Raspberries: Do Not Forget About Watering

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

In July, raspberries are poured and ripen with full force. And for this process to be successful, the shrubs need high-quality watering. In addition, an intensive harvest takes place at this time. How often it needs to be done, and how to do it correctly, picking berries for different purposes - let's figure it out

Important periods in the development of the raspberry bush and watering

Raspberry trees experience a special need for moisture in some separate growing seasons:

• during the growth of shoots - in the spring and in the first days of summer, if the drought persists outside the window for a long time;

• during the ripening period of berries.

Waterlogging the soil on other days is dangerous - this negatively affects the growth of roots and the condition of the shoots. For example, over-watering after picking berries will cause the grower to stimulate shoot growth. Because of this, the ripening of the shoots is delayed, which is why they will be significantly damaged in winter in frosty weather. Therefore, an unsuccessful choice for raspberry forests will be areas with a close occurrence of groundwater or prolonged flooding. In such conditions, the roots die off, few shoots are formed, and they are formed weak, and the leaves are small. Trenches dug along the perimeter of the site will help to partially correct the situation to drain excess fluid and lower the groundwater level.

At the same time, if the raspberry plant is not moisturized enough during the ripening of berries, the productivity of the plantings is noticeably reduced. The best method for artificial irrigation of raspberry bushes is furrow irrigation. To do this, trenches with a depth of at least 15 cm are dug along the plantings on both sides at a distance of 0.5-1 m from the middle of the row. Water is supplied along the furrows with a weak stream at such a speed that the soil ripens to absorb moisture. The calculation of water consumption is carried out in such a way that for 1 square meter. about 30 liters of liquid came out. Then, after completing watering, the trenches are backfilled with earth.

What you need to know about how to harvest raspberries?

Meanwhile, while some berries are being poured, the harvesting time has come for others. Here the gardener will have to work hard, because the harvest will have to be at least a day later so that the berries do not deteriorate, do not darken, and do not crumble themselves from the bush.

It matters what time of day will be set aside for harvesting. It is optimal to do this in the morning, but after the dew has dried. Raspberries must be removed without stalks, and if they are not planned to be eaten immediately or used for processing, the berries must be immediately hidden for storage in a cold cellar. However, they cannot be kept in this form for more than two days.

The degree of maturity of the berries matters, depending on the purpose for which the crop is removed from the plantation:

• for immediate consumption in fresh form, the berries are removed when the raspberry slides freely from the fruit, but its pulp is not crushed by the touch of the fingers;

• to prepare berries for the winter - to preserve compote or freeze - the raspberries are removed when they are still quite hard and relatively easily separated from the fruit;

• for transportation over long distances, the berries are picked together with the stalk;

• to make juice from raspberries or to grind berries with sugar, you can use overripe berries.

The latter case is not uncommon for those who live far from the dacha and have the opportunity to visit it no more than once a week. In such situations, you can make your work easier by spreading a dense cloth under the bushes and slightly shaking the bush. Overripe raspberries will easily crumble, and more elastic berries will remain hanging on the shoots. It will be best to collect them in wicker baskets of no more than 1.5 kg in one approach.