Raspberry is one of the most delicious and healthy berries in your garden. And most often this berry withstands frosts without problems, if properly prepared.
You can make the plant air-dry shelter for the winter. To do this, use a wooden frame, polyethylene film and wood leaves. But the preparation of raspberry bushes for winter can be done in another way.
How to prepare raspberries for winter?
Preparation of raspberry bushes for winter should start as early as June. When you feed a plant, you must strictly observe the norm, do not overfeed. It is the overfeeding of raspberries (especially this applies to nitrogen fertilizers) contributes to reducing the frost resistance of the bush. Grow raspberries in a well-lit area, then shoots will be strong enough and will be able to endure the winter persistently. How to prepare a raspberry mulch for winter? When using ordinary manure of cattle, the last top dressing should be no later than June 15. If you prefer conventional mulch, the end of the feeding should be July 25th.
A considerable role is played by the density of the plant. For the bush mode of cultivation there should be no more than 4 shoots. Is it necessary to cut raspberries for the winter? The tops of the shoots should be cut off on September 20, this helps to accelerate their maturing. By the end of September, you must remove all leaves from the plant. If you leave leaves, it will start to rot and, as a result, rot and kidneys will start.
How to cut raspberries for the winter?
If you just bought and recently planted raspberries, the seedlings are still rather weak. Such saplings are best not cut at all. Due to the green stem, photosynthesis will be provided, which will feed the plant to cold weather. Planted bushes should be properly covered and watered. The next fall you can cut the shoots to the level of the soil, by spring you will see new and strong shoots, and at the end of the summer you can try the berries.
Some gardeners prefer to trim the raspberries for the winter not completely. The plant is not cut to the ground level, but leaves a meter-long stem. Already at the beginning of summer, this crop ripens on this stalk. The second crop is harvested on young shoots at the end of summer. You will add to your affairs if you decide to trim raspberries for the winter in this way, since it is necessary to prepare shoots very carefully for the winter. It is necessary to bind and shelter the stems for the winter, properly fertilize and water them.
If you live in an area where winters are warm enough, pruning can be done in the spring. The fact is that after fruiting the shoots accumulate food for the next harvest for a long time. Another reason for this technique of pruning is the later freezing of the soil. When the soil does not freeze within a month after trimming, the buds on the rhizome begin to germinate prematurely. This will lead to a loss of harvest in the future.
As for the preparation of repair raspberry for winter, there are several options. Some gardeners cut raspberries the next spring after the second fruiting. In the spring, you can clearly see where fresh and strong shoots, and where dry and weak, requiring pruning. Other experts advise cutting the shoots to the soil level. This gives the plant the ability to release spring strong shoots and give a good harvest, starting in August.
How to cover raspberries for the winter?
The best material for sheltering the plant in winter is snow. If the winter is mild enough and there is not enough snow,