Spring care for raspberries is the key to a bountiful harvest and healthy bushes.
The first step should be to inspect the plantings: it is important to remove dry, damaged or weak shoots, leaving only strong stems.
This will not only prevent thickening, but will also direct the plant’s energy towards the development of fruit-bearing branches.
At the same time as cleaning, the tops are trimmed to the first living bud - this technique stimulates branching and increases the number of future ovaries.
After the bushes have formed, the raspberries are carefully tied up using trellises or supports. This will protect the flexible shoots from breakage in the wind and provide uniform lighting.
Next, attention is turned to the soil: loosening the top layer of soil improves root aeration, and subsequent watering with warm water helps the plant wake up after winter.
It is important not to allow the soil to dry out, especially during the period of active growth, but also to avoid stagnant moisture, which provokes rotting.
Fertilizers are added in stages, starting with organic matter - rotted manure or compost, which saturate the soil with nutrients.
Then mineral fertilizers are used: a solution of ammonia (40 g per bucket of water) not only enriches the soil with nitrogen, but also repels pest larvae.
To enhance the effect, potassium humates are used, which improve the absorption of microelements, and the cycle is completed by treatment with biotlin, which neutralizes the threat from the raspberry fly.
The method of treatment with boiling water deserves special attention - a simple but effective way to protect against insects.
The water is heated to 70–75 degrees, mustard powder is added (50–70 g per 5 l), infused and filtered. The solution is evenly distributed over the branches, paying special attention to the nodes and buds — the pests’ favorite wintering spots.
The procedure is carried out once, early in the morning, when the air temperature is close to zero, and the buds have not yet begun to swell. The exact time depends on the region: in the middle zone, this is the end of March, in the south - the middle of the month.
Two weeks after all the manipulations, the bushes show the first signs of success: the buds are filled with juice, the shoots are actively growing, and the foliage remains free of parasites.
Such comprehensive care will turn the raspberry patch into the pride of the garden, and berry picking will become a long-awaited holiday for the whole family.
