Raspberry seedlings Aurora

One of the youngest varieties of remontant raspberry Aurora was bred by the Italian breeders of Vivai Molani di Cesena in 2017. It entered the market only in 2018, so there is still little data on the results of growing Aurora in the Russian climate.

Nevertheless, it is already clear that a high-yielding raspberry variety, 90% of whose fruits are classified as Category 1 according to quality characteristics, has excellent chances to take root in garden plots and farmlands, to become a sales leader in the Russian market.

Varie Features

High Aurora bushes – up to 2.5 meters, need a garter. The stems are powerful, strong.

Berries of medium size (from 3 gr.), Rich red color, with a sweet taste: Brix indicator "Sugar content"; – 12 units In addition, the fruits have a rare quality for raspberries – high transportability, so they are great for selling fresh berries in the markets.

The raspberry variety Aurora is classified as high-yielding. This is a full-fledged tutimer that gives 2 crops of raspberries per season, summer and autumn. The mass ripening of the first berry occurs in early July, in the northern latitudes – moves towards the end of the month. Summer harvest give last year's shoots. On average, 0.5 kg of berries are harvested from one bush. The autumn harvest ripens on young shoots and falls on the end of August – September.

The variety is resistant to low temperatures, does not require special conditions for growth, and therefore can develop well and bear fruit even in an open area. However, Aurora produces the best crop in terms of quality and quantity in greenhouses and tunnels.

Planting and care

Landing. Aurora landing dates are determined depending on the region. So in the northern latitudes, where frosts already come in early autumn, spring planting of raspberries is recommended. In the warm climate of the southern regions, raspberries can be planted both in spring and autumn. In the conditions of the middle lane, autumn planting is recommended, so that with the arrival of spring heat, the bush begins to grow shoots. Mandatory conditions for planting raspberries in open ground: 12-hour daylight hours and air temperature of at least +10…+15°C.

Raspberry of this variety prefers: non-acidic loamy, well-fertilized moist soils, with deep (at least 1 m) groundwater, sunlit areas throughout the daylight hours. The land on which potatoes, peppers or tomatoes previously grew is not suitable for planting Aurora seedlings. From the northern moan, it is desirable to protect raspberries from the cold wind with a hedge.

Usually, raspberries are formed from 4-6 rows of seedlings, or individual bushes, which  planted in a checkerboard pattern. Pits are dug with depth and diameter – 0.5 m. Leave a distance of up to one meter between plants. Each plant is attached to a support. Trench planting is most often used when growing raspberries on an industrial scale: the distance between rows – 2 m, between plants – 0.5 m

Irrigation. Aurora is usually watered from the end of May, when the earth is already warming up, but in the absence of rain it dries up. Further watering is carried out weekly – at least 5 liters for each bush. In case of drought, the amount of water is increased by 2-3 times, making sure that the soil is moistened 0.4 m deep. After each watering, the earth is properly loosened, weeds are removed. If in the spring after the first loosening the soil is mulched, then regular loosening will not be required in the future.

Feeding. In the spring, as soon as the snow melts and the soil thaws, a complex of mineral fertilizers for berry plants or organic matter is added to it. In May, to activate the kidneys and the growth of new fruit shoots, raspberries are fed with mineral products based on growth stimulants. In the first days of May, fungal diseases are prevented, raspberries are treated with fungicides, and if signs of fungal diseases are found – blue vitriol.

Cutting

Biennial shoots of remontant Aurora give a poorer harvest of fruits than annuals. Therefore, agricultural technicians recommend leaving shoots for wintering only in southern regions with mild winters. In the middle lane and northern regions, after the autumn harvest, all the stems are cut off, leaving the roots with dormant young buds. If next season you want to get two harvests, then the first-year-olds can be left by cutting them shorter.

After pruning, the area is mulched with peat, sawdust or straw. The mulch layer should not be less than 10 cm. In April, after the snow melts, sanitary pruning of the shoots to the first healthy bud is carried out.

How to choose seedlings?

Criteria for selection of remontant raspberry seedlings:

1. A large number of live buds at the base, at least three.
2. Healthy roots – lively, elastic, dense and moist. If the seedling has several root shoots – therefore, it is more viable.
3. Transportation of a seedling to the planting site is desirable with a closed root system and a clod of earth from the site where it grew. In this case, the raspberry seedling adapts better and takes root in the new soil.
4. Before planting, the shoots are cut to 0.3-0.4 m, this will provoke the active growth of young stems.

Preparations