Raspberry belongs to the group of plants of the genus Rubus L., comprising about 250 species growing wild or grown in home gardens and on professional plantations.
Raspberry varieties are divided into two basic types:
• fruit on one-year-old canes (also known as autumn raspberry)
• fruit on two-year-old canes (also known as summer raspberry) – more
Both types differ in the way they are cultivated, especially in terms of the cutting of shoots and mineral fertilisation of plants.
The raspberry, fruiting on one-year shoots, forms leaves and shoots, and then blooms and gives fruit – during one growing season. Fruiting of these varieties lasts from August (in climatic conditions of Poland) until the first frost.
In late autumn or early spring all shoots are cut. In the spring, new shoots grow on which fruit will set and develop.
By properly cutting the shoots of raspberry you get the effect called – everbearing raspberry.
In the lower part of biennial shoots, fruit is formed in summer (after harvesting, these shoots should be removed). In late summer and autumn – fruit form in the upper part of annual shoots (after harvesting, this upper part dries and should be cut off).
From the buds formed at the bottom of the annual shoots, next year fruit will form at the usual harvest date of summer raspberry.
Thus, the raspberry fruit harvesting is possible from summer until the autumn frosts.
Raspberries grow best on mineral, fertile soils rich in nutrients, with high humus content and high water capacity. They prefer soils with a slightly acidic pH (pH in the range 5.5–6.5).
Raspberry roots are shallow. Therefore, when growing this species, it is important to ensure adequate soil moisture and the availability of an optimal amount of nutrients according to nutritional requirements, which vary depending on the variety and technology of cultivation.
Raspberry fruiting on one-year shoots has higher nutritional requirements than raspberry fruiting on two-year shoots.
The fertilization program for raspberry fruiting on one-year shoots, like other fruit plants, is established on the basis of soil and leaf analysis and on the basis of visual assessment of plants.
Plant biostimulation and foliar fertilisation are an important supplement to soil fertilisation.
- In early spring, just after the start of vegetation, it is important to use foliar phosphorus applications, as adverse weather conditions (low soil and air temperature) make that nutrient difficult for the roots to taken up.
Plant energy activator GROWON® is the most effective source of phosphorus for plants in adverse weather conditions. Use of the TYTANIT® biostimulant at this time stimulates plants to intensive development after winter dormancy.
- During the growth of leaves and shoots, optimal nitrogen supply (N) is necessary. Soil fertilisation with this nutrient can be supplemented with foliar feeding, using PLONVIT® NITROMAG or PLONVIT® NITRO. Nitrogen is effectively used by plants when the availability of other important nutrients is ensured. It is therefore recommended foliar feeding of plants with other nutrients, in particular: phosphorus (P) – PLONVIT® FOSTAR, PLONVIT® PHOSPHO; potassium (K) – PLONVIT® KALPRIM, PLONVIT® KALI; magnesium (Mg) – MIKROKOMPLEX®. For the proper development of plants micronutrients are also necessary, among which the most important are: copper (Cu) – supports lignification and development of vascular tissues – AMINO ULTRA® Cu-24, MIKROCHELAT™ Cu-15; iron (Fe) – responsible for proper chlorophyll biosynthesis – AMINO ULTRA® Fe-20, MIKROCHELAT™ Fe-13; zinc (Zn) – supports plant growth and directly affects inflorescence development – AMINO ULTRA® Zn-24, MIKROCHELAT™ Zn-15.
- During development of generative parts of plant – particularly important for the quantity and quality of the crop are: calcium – OPTYCAL® and PLONVIT® CALCIUM TURBO and boron – e.g. MIKROVIT® BORON TURBO.
Foliar use of the TYTANIT® biostimulant stimulates plants for better flowering and yielding. An element that significantly increases the mechanical resistance of fruits is silicon. That’s why the immunity biostimulant OPTYSIL® and shelf life extender OPTYSIL® LONGLIFE – are an indispensable elements of treatments aimed at obtaining very good quality fruit.
- Use of the fertiliser AMINO ULTRA® BORZIN before the beginning of leaf colour turning – prepares plants for winter dormancy.
In the cultivation of raspberry, it is particularly important to improve the natural resistance of plants to stress-causing conditions.
The foliar applications of TYTANIT®, OPTYSIL®, PLANTICINE® stimulate plants for better growth and yield. These products also ensure improvement of tolerance to abiotic (weather conditions) and biotic (disease and pest appearance) stresses, as well as the capability of accelerating the recovery of plants after the occurrence of stressful conditions. Shielding product (alkaline fertiliser) – ALKALIN™ PK 10:20 is also very useful and effective in programs supporting the control of some fungal pathogens.
The formation of a strong root system is essential for the correct development of the plant.
The use of BACTIM® VIGOR – increases the microbial biodiversity of the soil, stimulates the development of the root system and its regeneration, accelerates the mineralization and humification of organic matter, improves the structure of the soil and its physical and chemical properties, and reduces the development of soil-borne fungal diseases.
INTERMAG’s wide range of products allows to design individual foliar fertilisation and biostimulation program, taking into account local soil conditions, cropping intensity, crop development stage and product availability.
