The popular berry bush needs good care not only during fruiting, but also in the spring.
The main task is to give the raspberries the opportunity to gain strength after the winter and prepare for fruiting.
Regular watering
Raspberry roots are located on the surface. Even a short-term drought is expensive for the bushes.
In order for plants to develop properly and bear fruit abundantly, the soil under the plants must be moist to a depth of 30-40 cm.
"Starter" fertilizers
If fertilizers were applied in autumn, the plant will have enough resources at least until flowering. Spring fertilizing looks like this.
1. Humus (5-6 kg per 1 sq. m) or chicken manure solution (1:20). Also, as an alternative, use a mullein solution (1:10). The consumption rate of liquid fertilizer is 3-5 liters per "square".
2. Superphosphate – 50-80 g per 1 sq. m. Potassium sulfate – 20-40 g per “square”.
Mulching
It solves several problems at once: it retains moisture, protects against recurrent frosts and prevents the growth of shoots, saving the bush’s resources.
Straw manure, peat, sawdust, and small branches are used as mulch. The mulch layer should be at least 5 cm.
Trimming
Sanitary and formative pruning is carried out during the period when the snow has melted, but the ground has not yet warmed up.
To prevent plantings from becoming too dense and withering due to nutritional deficiency, shoots are removed during the growing season. During pruning, 15-20 of the strongest shoots are left per linear meter of plantings.
Treatment against pests and diseases
Spraying is carried out after removing the old layer of mulch and sanitary pruning.
As a preventive measure against fungus, they are treated with Bordeaux mixture (1%). For anthracnose, they use "Agrolekar", "Profi", "Chistoflor". If the bushes are affected by rust, then they use the preparations "Abiga-Peak", "Baktofit", "Topaz".
