Raspberry "Caramel"

Raspberry Caramel: variety description

Breeders are very fond of producing new varieties of horticultural fruit and berry crops, which are very popular among gardeners. In this article, we will dwell in more detail on the description of a remontant variety called Raspberry Caramel, which got its name for a reason: the berries have an incredible sweet taste that stands out against the background of many other varieties. The berries express the real aroma of forest raspberries, which is not inherent in all varieties, both ordinary and remontant. This property is due to the fact that the berries contain a large amount of acids, as well as a large amount of sugar, which is an undoubted advantage.

This variety was the result of many years and very painstaking work of the Russian breeder I.V. Shiblev. In 2016, the berry of this variety was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements, which once again emphasizes the importance and peculiarity of this variety. Basically, raspberry Caramel grows in central Russia, which is considered the most suitable for its territorial and climatic characteristics.

Raspberry Caramel: characteristics

The variety is incredibly convenient not only in planting, but also in the subsequent care of the bushes. They are thick, erect, and do not require additional supports. With proper care, the bushes do not fall apart at all, they are very persistent. They have a small number of thorns on them, which can make harvesting a less enjoyable process, but still the harvest and its quality overshadow any such negative traits. Shoots in height can reach almost one and a half meters, but if the gardener pays even more attention to them, then the shoots can reach a height of two meters, but this is only with really decent and careful plant care.

As we have already noted a little above, the fruits are very juicy and sweet. Tasting tests carried out showed that the raspberry variety Caramelka takes a leading position in taste and quality among all other remontant varieties, which today are also popular among gardeners and gardeners. The berries are medium in size, weight varies from 6 to 12 grams, depending on the care of the shrub. The pulp is dense, juicy. The berries can be easily transported over long distances, and they can also be harvested not by hand, but by a mechanized method, especially when it comes to the industrial scale of growing this variety of berries. Practice shows that the fruits of the Caramelka raspberry variety are excellent not only for personal consumption by a gardener, but also for sale, therefore it is often used for growing on an industrial scale. In addition, under favorable conditions, Caramel raspberries can be stored for a long time, which is also a great advantage over other remontant and classic garden varieties of raspberries.

If the choice of a gardener falls on the cultivation of this variety, then berries can appear even on annual shoots. This favorably distinguishes the variety from all others, on which berries can appear only a year after the plant has been planted in open ground and rooted in it.

There are many positive traits of the Caramelka raspberry variety, and we would now like to list some of them.We note right away that these positive qualities were highlighted on the basis of reviews that were left by the gardeners themselves, who already had or have experience in growing or breeding this remontant variety:

- the variety has increased winter hardiness, the bushes can easily endure even the coldest and most severe winters

- the variety is very productive, a gardener can collect about five kilograms of berries from one bush. If we are talking about the industrial scale of the cultivation of the Caramelka variety, then about 20 tons of crops can be removed from one hectare of land.

- a dense fruit wall can form in about a year after the bushes have been planted in open ground. During the year, the gardener can notice excellent growth of shrubs, which indicates their vitality.

- if we have huge territories where berries of this variety grow, then harvesting can be done not by hand, but by a mechanized method. The berries are dense, so they receive little or no damage if harvested this way.

- when grown on an industrial scale, the crop pays off excellently, which brings additional profit to the gardener himself, and this, of course, is a plus from an economic point of view.

Of course, there are also some disadvantages that we simply cannot ignore. For example, gardeners believe that one of the disadvantages of this variety is that the bushes can form a huge number of new shoots, which take away the vitality of those shoots that are responsible for the main fruiting. Also, raspberries are not particularly favorable to droughts, therefore, it must be constantly watered in order to maintain the vitality of the plant, its ability to bear abundant fruit.

In the next part of this article, we will dwell in more detail on what are the features of planting this remontant variety, as well as how to properly care for it so that the raspberry bushes of the Caramelka variety are resistant to diseases, fungi and attacks from pests and insects.

Repairing raspberry Caramel: planting and care

In general, raspberries Caramelka, reviews of gardeners about which are positive, are quite unpretentious. But still, if the gardener is guided by the fact that he wants to get multiple flowering and fruiting, then this will require providing the bushes with a large amount of sunny color. In this regard, planting is best done in areas that are maximally illuminated by the sun throughout the day (usually, these are southern areas). Raspberry Caramel, the seedlings of which are only planned to be planted, should be placed at a distance of about 70 centimeters, but if raspberries are grown on a large industrial scale, then the distance is best increased to about one meter.

