Pruning raspberries in the spring is a must - all experienced gardeners know about this. Why cut raspberries during this period and how to carry out the procedure correctly - read in this article.
Why are raspberries pruned in spring?
Spring is a hot time for gardeners to be active. Raspberry care begins with pruning. Raspberry shoots have a two-year life cycle, so spring pruning is a guarantee of a rich harvest.
Without these manipulations, the raspberry plant will become thickened, its dry shoots will not allow the young growth to develop normally, the plant will fade. In this situation, you will not have to dream of any harvest.
Spring or autumn pruning: which to choose?
Pruning should be done in early spring and autumn. In what period it is best to do this - the gardener himself determines. The choice largely depends on the availability of free time and the individual characteristics of the climate, on how much snow falls in the region.
When to trim? Month selection and timing
If winters are mostly frosty and snowless, then spring pruning is carried out in March.
Autumn pruning is also not worth delaying. It is best to spend it in August-September. This procedure will help in the formation of replacement shoots and improve the illumination inside the shrub, which will contribute to greater resistance to diseases and pests.
The most important thing is to do the pruning 3 weeks before freezing temperatures.
What should be removed?
Pruning will take place in several stages:
- cut dry branches;
- eliminate damaged shoots;
- chop off trunks;
- eliminate root growth;
- shorten the shoots;
- tie and bend the plants to the ground.
Instruments
What you need to trim:
- secateurs;
- lopper;
- garden knife;
- rake.
How to trim raspberries in the spring?
Pruning raspberries is an important mission entrusted to the grower. Having carried out a number of simple manipulations, you can ensure a comfortable harvest, and subsequently, prevent the appearance of diseases and pests on raspberries that infect shrubs. A few rules to help you:
- The best time for spring pruning is late March or early April.
- Prune as soon as the snow melts, while the ground is still thoroughly saturated with moisture.
- In your work, use special garden tools that do not damage the plants.
- The length of the remaining shoots should not exceed 50 cm. To ensure sufficient air circulation and access to light, it is permissible to leave no more than 30 branches per 1 sq. m.
Be sure to consider how the raspberries were planted. With the bush method, no more than 5-6 branches are left on one plant. When trenching, it is permissible to leave 14-15 branches.
After pruning, be sure to take care of the stems. Otherwise, this event will be ineffective. To preserve and strengthen the shrub after pruning:
- cut off the frozen shoots at the base;
- for frozen ones - remove the damaged part;
- remove stems infested with insect larvae.
The video below provides a complete overview of pruning raspberries in spring:
Step trimming
The main goal is to extend the fruiting period. Divide the shoots into 4 parts and cut the raspberries as follows:
- 1st part of the branches - are shortened by 10-15 cm;
- The 2nd part of the branches - shortened by 20-30 cm;
- 3rd part of branches - shortened by 70 cm (50%);
- 4th part of the branches - 3-5 cm remain.
This pruning method will significantly extend the raspberry harvesting period. The juicy berry will delight a caring gardener until August. First of all, the shoots shortened by 10-15 cm will begin to bear fruit, followed by the berry ripening on the second part of the branches, etc.
Sobolev pruning
To stimulate active lateral branching, pinch the tips of the scions. The best time for the procedure is May. For the formation of 10-15 lateral shoots in the spring of the second year, shorten all overwintered shoots. This method significantly increases the yield, and in some cases allows raspberries to bear fruit again.
Timeliness is an important prerequisite for successful double pruning. You can not delay the first stage, new shoots may not have time to get strong enough before the onset of cold weather.
The second stage is to be carried out next year in May, when the leaves on the raspberries will fully bloom. To do this, pinch last year's side shoots 15 cm.
All these manipulations are necessary for the active growth of lateral branches - up to 15-20 pieces per plant. When they all begin to bear fruit at once, the gardener's efforts will be rewarded.
Perform double pruning in stages:
- Cut off weak shoots.
- Cut off the tops - this action is necessary for absolutely all processes. To make the fruits large and juicy, cut 15-20 cm.
- Thin the raspberries. When the bush becomes thick, a lot of shoots grow on it, they begin to interfere with each other. Without thinning, they will not receive the required amount of substances necessary for development and growth. The shrub will wither away and will not bear fruit.
Sanitary pruning
Sanitary pruning lives up to its name. It is held both at the beginning of the season and at the end.
After waiting for the snow to completely melt, remove frozen and damaged shoots. At the first signs of plant awakening, remove the affected parts. In the fall, be sure to get rid of the fruiting branches.
