Black Raspberry: the benefits and cultivation

Every experienced gardener is familiar with the usual raspberries.Today, no surprise anyone and yellow varieties, which are increasingly common in modern gardens. Raspberries with black berries are still a novelty for many. Dark dense berries are often confused with blackberries, it surpasses the traditional analogue in taste and juiciness, as well as unpretentious care.

Black raspberry is called so because of the specific ink color of the berries. Lush bushes with large dark fruits are rare in the suburban areas. This variety has a larger and higher-quality harvest than the traditional red or white raspberry, it serves as an excellent decorative element of the site. This plant was brought to Russia from North America and is a perennial shrub with large shoots from 1 to 3 m.

Black raspberry has its own characteristics, for example, a powerful root system that does not form root shoots. This allows you to plant individual bushes among other plants without the risk of their destruction. It is more resistant to various diseases, it is almost not damaged by insects. He begins to bear fruit earlier.

It is characterized by increased drought tolerance. Raspberry can be located on the sunniest side of the site. It does not dry out, unlike the red varieties. Black berries are held tighter than white and red. This raspberry falls to the ground less. It does not require complex care, it is satisfied with the usual feeding and watering medium frequency.

However, not all varieties of black raspberry tolerate winter frosts. Therefore, for the winter, the bushes should be tied so that the individual shoots do not break under the weight of ice and snow. To accurately determine what is growing on the site (raspberry or blackberry), it is enough to try to remove the berry without receptacle. Unlike blackberries, even not quite ripe black raspberries are easily removed from the step.

Dark berries are juicier and sweeter than ordinary red ones. From one bush can be collected from 2 to 4 kg of berries. They are elastic, so they are easy to assemble and transport. This raspberry is full of vitamins, useful acids.

The most common variety of black raspberries in Russia is Cumberland. It is most adapted to our climatic conditions and soil composition, which gives a high yield. It is an arcuate early-ripe shrub with thorns and dense, round-shaped black berries. As they mature, the color of the stems acquires a noticeable gray bloom, sharp thorns appear. The variety has a sweet taste with a touch of blackberry, fruitfulness is up to 4 kg of berries from one bush. The plant tolerates cold, but does not like high humidity.

The second most popular variety in domestic gardeners is raspberry Bristol. These bushes with long (up to 3 meters) shoots give the greatest yield. Juicy black berries with a blue patina have an almost perfect spherical shape and sweet taste.

On the world market there are such perennial varieties as Black Jewel and Mac Black with an average maturity and not so large, but stable fruitfulness. A good variety can be called Niwot, which bears fruit on new shoots of the current year. Russian suppliers also bring to the market various varieties and hybrids. For example, early raspberries with beautiful female names “Irina” and “Eleonora” are popular.

Berries "Eleanor" have a classic rounded shape, "Irina" - elongated cone. The most popular domestic variety is the “Gift of Siberia”. It is bred specifically for the cold regions of our country and is quite cold-resistant. Spreading tall bushes with two- and one-year shoots give small round berries. The variety has dessert purpose, so the fruits are characterized by high sweetness and juiciness.

The special chemical composition of blackberry raspberry allows it to gain leadership among medicinal plants. According to many experts in the field of medicine and biology, the dark berry is slightly inferior to other varieties in the content of amino acids and vitamin C. It contains a large amount of iron, anthocytes and ellagic acid. Sitosterol and antioxidants in the fruit make it possible to call this raspberry a real “queen of berries”.

In addition to all of the above, dark berries contain vitamins of group B, PP, A, E, H, boron, zinc, potassium, fluorine, colbate, phosphorus and many other elements. High calorie (72 Kcal per 100 g) with a low content of proteins and fats allow you to add it to the diet high carbohydrate diet. This raspberry will replace chocolate and cakes, when you want sweet. The regular presence of the fruits of this plant in the diet will:

• improve vision;
• strengthen blood vessels;
• cleanse the body of radionuclides and heavy metals;
• reduce cholesterol

• lower blood pressure;
• increase hemoglobin;
• improve the condition of the skin and hair;
• eliminate problems with the digestive tract;
• reduce the risk of occurrence and slow the development of cancer.

