Pruning raspberries in spring

Since you are reading this article, then you are probably a lover of raspberries both in the form of fresh berries and in the form of compote and jam. This is a delicious and surprisingly healthy berry. Many grow it in their summer cottages. And with a high degree of probability, you know firsthand: if you do not take care of the raspberry, soon enough it turns into impassable jungle, overgrown with weeds, and the yield is noticeably reduced. One of the most important maintenance points is pruning raspberries in the spring. It provides not only good yields, but also protection from pests.

Raspberry pruning: why and when to do it?

Raspberry is a biennial plant. That is, the first year it grows shoots, and only in the next they bloom and berries appear. After that, the shoots die off. There will be no more harvest on them and that is why they must be cut off.

Otherwise, the bush, spending its strength on them, will deprive fresh biennial branches of nutrients. This will ultimately affect the yield. But often in the fall we do not find time to prune raspberries and postpone this procedure to spring.

Pruning raspberries in the spring: how is it right?

Pruning raspberries in spring: photo

In the spring, when pruning raspberries, in addition to removing obviously unnecessary shoots, a thorough revision of all bushes is carried out. Before active sap flow begins in the shoots, it is necessary to identify and cut off all frozen, dried, damaged and broken raspberry branches.

Thin the raspberry tree so that there are about 30 stems per square meter. This will be enough for free air circulation. It will also be very convenient to weed the plantings and harvest with this arrangement.

If you are growing a tall variety of raspberries, it is worth trimming the tops of the shoots, leaving a length of about 1.2 meters. Since all fruiting buds are located in the middle of the bush, and the excess of foliage and branches will take away the nutrients and moisture that are needed for the ripening of the berries. This annual pruning will ensure the health and yield of the raspberry plant.

Possible problems

Pruning raspberries in spring: photo of the process

The first difficulty in pruning raspberries in spring arises when trying to distinguish young shoots from old ones. You can check their age like this: young branches bend well without breaking, but the old ones do not bend at all, but on the contrary break with a bang.

They must be cut off with a pruner at the very base and removed (it is better to burn). Since plant residues are usually the main cause of the appearance of diseases and a breeding ground for harmful insects.

Still difficulties can arise due to incorrectly chosen pruning dates: too early or too late. If you did not have time and the buds have already begun to swell - there is nothing to be done, it is better to postpone it until autumn.

And in the summer, you need to limit yourself to careful weeding so that the raspberry tree does not turn into dense thickets. And if you prune too early, before the frost threat has passed, chances are that the upper buds will freeze. And, accordingly, there will be much less berries.

Therefore, always focus on the weather forecast. In the middle lane, raspberry pruning is usually carried out in late April and early May. In more southern areas, pruning can be done as early as March. And in the more northern ones - at the end of May or at the beginning of June.

Correct raspberry tree device

Raspberry bushes after pruning: photo

There are two options for planting raspberries: bush and tape. If your raspberry is a bush, it makes sense to leave five or eight strong, healthy branches while pruning. In this case, the bushes should be located at a distance of a meter from each other.

If you have a tape planting, then leave no more than fifteen plants in a row at a distance of 20-30 cm from each other. And the distance between the tapes should be from one to one and a half meters. To prevent the wind from damaging the branches, install supports, this will make it easier to care for the raspberry tree and pick berries.

Any culture growing in your summer cottage requires attention, time and proper care. If you prune and form bushes on time, then raspberries will reward you with an excellent harvest of large, tasty berries.