerate frost very well;
- the yield is several times higher than that of an ordinary horticultural crop;
- berries are more keeping quality and are suitable for transportation.
Of course, it is worth mentioning the disadvantages of remontant raspberries. First of all, the taste of such a berry is somewhat worse than that of an ordinary garden one. You also need to understand that the bushes will need enhanced nutrition, because they form a mass of fruits throughout the season. Therefore, remontant raspberries (and Ruby Giant, as well) will have to be fed regularly and heavily and watered frequently.
Characteristics of a large-fruited remontant variety
Ruby Giant is a raspberry that has appeared quite recently. This variety was bred by Moscow breeders on the basis of the famous and beloved by the Russians Patricia, therefore the Giant is often called the improved Patricia. The new species turned out to be even more winter-hardy and resistant to diseases and pests.
Description of the Ruby Giant variety:
- the variety belongs to remontant and large-fruited;
- average height of the bushes - 160-180 cm;
- the tops of the shoots are inclined, hanging;
- the stems of the Ruby Giant are not covered with thorns, which greatly simplifies the collection of berries and pruning of shoots;
- extended raspberry fruiting - from July to September;
- the frost resistance of the root system is good - the bushes of the Ruby Giant can withstand frosts up to -30 degrees without shelter;
- the culture has good immunity to pests and infections, rarely gets sick;
- raspberry Ruby Giant is unpretentious to the composition of the soil and climate features;
- the berries are very large - their average weight is 11 grams;
- the shape of the fruit is a truncated cone with a blunt end;
- the color of raspberry berries is bright red, ruby;
- the taste is very refreshing, sweet and sour, pleasant, there is a pronounced aroma;
- berries are dense, elastic, tolerate transportation well, do not drain;
- remontant raspberry Ruby Giant is suitable for any purpose: fresh consumption, making jams and jams, freezing;
- The yield of the Ruby Giant is simply amazing - about 2.5 kg from each bush in one collection, up to 9 kg of fruit can be obtained from a bush per season.
It is very difficult to look at a photo of ripe giant berries, and not want to plant such a miracle in your own garden!
Rules for growing remontant raspberries
Although remontant varieties are very different in characteristics from ordinary garden species, such raspberries need to be grown in about the same way. The main differences are in pruning and the amount of dressings, but the rules for planting and watering are almost the same.
Landing
The Ruby Giant raspberry variety grows best in sunny areas of the garden, protected from drafts and strong winds. Any raspberry soil prefers loamy, loose and good moisture retention.
Immediately before planting, the land on the site must be dug up, scattering humus, peat, wood ash, superphosphate and potassium sulfate. It is allowed to apply fertilizers directly into trenches or into pits prepared for planting bushes.
Planting remontant raspberries Ruby Giant is recommended in the spring (from March to May) or in the fall (from September to October). The distance between adjacent bushes should be within 1-1.5 meters.
Raspberry roots are well straightened and the seedling is placed in the hole. The root collar should be at the same level relative to the ground as it was before transplanting. When the soil is compacted, you need to water the raspberries. Regardless of the weather and soil moisture, half a bucket of water is poured under each bush.
Care
Ruby Giant is completely unpretentious - raspberries bear fruit under any conditions and even with little care. Of course, to increase the yield of the variety, you will have to take better care of the Giant:
- Loosen the soilto improve air circulation and provide oxygen to the roots. The first time the soil is loosened in early spring, when the buds have not yet blossomed. It is worth considering the close location of raspberry roots to the surface and digging up the soil by no more than 8 cm.For the entire warm season, the procedure is repeated 4-5 times. If the soil in the aisles of the raspberry tree is mulched, the problem is solved by itself - there is no need to loosen the soil.
- Mulch protects the roots of the Giant from frost and overheating, so it is needed throughout the year. The ground is covered with mulch immediately after planting the seedlings; the protective layer needs to be changed annually. Sawdust, straw, peat, hay, humus or compost are used as mulch. The height of the mulch layer after settling should not exceed 5 cm.
- To water raspberries Ruby Giant are needed abundantly and often. The depth of soaking of the soil should be 30-40 cm. Watering of the remontant varieties is especially important during the flowering period of the bushes and the formation of fruits. After harvesting the next harvest, the raspberries need to be watered so that the next batch of berries can be picked on dry ground. In a dry autumn, you need to water the raspberry tree in winter.
- Repairing raspberries you need feed abundantly, since the formation of a large number of fruits takes a lot of nutrients. If the planting of seedlings was carried out according to the rules, and the land was well filled with fertilizers, this stock may be enough for a couple of years. In the future, the Giant is fed 2-3 times per season, using organic matter or mineral complexes. The plant itself will tell about the lack of fertilizers: the berries will become small and tasteless, the leaves will change color or begin to dry, the whole bush will be lethargic and sloppy.
- Repaired Raspberry Ruby Giant needed normalize... The emerging shoots and excess shoots are removed, leaving no more than 10 strong branches per square meter annually.
- Tall bushes of the Giant tie up, using supports or trellises (depending on whether they planted raspberries in bushes or in a trench). If the shoots are not tied up, they will sink to the ground, which will damage the berries. When remontant raspberries are grown on two-year-old shoots (to get a double harvest), the branches are divided into two parts and stirred on trellises so that all the shoots have enough sun.
Pruning
This type of crop is capable of producing crops on both biennial and annual shoots. But practice shows that early fruiting on young stems greatly depletes the bush, therefore, they try to delay the ripening of the crop on the shoots of the current year until the end of August. At the same time, early berries are harvested from two-year-old shoots.
To establish this type of fruiting, you need to properly prune the bush:
- in the fall, cut out two-year-old shoots that have given away fruits and weak shoots;
- for annual branches, slightly shorten the tops by the length at which there were already berries;
- in the spring to carry out sanitary pruning of raspberries (to remove weak, frozen or rotted stems).
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Conclusion
The Ruby Giant raspberry variety is perfect for growing on an industrial scale and for private farms, summer cottages and gardens. This culture belongs to remontant, is large-fruited, therefore it pleases with abundant harvests. The fruit of the Giant, thanks to its taste, has received several gold awards at international horticultural exhibitions. Reviews of the Ruby Giant variety are mostly positive.