Everyone knows the taste of raspberries since childhood: juicy, sweet and incredibly fragrant, it deserved the recognition of all gardeners, truck farmers, but not everyone can keep raspberry after a harsh winter. I must say that the preparation for the cold season begins in the summer, and how to cover raspberries for the winter - in this article.
Is it necessary to cover raspberries for the winter?
The question is not idle, because in the spring it will be a pity for both the bush and its own works if the plant freezes. However, the protection of raspberries depends on many factors - the climate in the growing region, the location of the particular garden, the characteristics of the variety, the protection of the garden from the winds, etc. In warm southern regions, where the frosts rarely reach -25 ° C, raspberries are not covered, there are winter-resistant varieties that can transfer the temperature drop to -40 ° C. But if the planted shrubs do not possess such properties, and the winter is expected to be severe and little snow, then the question is whether it is necessary to cover raspberries for the winter - this should be done necessarily.
Preparatory activities
Preparation for winter begins with the introduction of potassium and phosphorus fertilizers into the soil in late summer. The last feeding is made before strong frosts, the arrival of which depends on the climate in this region. It is very important not to miss the pruning of the bush, which is carried out after harvesting berries at the end of the active vegetation. First of all, all the sick, withered branches are removed, and after those that gave the harvest this summer. Young shoots of experienced gardeners are advised to pinch. Protect the soil will help mulching. To do this, use an organic material with a neutral acid medium. Good in this capacity are stray straw, foliage, peat. Mulch should have a layer of 5 to 10 cm, which will make it possible to isolate the soil well, and prevent springing out in the spring. Mulching is preceded by copious watering.
Methods of shelter
The first thing that the shelter begins with is the bending of the raspberry stems to the ground. You can simply bend the shoots of two adjacent bushes one to another and bind, for example, nylon tights. Some prefer to pull the wire 20 cm from the ground and fix the shoots on it. It is very important that at this time there are no leaves on the shoots, and if they are still present, they should be carefully removed. In principle, these measures will be sufficient if the winters in this region are not severe and sufficiently snowy. Otherwise, it is impossible to count the finished works. Those who are interested in when to hide raspberries for the winter should be told that the first light frosts that lead to a copious leaf fall can still be missed, and before more serious, often accompanied by the first snow, to take all the necessary actions with the help of materials such as :
- Plywood or polycarbonate. The sheets of these materials are used as a barrier and snow retention. If the trellis is driven into the ground, between which the wire is tied, then it is possible to fix the sheets of carbonate on them. When installing the barrier, it is necessary to take into account the direction of the winter wind in this area.
- Those who ask what else to cover raspberries for the winter from frost, it is worth responding that this is well suited lutrasil or spunbond . The curved whips are covered with several layers of such material, fixing it in a convenient way, for example, with heavy stones.
- Those who want to know, the better to cover raspberries for the winter, if autumn-winter frosts are incredibly severe, and snow is not enough, then as an additional layer of protection you can use cellular polycarbonate , which is placed on a raspberry ridge like an arc-shaped shelter.