The wide popularity of raspberries in the garden plots is explained in its apparent unpretentiousness in the care. Most fans who do not grow it specially, believe that it does not need to be taken care of, only planted, watered and harvested. But in fact, in order to receive a large number of beautiful, good quality large berries, she needs special care in accordance with the variety, and especially fertilizer.
In the article you will learn what, how and in what timeframes you need to fertilize raspberries in the spring.
Top dressing is one of the important stages of caring for raspberries, which has been growing in one place in the garden for several years, but it is very important to observe the terms and quantity of fertilizers used.
Fertilizers for raspberries
The best system for feeding raspberries is a combination of organic and mineral fertilizers, which are introduced annually. Their quantity should be adjusted proceeding from a condition of bushes and last year's productivity.
For this, mineral fertilizers are actively used: superphosphate, potassium and nitrogen fertilizers. An analogue of potassium fertilizers is wood ash, in which there is no chlorine and there are all useful trace elements useful for plants. It is impossible to fertilize raspberries only with potassium chloride.
Fertilizers for fertilizing plants are used in such quantities:
- ash - 150 g / m²;
- urea - in dry form 10-20 g / m², in a solution for 10 l - 50 g;
- Ammonium nitrate - 15-25 g / m², but it can not be mixed with organic;
- complex: 30 grams of ammonium nitrate, 60 g of superphosphate and 40 g of potassium salt are taken per 1 bucket of water.
On light soils, potassium fertilizer rates need to be increased by 30%, since they are washed out already in the second year after application.
Organic fertilizers (compost, littered manure and peat) contain many trace elements that contribute to the development and growth of plants: Ca, K, P, N. In this form they are easier to digest and increase yield.
Organics are used for 1 m² in such dosages:
repelled manure - 6 kg;- rotten compost - 10 kg.
Since peat contains a small amount of nutrients, but it improves the structure of the earth well, it can be brought in at any time.
It is very useful for raspberries to combine these two types of fertilizers, for 1 m² it is necessary to mix: 1.5 kg of manure, 3 g of nitrogen, 3 g of potassium, 2 g of phosphorus.
Spring top dressing of raspberry
In the spring, before adding raspberries, it is necessary to trim the shoots, weed weed and carefully loosen the soil to 10 cm, so as not to damage the roots.
Mineral fertilizers are introduced twice: 2/3 in the spring, the rest in the first two weeks of June.
In the first three years after planting, with sufficient fertilization during planting, in the spring, when only the snow comes down, only nitrogenous fertilizers are used to feed raspberries. They are introduced 2-3 parts during the whole growth period, mixing with the soil and covering the ground with top. Beginning from the 4th year, the others are introduced into the soil at different times every year, but in the spring, mainly manure and nitrogen fertilizers are used. To do this, in May, under each raspberry bush, pour 0.5 buckets of overgrown Mullein, evenly distributing it close to the stems, but so as not to close the young shoots, and sprinkle with a layer of soil or peat. In this case manure will also act as a mulch material. So it is necessary to do it every two years.
Especially important is the top-dressing in spring for raspberry varieties, which yields two crops.
What will the appearance of the plant tell?
Often the appearance of raspberry bushes can reveal what elements it lacks or which are too many:
- lack of nitrogen - the leaves of the plant have faded, cease to grow or small;
- excess nitrogen - too active growth of shoots and leaves, which have a dark color. This leads to the shedding of unripe berries
and reduce the yield; - lack of potassium - leaves are brown, they are as if burned around the edges. Winter hardiness of plants decreases;
- lack of phosphorus - the plant has thin and weak shoots;
- lack of magnesium - poor growth, yellowing of leaves from the center to the edge;
- lack of iron - leaves are yellowish with a green streak.
Having provided the soil with the necessary number of important elements in the spring and throughout the rest of the year, it is possible to improve the development of raspberry bushes and get a higher yield of berries, which will be larger, sweet and fragrant.