Raspberry Pruning Rules For Beginners. Repaired. In Spring, Summer And Autumn. Photo

2023 Author: Ava Durham | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 07:13

Choosing the right raspberry variety is half the battle. In order for the raspberry to produce a good harvest, it is necessary not only to choose the right place for it, carefully prepare the planting holes, but also to form these plants competently every year. Why are raspberries pruned? In order to prevent thickening, remove the sprouted shoots in time, rid the raspberry plant of diseased plants, but the main thing is to get a good harvest. Indeed, the number of flower brushes laid by the shoot, the size and even the taste of the berries, and this, you see, is the main purpose of planting it, depends on how correctly and in a timely manner the pruning is carried out. Let's take a look at how to properly trim raspberries.

Content:

• Pruning single-use raspberry varieties
• Pruning remontant raspberries
• Raspberry thinning pruning
• Sanitary Raspberry Pruning
• General rules for pruning raspberries

Pruning single-use raspberry varieties

The simplest method of forming a single-fruiting raspberry, but not the most effective, is the spring shortening of the shoots by 15-20 cm, while simultaneously removing the shoots of the last year. Its advantage is simplicity and one-time care for the raspberry tree, but this method has little effect on the harvest.

However, this technique has an interpretation that allows you to stretch the collection of berries. It consists in shortening raspberry shoots at different heights. For some plants, it is standard - 15-20 cm, for some - 50% of the length, and for the rest - at a height of 15 cm above the ground. The meaning of this technique is as follows: the less the shortening, the earlier the harvest will ripen. However, such pruning does not affect the number of berries either.

Pruning raspberries according to the Sobolev method

To increase the yield, there is still a not very popular, but quite effective pruning method, which makes it possible to significantly increase the collection of berries from the same raspberry area. It is called the Sobolev method.

A. G. Sobolev includes two stages of raspberry formation. Each of them is aimed at stimulating the formation of side branches, as a result of which an increase in yield occurs. Let's take a look at them.

Stage one. It's the beginning of summer (June-July) - the time when raspberries bear fruit and massively grow young shoots. As soon as the growth reaches a height of 80-120 cm, it is time to shorten it by 10-15 cm. This will give an incentive for the growth of lateral branches from the axillary buds of the main shoot, which by the end of the growing season of the bush will grow to 30-40 cm.

Stage two. Next year. Spring. Until the buds have awakened, it is necessary to shorten the raspberry shoots again, but now of the first order, coming from the main stem, and by only 5 cm. This will again give an incentive to the formation of lateral shoots, but now of the second order. In this case, flower twigs are formed on the shoots of the first and second order, which doubles the yield.

The raspberry shoot, cut by the Sobolev method, visually resembles a branched tree. Such an shoot is allowed to bear fruit and, immediately, without waiting for the end of the growing season, is removed. Early pruning of last year's shoots ensures the release of nutrients for the new growth, increases the illumination and ventilation of the bushes, which means the health of the raspberry tree.

Pruning remontant raspberries

There are also several pruning techniques for remontant varieties.

Option one. More often it is used in the middle lane and to the north and consists in the complete removal, together with young shoots, in the autumn or spring, from a fruiting raspberry bush. It is believed that such a technique increases the quantity and quality of berries for the next fall season, but because of it, the summer harvest is lost.

Option two. After the summer harvest from biennial shoots, the raspberry-bearing shoots are immediately removed. Young shoots are left for autumn fruiting and fruiting next year.

In addition to these methods, there are several more, on which the health of raspberry plantings depends to a greater extent, which, however, also affects the yield.

Raspberry thinning pruning

Thickened raspberry bushes lack light, lack of nutrition, and lack of ventilation, which not only provokes the formation of smaller berries in fewer quantities, but also the weakening of plants in general, increases the risk of planting diseases. Therefore, in the spring, and then as new shoots germinate in the raspberry tree, it is necessary to regulate the load on the bush.

To do this, each bush is examined, highlighting 4-7, depending on the growth potential of the variety and the method of planting, well-formed shoots, and the rest is removed. If raspberries are tied to a trellis, the shoots are placed at a distance of at least 10 cm from each other. Therefore, the number of shoots is considered based on the possibility of their location.

Sanitary Raspberry Pruning

Finally, sanitary pruning of raspberries. It is carried out in early spring, and during the summer and autumn.

After the snow melts, it consists in removing frozen and broken shoots. During the growing season - in the removal of shoots affected by diseases (curliness) and pests (raspberry stem gall midge, raspberry stem fly, raspberry kidney moth).

In the fall, it consists in removing the raspberry-bearing shoots, if this was not done immediately after fruiting. At the same time, in the sheltering zones, the shoots are grouped and bent to the ground.

General rules for pruning raspberries

At whatever time of the year and whatever varieties of raspberries you cut, there are general rules for pruning this plant that will help make the process as efficient and safe for the crop as possible.

• Raspberry pruning is best done on a dry, sunny day.
• Use a well-sharpened, disinfected secateurs for pruning.
• After pruning diseased plants, the pruner must be disinfected (with kerosene, alcohol).
• The cut should be perpendicular to the ground, without a "sail" (a strip of bark sticking up).
• When pruning under the root, raspberries are not left with hemp, since the remains of the stem left above the ground are a place for the development of pathogens and pests.

Dear Readers! If you have your own secrets of pruning raspberries, share the information in the comments to the article. We are sure that your experience will help many readers learn how to properly trim raspberries.