How to grow healthy and strong raspberry bushes: spring tips for gardeners

In order for raspberries to produce fruit well in the summer, it is necessary to take care of their bushes in the spring. If you are a beginner gardener and do not know exactly how to care for raspberry bushes in the spring, here are some simple tips from experienced gardeners. Raspberry is an undemanding plant, but it needs to be cared for to make its berries large and the harvest big. It needs pruning in the spring, namely in late March and early April.

When preparing bushes for the summer, you must first clean the place where it grows from dry grass and last year's leaves (all organic residues). Pests that harm raspberries can live in such an environment. In addition, the open soil will begin to warm up faster. And it stimulates plants to grow early.

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Raspberry pruning in the spring

Usually, sanitary and formative pruning of raspberries is carried out in the spring, so that the raspberry bush does not turn into impassable thickets with dense foliage and a small number of tiny berries.

For example, remontant raspberries are cut to the root in the fall after fruiting. And it does not need pruning in the spring.

Other raspberries should be prepared as follows: first of all, remove all damaged, dry, frozen, diseased, weak shoots and shoots that show signs of infection. Next, plantings are formed. If raspberries were planted in a bush way, leave 8-10 shoots on one bush. This number includes biennial and annual shoots. When planting raspberries in tape way, 10-15 shoots are left per running meter. The remaining shoots are removed.

"The tops of raspberry shoots that are due to bear fruit this season and have reached a height of 1.2-1.5 m are cut off by 10-15 cm. This operation slows down the vertical development of the bush, helps to increase the number of fruit branches on the shoots, and forces the plant to redirect nutrients to the future buds and berries. The frozen tops of the bushes are cut off to the first living bud," the "Vse Roste" website reports. https://vseroste.com.ua/ru/blog/vesnianii-dogliad-za-malinoiu-obrizka-obrobka-poliv

It is noted that preventive treatment of raspberries against pests and diseases is important because curing diseases and fighting pests is always more difficult than preventing their occurrence. Treatment against wintering infections is carried out on bare trunks, before the leaves bloom. You can use preparations containing copper, as well as chemicals.

Read also: How and where to plant raspberries in autumn to reap a bountiful harvest: useful and proven tips

Feeding raspberries in the spring

At the beginning of the growing season, raspberry bushes need nitrogen and organic fertilization. Before flowering, when the buds appear, raspberries need nitrogen and potassium - then the berries will be large and juicy.

Watering is done in the spring only if the winter was not snowy and the soil is not filled with moisture. In general, raspberries like infrequent, but plentiful watering.

Mulching allows you to keep the soil moist and loose in the raspberry patch and prevents weeds from germinating. It is advisable to use various organic materials.

We offer to learn the basic advices of gardeners on raspberry care.

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