How to Fight Witch's Broom on Raspberries: Prevention First
There are many diseases that become an obstacle between a summer resident and a bountiful harvest of raspberries.
One of them is the “witch’s broom,” or, as the expert of the online publication “BelNovosti,” scientist-agronomist, landscape designer Anastasia Kovrizhnykh , explained, overgrowth.
The disease is viral in nature and begins to manifest itself approximately in the second year at the end of summer – beginning of autumn, when thin and weakened shoots emerge from inactive root buds.
Young shoots grow slowly, their developmental delay is noticeable, as well as the absence of varietal characteristics. Flowering, in turn, becomes weak, and a significant part of the flowers are deformed.
After a certain period of time, whole thickets appear from the ground, formed from a large number of thin shoots about 15 cm high with small leaves that come from a small piece of rhizome. Outwardly, they really look like a broom, which explains the popular name of the disease.
As a result, there can be no talk of a good harvest of berries.
Since it is quite problematic to cure the “witch’s broom”, it makes sense to take care of prevention, for which you need to regularly destroy weeds and pests and keep the raspberry patch clean.
For raspberry bushes, choose a place away from fruit trees and bushes, and also at some distance from strawberries.
From time to time, renew the plantings with disease-resistant varieties, and also treat the raspberries with malathion, Atellik or folk remedies such as tobacco dust, potato tops or yarrow infusion.
Earlier we talked about plants that are worth planting in your dacha to save yourself from depression.
