Description and characteristics of the raspberry variety Zhuravlik, cultivation and reproduction
Raspberry Zhuravlik is a little-known remontant variety of berries that was created by breeders from Russia. The characteristic features of Zhuravlik include tasty fruits, high yields and long-term fruiting.
Description and characteristics of raspberries
A crane is a modern raspberry variety that was bred by Russian breeders at the beginning of the 21st century. Experts advise planting such shrubs in the central regions of Belarus, Ukraine and in the southern part of Russia.
The plant is referred to as early ripening berries, in which the harvest ripens within 35-45 days. The shrubs have average spreading of branches, they grow up to two and a half meters in height. At least five shoots grow on each bush, on which fruits are formed. Ripe berries have a blunt-conical shape, they are colored reddish. The yield from each shrub reaches three kilograms of berries. The harvested crop is used to create compote or jam.
What are the advantages and disadvantages?
The breeders who were engaged in the creation of Zhuravlik managed to breed a variety that has a huge number of advantages. The main advantages of this berry culture include the following:
- Strong immunity that protects bushes from insect attacks and the development of many diseases. Zhuravlik bushes almost never get sick and are not attacked by pests.
- Ripe fruit tastes good. Ripe berries have good taste and do not have a sour taste.
- Productivity. The crane is considered a high-yielding variety of raspberries, since after ripening 3-4 kilograms of fruit are obtained from the bush.
- Early harvest ripening. This variety allows you to enjoy ripe berries already at the beginning of summer.
However, Zhuravlik also has disadvantages that must be dealt with before landing:
- Thorns on the shoots. The shoots of shrubs are covered with sharp thorns, which complicate the collection of fruits and pruning of branches.
- Weak resistance to frost. Bushes are not recommended to be grown outdoors in regions with a harsh climate, as they have poor frost resistance.
- Small fruit size. Ripe berries are very small, their weight reaches 10-15 grams.
How to grow a variety correctly?
Before planting a Zhuravlik on a site, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of its cultivation.
Landing time and place
It is recommended to figure out the optimal timing for planting raspberry bushes in the garden in advance. Gardeners living in southern regions with warm climates can plant in the fall. Planting should be completed by the end of September, before the first night temperature drops begin. For people from the northern regions, it is better to plant berries in the spring - in April or early May.
Having determined the timing of the placement of raspberry seedlings, you need to find a place for growing them. The raspberry tree should grow in areas that are not blown by northern winds and are well lit by the sun.
Preparation of seedlings
All repaired seedlings that will be planted in the garden must be prepared in advance. First you need to prune young raspberry seedlings. Experts advise cutting off curved and elongated roots so that the plant height does not exceed 30 centimeters.
Also, before planting, you need to carefully inspect the seedlings and make sure that they are not damaged. During the inspection, special attention is paid to the root system. If the roots are too dark, then they will not grow well. Therefore, plants with light roots are selected for planting.
Planting scheme and process
Planting raspberries is carried out in several stages:
- Creation of a landing pit. First, a hole is dug on the site into which raspberries will be planted. The hole depth should not exceed 25 centimeters.
- Sapling placement. The young plant goes deeper into the hole so that the growing point remains above the ground.
- Sprinkle with soil. The planted bush is sprinkled with soil mixed with fertilizers. Then a hole is made near the plant, into which warm water is poured.
- Mulching. The planted raspberries are mulched with sawdust and fallen leaves.
The subtleties of plant care
In order for the variety to bear fruit well, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of caring for it.
Watering and loosening
Raspberries, like most other plants, need to be watered periodically to keep them hydrated. At the same time, you cannot fill it with water every day, since due to high humidity, the plant may begin to hurt. Soil moistening is done 3-4 times a week. A shrub uses 5-8 liters of water.
After watering, the soil near the bushes must be loosened with a hoe to get rid of the crust formed on the surface.
Fertilization
For normal growth and fruiting, raspberry bushes must be periodically fed with mineral and organic fertilizers. For the first time, fertilizing mixtures are used 15 days after planting. A solution prepared from mullein is added to the soil. The next feeding is carried out during the flowering and fruiting period.
Mulching
To protect the root system of plants from frost, mulching is done in early autumn. The following materials are used as mulch:
- Peat. It is it that is most often used when creating a mulch layer for raspberries. Peat is spread on the ground so that the layer height is 6-8 centimeters.
- Sawdust. They are covered with small heaps of 8-10 centimeters high near each bush.
Garter plants
To make the shrub grow better, it is tied to special supports. Most often, gardeners use the bundle method of garter bushes, since it is the easiest to use. In the center of the bush is a peg with a height of one and a half meters. All long shoots of the plant are tied to it with twine.
Raspberry pruning
Growing raspberries, you will have to periodically prune the shrub. The procedure is carried out in the autumn, so that more young and fertile shoots are formed in the spring. Also, the stems are pruned, as this prevents the appearance of fungal diseases.
Preparing for winter
When preparing for winter, the raspberry tree must be trimmed. In this case, it is necessary to shorten all the shoots so that their height is about 5-8 centimeters. Then the cut bushes are covered with straw or foliage and covered with plastic wrap.
Treatment of crops from diseases and insects
Raspberry bushes must be periodically processed to protect against pests and diseases. For spraying plants use:
- Actellik. An effective product for spraying garden crops. When creating a solution, one ampoule of "Actellik" is mixed with five liters of water. The prepared mixture is enough to process 2-3 bushes.
- Inta-Vir. Tablet preparation that is dissolved in water before use. To create a solution, an Inta-Vira tablet is added to 7-8 liters of warm water.
Breeding raspberries
For reproduction of raspberry bushes, many gardeners use young cuttings. Collecting cuttings is best done in late summer or early autumn.
The collected planting material is soaked and treated with stimulants to accelerate rooting. Until spring, cuttings are grown in pots, and in April or May they are transplanted into the garden.
Harvesting and storage
Since Zhuravlik is considered an early ripe berry, they are picked in June. The harvest ripens unevenly, and therefore they are engaged in harvesting ripe berries within a month. The collected fruits are not stored for long - only 2-3 days, after which they begin to deteriorate. For long-term storage, raspberry berries will have to be frozen in the freezer.
Conclusion
Some gardeners are engaged in the cultivation of raspberries such as Zhuravlik. It is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the description of the raspberry Zhuravlik in advance in order to understand the main features of this plant and learn all the intricacies of caring for it.