Pinching the stems
Another way to increase the yield of raspberries is by pinching the stems. It is necessary to pinch not too early, but not later than June.
If you stretch out with the terms, you can severely damage the plant that is in the active phase.
Removing overgrowth
An overgrown shrub does not guarantee a rich harvest; rather, on the contrary, it is a condition for its absence. Young growth that appears over time must be removed. The more extra shoots remain, the more light and air they will take away from the main bush, weakening and reducing the yield.
You can't pull out extra shoots from the ground, dig them up. This will lead to damage and disease to the plant. Carefully cut off all unnecessary growth near the soil itself.
Pruning remontant varieties
The main goal of every gardener is a high yield. The main and most impressive difference between remontant varieties is that they are capable of bearing fruit more than once. Consider this advantage when processing.
There are 2 types of pruning remontant raspberries. The first one is for 1 harvest. This method is most commonly used for commercial cultivation. The result of the work will be only 1 harvest, but very plentiful. For this:
- With the onset of the first frost, cut off all bushes completely. You cannot trim earlier. Young growth germinating in warm weather will freeze.
- Thin young plants thoroughly in early spring.
The second way is for 2 crops. Considering that remontant varieties bear fruit on both annual and two-year shoots, pruning is carried out in 2 stages:
- After the first berry harvest, cut off the two-year old branches.
- When the second wave of fruiting has passed, do the usual pruning. Then the annual stems will not dry out, but after overwintering, they will begin to branch and bear fruit.
Pruning tree raspberries
The second name of such a raspberry is standard. It has strong branched branches, thus, looks like a small tree.
If you don't take the cultivation of such plants seriously, you can get impassable jungle instead of a luxurious tree. This "wild" forest, accordingly, will not bear fruit.
Standard raspberries are pruned regularly. In this it does not differ from other varieties. It is necessary to remove the sprouted shoots in time.
You can cut such raspberries using the double method. The end of May or the beginning of June is best suited for the procedure. By this time, the height of the plant has already reached 1 m. By the end of summer, about 5 lateral shoots will remain on the tree.
The second pruning is carried out in the next season, in the middle or at the end of May. At this time, the side shoots are shortened by approximately 5-10 cm.
There is nothing difficult in caring for standard raspberries. The plant is unpretentious, gives a rich harvest. Along with the usual varieties of raspberries, it is very popular among gardeners.
Tips for the care of trimmed raspberries
Below are recommendations for caring for raspberries after pruning. You need to know how to introduce top dressing, disinfect the shoots and tie the raspberries to the trellis. All this will help to get a richer harvest.
The gardener in his video talks about caring for raspberries after pruning:
Introduction of dressings
March is best suited for the first top dressing. Depending on the composition and condition of the soil, gardeners use various fertilizers.
If the soil is relatively balanced, then any universal complex fertilizer is suitable as the first top dressing. The situation is different in problem areas. For example, if the leaves of a raspberry turn yellow, then the soil on which it grows lacks nitrogen. Then saltpeter diluted in water is additionally introduced.
The next crucial period in which it is worth paying special attention to the condition of the plants is the period of flowering and fruit set. At this time, the second feeding is carried out, its purpose is to strengthen the shrub at the time of the formation of the ovary. A mixture of potassium sulfate and superphosphate in certain proportions is perfect.
Gardeners carry out the last, third top dressing in the fall, after cutting off the shoots. For its implementation, you will need the same fertilizers as with the second feeding, only in smaller quantities.
Do not forget about organic fertilizers, without which not a single variety of raspberries can do without. However, like any other fruit-bearing shrubs. Fertilize the soil with organic matter very carefully.
This is done no more than 1-2 times every 3 years. Any manure that the gardener has will do.
Shoot disinfection
As soon as the first buds on raspberries begin to wake up, it should be treated against numerous insects and diseases.
Bordeaux liquid is a panacea in the fight against these scourges. At the very beginning of spring, the plants are necessarily sprayed with a 1% solution. In order to avoid contamination from neighboring plantations, they are also treated with raspberry bushes.
Spraying is repeated a little later, when the buds finally wake up. At the time of active flowering and the formation of fruits, the raspberry tree is carefully examined, the affected parts, if any, are removed.
So that the insect larvae do not remain on the plants and do not go into the soil for the winter period, in the fall, after the last harvest, a final treatment with Bordeaux liquid should be carried out.
