Raspberry seedlings Raspberry ridge

A new Russian variety of remontant raspberry "Raspberry Ridge" was bred in the Nizhny Novgorod nursery "School Garden" by breeders Vladimir and Ilya Shiblev. The variety is quite young, it was registered in the State Register in 2018, and in the spring of 2019 the first seedlings of this raspberry entered the market. Therefore, about the great experience of growing the "Raspberry Ridge" in a garden or farm, it's too early to say. The description of the variety today is mainly based on the statements of the producers.

Varie Features

The bushes of the "Raspberry Ridge" average strength of growth. Spreading shoots from 1 to 1.5 meters tall, with rare hard spines. The foliage is large, corrugated, slightly pubescent. The root system is powerful branched. Flowering is plentiful.

Fruits from the "Raspberry Ridge" very attractive in appearance: bright red with a ruby hue and glossy sheen, large, aligned in shape and size (2.5 * 3.5 cm in length). The average weight of berries in the season is 5-8 grams, but under ideal conditions they can reach an impressive size of 12-14 grams. The taste of berries is very sweet, the aroma is rich fruit and berry, the pulp is juicy. Evaluation of tasters 4.5 points out of 5.0.

The drupes of the berries are tightly linked, the skin, although tender, is elastic, so the raspberries keep their shape perfectly, do not crumble, do not flow when harvested and stored. Well transfers transportation on long distances, keeps commercial qualities and appearance. Therefore, the new variety has already been chosen by those who grow berries for commercial purposes.

According to the terms of maturation «Raspberry Ridge» refers to early friendly varieties. As a remontant, raspberries give two harvests per season – summer and autumn. In the southern latitudes, the first stage & nbsp; falls in July – beginning of August, in other climatic zones – for August. The second wave of harvest – in September-October.

During fruiting periods, the bush is literally strewn with – up to 20 berries ripen at one time on one branch. Amicable ripening of raspberries makes possible not only manual, but also mechanical picking of berries. The authors of the variety declare its yield: 15-20 t/ha, subject to agricultural practices.

Planting and care

Variety "Raspberry Ridge" unpretentious in care, not afraid of adverse external influences, frost and drought resistant. It has developed immunity to many diseases and pests. However, in regions with a long cool spring, and with the early onset of cold weather, raspberries may not produce the entire autumn harvest, and reverse frosts can damage plants that have started growing. In such conditions, it is recommended to grow raspberries indoors.

In order for the variety to fully demonstrate itself, follow simple rules when planting seedlings and further caring for plants.

Landing. "Raspberry Ridge" loves the sun, light loose nutrient soil, with good air exchange and  neutral acidity. Therefore, for the formation of raspberries, the choice is made in favor of a well-lit area, with sandy or loamy soil, pH 5.7-6.5 m. compost, humus, biohumus.

The planting scheme is standard for most varieties of remontant raspberries. In the area allotted for raspberries, separate holes or trenches are dug (depending on the chosen planting method). For mechanical harvesting on large plantations, the belt method is better, in this case a distance of at least three meters is left between the rows. On the garden plot, 1.5-2 m is enough. Between the plants in the trenches, a cycle of 80-100 cm is left. The depth of the pits / trenches – 40-50 cm, hole diameter – 40 cm. At the bottom of each hole  it is recommended to add a nutrient mixture of organic fertilizers and earth.

After preparing the site, the seedlings are lowered into the holes, the root system is straightened, sprinkled with earth, so that the root collar is flush with the ground. Then each bush is poured abundantly with water, the planting is mulched, for example, with hay, straw or sawdust. Mulch will allow the roots to retain moisture and will prevent the formation and development of weeds.

A variety in one place will produce crops up to 10-12 years in a row, after the expiration of the term, the soil is depleted and the raspberries are transferred to a new place.

Garter. Low spreading bushes of the "Raspberry Ridge" quite do without additional & nbsp; supports. However, tying the trellis helps to organize the raspberry space, making it easier to pick berries and take care of the plants. The latter, in turn, receive more sunlight and air, about which they develop and bear fruit even better.

Irrigation. The domestic raspberry variety presented above is resistant to a short drought, but it is better not to subject the plant to this test and water it with sufficient water in time. After planting, young bushes are watered and calculated 2 liters per bush. Then watering is repeated during the season: once a week, under conditions of moderate summer temperatures and rainfall. In case of severe drought, the frequency of watering is increased to 2-3 times a week. In rainy weather, plants in the open field are not watered. The optimal time for watering is morning and evening. Methods: jet of water under a bush, sprinkling, drip irrigation.

The latter method perfectly saves the gardener's time and effort, and also protects the leaves of plants from moisture and, as a result, the development of fungal diseases.

After heavy watering, the top layer of the earth is carefully loosened to prevent the formation of a crust that does not let air through to the roots. To save moisture and prevent the soil from drying out on hot days, as well as rid the plant of weeds, mulching the root zone with organic matter or special fiber will help.

Feeding. Raspberries are responsive to organic fertilizers – compost, biohumus, rotted manure. The site is enriched with these compounds in early spring or before planting new raspberry seedlings. During the period of bud formation, flowering and fruiting, mineral fertilizers for berry crops (potassium, phosphorus, trace elements) are applied to the soil.

Cutting. Autumn pruning of raspberries is produced depending on the method of cultivation: as a summer variety – get one bountiful harvest per season, or as a remontant – waiting for the second harvest.

For the first option – all the stems that have given up the seasonal crop are cut off at the root. Thus, they do not leave room for the development of bacteria and pests that can overwinter on the bushes. In addition, this approach simplifies the preparation of the site for wintering. 

If you want to get a second crop in a season, in the fall, the shoots of the first year that bear fruit at the tops are left, shortening only the upper part of the stem. The first harvest of next year will be formed already in the middle part, the second will appear in the fall on the tops of new shoots. 

Be prepared for the fact that the berries in the second harvest will be small, and the harvest itself will be less significant than the summer one. On an industrial scale – shoots are not cut.

In the spring, frozen, damaged and weak branches are removed. Up to 15 of the most powerful shoots are left on the bushes, per linear meter. During the season, make sure that the plantings do not thicken, because. the variety is prone to intensive growth, excess growth must be cut off in time.

Preparing for winter. Variety "Raspberry Ridge" tolerates frosts up to – 30 °С without any problems. However, in cold latitudes, with the onset of early cold weather, plants in the open field may not have time to give part of the autumn harvest. Bushes cut at the root are covered with mulch or agrofibre before winter, it is especially important to do this in areas with little snowy winters. Then the chances of losing plantings due to freezing become negligible. 

Preparations