For planting, it is best to choose light fertile soils, the place should be well lit, but protected from strong winds or drafts, since the shrubs are not particularly welcoming to windy conditions, and during the fruiting period the berries may crumble due to the wind. About 4 plants can be grown per square meter. Planting of raspberries is carried out either in March or in September, that is, like any crops, raspberries can be planted in spring or autumn, it all depends on the preferences and capabilities of the gardener. In the spring, small green offspring-seedlings can be rooted, and in the fall, one-year-old cuttings that already have a developed root system can be prepared for planting.

It is worth noting that a plant that was planted in the fall, since at this time the shrub can take root in the soil much faster and better. The area that the gardener prepares for planting raspberry bushes must first be dug up and organic and mineral fertilizers and fertilizers applied.If a gardener purchases planting material, then he should more carefully examine it for possible damage to both branches and the root system, as well as for the presence of possible diseases or fungal infections. If the seedling has dry leaves, then this indicates that the plant had an incorrect wintering, which means it has already been stressed, so it is necessary to once again consider buying such a seedling.

Even if the raspberry variety is persistent, unpretentious, in any case, it needs care, since this is the only way it can grow and give a large and tasty harvest. A full range of measures, which includes watering the bushes, feeding and the necessary pruning, as well as some preventive treatments to prevent diseases - all these measures will allow the gardener to get a strong plant with high immunity as a result, which in gratitude will give a bountiful harvest of delicious berries.

Raspberries of the remontant variety Caramel simply need regular watering. It is usually produced either by sprinkling or by watering in a hole around the trunk of a bush. The amount of moisture depends on the condition of the plant, as well as on the condition of the soil and weather conditions. On ordinary days, it will be enough to add about two buckets under one raspberry bush. But if the gardener noticed that the season is already rainy enough, then he should not bring in moisture. The thing is that raspberries from excess moisture can get sick, the root system will begin to suppurate, which will lead to root diseases and, accordingly, to an increased risk of morbidity. This will reduce the level of the crop, which will become a real problem for the gardener. In normal stable weather periods, watering should be carried out once every one and a half to two weeks, not more often.

Over the entire season, you should feed the raspberry bushes of the Caramelka variety three times:

- the first feeding is carried out after the spring frosts have completely disappeared, and the weather gradually stabilizes. Organic fertilizers are excellent for this stage of feeding, since they are natural and completely safe. This includes bird droppings, weed infusion. If the gardener does not have organic matter at hand, then he can use some mineral fertilizers, among which urea, ammonium nitrate are excellent and stand out for their properties and qualities.

- the second feeding is carried out during the flowering period of raspberry bushes. To do this, about 20 grams of potassium salt and about 20 grams of suphosphate should be diluted with 10 liters of water to water the soil and give the plant elements to enhance flowering and ovaries.

- the third stage of feeding should be done after the crop has been harvested from the bushes. To do this, to give the bush strength, organic fertilizers should be added - compost, manure. They will help the plant to recuperate, and the soil will also be saturated with the nutrients that it has given so that the shrub gives an excellent ovary and an appropriate high-quality crop.

Around the fall, pruning of raspberries Caramel should be carried out, on all annual shoots, so that only stumps of no more than three centimeters remain on the surface. This is necessary so that the future harvest is even larger and more abundant, and such pruning will help protect the plant from parasites and various viral infections, which often hibernate in the shoots, and in the spring they begin to attack the plant with renewed vigor.

If speak about spring pruning, then it is necessary only in those cases and on those shrubs that froze over the winter or dry out altogether, and no longer have any vitality in themselves. Usually, such pruning is its sanitary type, it is carried out in April, because then, according to the state of the buds, it is possible to reveal how the plant overwintered, which part of it functions normally, and which part needs to be completely removed, since it does not have any strength and opportunities for flowering and appropriate fruiting. Some experienced gardeners also recommend pinching some raspberry shoots in May, as this allows you to achieve a later and more abundant fruiting. But this should be done only with knowledge of the matter, otherwise the plant can simply be harmed.

The branches of the shrubs are very elastic, sometimes from a large number of berries they can bend to the ground. It is recommended for the gardener to tie up the plant, as it will not only help to raise the drooping bushes, but also help the bushes to receive more uniform lighting, respectively, the crop will ripen evenly. It is also worth noting that the bushes will not snuggle to the ground, which means that the risk of diseases, both fungal and infectious, is reduced.