Rejuvenation of the old raspberry tree
You can grow raspberries in one place for a limited time. The optimal period is from 10 to 18 years, depending on the composition and condition of the soil. Over time, the soil is depleted, the yield decreases, the shrub begins to ache.
The moment comes when it's time to rejuvenate the raspberry tree. It is better to start doing this in the fall.
The main essence of rejuvenation is the gradual methodical removal of weakened old bushes. To do this, carefully remove old plants by cutting off the roots.
Fill the holes remaining after them with nutritious soil and water. Do not forget to fertilize the entire raspberry area next spring.
Two-year shoots of bushes will bear fruit this season. New shoots will appear in the fall in place of the old ones. A year later, replacement shoots will appear, which after another 1 year will begin to bear fruit. As a result, a complete lack of harvest does not occur, but a completely new shrub appears nearby.
Tying raspberries on a trellis
As noted above, the features of caring for raspberries depend on the method of their initial planting. The trellis garter is perfect for trench-planted shrubs.
Raspberry is a tall shrub. The garter is a prerequisite for its successful cultivation, because the shoots of the plant are quite thin and flexible.
They often cannot support their own weight and bend low to the ground. Because of this, raspberries are often rotted. Only low-growing varieties of shrubs are subject to growing without a garter. Everyone else needs this event.
The raspberry trellis garter has many advantages:
- With the help of trellises, beautiful beds are formed without problems.
- The lower branches, leaves and berries do not get dirty. They are not afraid of slugs, snails and frogs.
- The trellis garter method helps to form straight beds with free gaps. This arrangement promotes good air circulation and sufficient sunlight penetration, which, in turn, prevents the possibility of fungal diseases.
- The access to plants remains free, and it is much easier for gardeners to take care of them.
- Harvesting, as well as preparing for the winter period, is not difficult.
The structure is assembled on the site like this:
- On both sides of the row of shrubs, place the poles fixed on the posts.
- Tie plant stems to supports. For example, this can be done with twine. This trellis is quite simple to manufacture, but its design can be improved. As in the first option, install the support on one side of the row with bushes, but not at the edge, but at a distance of 30-40 cm from it.
- Tilt the branches towards the trellis, then fix them in this position. Now adult shoots will not interfere with the growth and development of young ones, which will have a beneficial effect on the condition of the raspberry tree.
Mistakes that cost gardeners to harvest
Only those who do nothing do not make mistakes. Horticultural activities are no exception to this rule.
The most common mistakes:
- Reluctance to cut sturdy growth. Many people believe that by removing it, they destroy the harvest in advance. It is worth remembering - without proper pruning, the raspberry tree will hurt, the berries will become small, and there will be no harvest at all.
- The shoots to be trimmed are removed only superficially. Young gardeners often start pruning from the outer branches. Young shoots are removed, but at the same time only extreme shoots are cut out, without climbing inside the bush. As a result, the raspberry tree grows excessively, the yield falls, and diseases appear.
- Intertwined branches are left. If you do not cut off adjacent branches in time, the risk of plant diseases will significantly increase.
- Incorrect cropping. Some gardeners do not prune the shoots, but only slightly shorten them. Dry branches are removed, and the rest is left. Only one sanitary pruning is not enough. Necessarily need a regular forming, on which the quality and quantity of the future harvest directly depends.
- Pruning buds are damaged. Unskillful hasty actions easily lead to disastrous results. To prevent this from happening, you need to exactly follow the pruning scheme that has proven itself over the years. Initially, the largest branches are removed, then those that are smaller.
Timing of pruning in different climatic zones
Differences in the technique of pruning raspberries are due to climatic conditions:
- IN central regions of the Russian Federation and in Moscow suburbs you can not cut off young shoots for the winter. In order for the bush to winter calmly, it is enough to tie and cover its shoots. The best natural insulation in this case is snow.
- Autumn pruning in Siberia - a mandatory event. The climate is harsh and the winters are cold. Therefore, the cut shrub is much easier to cover carefully, keeping it until the spring thaw.
- Gardeners Krasnodar Territory they start pruning raspberries only in late autumn. Due to the climatic conditions, they manage to harvest 1 more late harvest. Although autumn raspberries are smaller, and in terms of quantity it is very small, by its mere presence it prolongs the feeling of summer and gives joy.
Raspberries are unpretentious and bear fruit under any conditions. But, if you want to get a good harvest, she needs care both in autumn and spring. One of the most important conditions for growth and high yields is timely pruning.