American doctors found that consuming about 2 kg of this berry during the year almost completely reduces the risk of cancer. In addition, it increases the tone of the whole body and slows down aging. Such raspberry is especially useful in the treatment of gynecological problems (to reduce pain during menstruation and even in the treatment of infertility). Black raspberry - the best remedy for ARVI.

In combination with honey, it allows you to get rid of cold viruses, and berry decoction, you can gargle a sore throat. From its leaves you can make decoctions, which are an excellent expectorant and diaphoretic. The leaves should be collected in June and July from the top young shoots. They should not be stained and damaged. To dry such greens is necessary in a dry ventilated room, where direct sunlight does not fall.

Black raspberries are also actively used in cosmetology, using fruits and flowers with leaves. On their basis, create different masks and shampoos. It is possible to independently prepare an anti-acne mask, grinding some berries into a mush for the subsequent application of a thick layer on the face. Wash off such a mask in 15-20 minutes with warm water. From the leaves and flowers of raspberry, you can prepare a healing decoction to strengthen the hair, pour boiling water over them and infuse for several hours.

For all its merits, black raspberry has certain contraindications. It is not recommended to use such berries in the following cases:

• kidney disease;
• sick gastritis;
• with allergies.

For the very first time, black-fruited raspberry bushes are easy to get, using purchased seeds. After stratification in spring, they must be sown in the ground with fertilizers. In the fall, you can plant a plant without stratification. After receiving the first bushes, the rest of the raspberries are expanded with layering at the end of the summer season.

To do this, the elongated branches are bent to the ground and placed in the previously dug grooves 10 cm deep. The bent shoots are fixed and sprinkled with earth so that the growing point is on the surface. The result looks like a few small shoots next to the parental raspberry bush.

Before you plant black raspberries on your plot, you need to pick and prepare the right place. This plant is unpretentious, can grow in any soil and in any light. However, experienced gardeners argue that the amount of harvest can seriously fluctuate depending on the growth conditions of the bushes. It is important to consider a number of factors affecting the fruitfulness of the black raspberry.

Growing raspberries in a windless, brightly lit corner of the plot is the right choice. The plant does not tolerate cold wind. Planting it under the windows on the sunny side would be the best solution, since the wall of the house will protect the plant from drafts.

It is important that the blackberry does not grow next to the raspberry, and the land in which the shoots are planted has rested for at least one year from tomatoes, potatoes or eggplants.

You should not plant individual bushes of black berries too close to each other. The optimal distance is 80 cm between adjacent bushes and about 2 m between rows. With such a plant it will be easier to care for plants. Each of them will be heated by the sun and aired.

The most important factor affecting the growth and yield of berries, is the composition of the soil. The soil is best suited loamy, containing a large number of different nutrients and minerals. It does not stagnate moisture, which can lead to rotting of the roots, well kept warm.

Planted black raspberries in early spring to a depth of at least half a meter. The width of the landing pit can vary in the region of 40-50 cm. Fertilize best of all with ash and humus mixed in equal quantities, which are poured into the pit to a height of 20-25 cm. The pit is filled with water.

It is carefully placed raspberry sapling. When the water is absorbed, the pit is filled with the remaining earth mixed with complex fertilizers and sand (if necessary). From the part of the seedling protruding above the surface, a bush can be formed so that the initial growth can occur in the desired direction. Then you need to water the resulting landing again.

Even novice gardeners can easily provide unpretentious berries proper care. To do this, just follow some rules.

• It is better to mulch the soil immediately after planting using sawdust, dry grass or manure.
• It is necessary to water raspberries in a timely manner, including when harvest time comes. The more often the bushes are watered, the larger the berries will be on them. Most preferable for black raspberry drip irrigation.
• Fast-growing stems are stretched up to 3 meters in length and become too fragile. To the branches did not break, they can be tied up on a special trellis or to an ordinary fence.
• Twice a year the plant needs to be cut. In the summer, pruning is done to increase yield: the shoot is shortened at the point of growth. Autumn pruning is needed as a preparation of raspberries for wintering: they cut out old dried up twigs.

Separately, it is worthwhile to dwell on the protection against pests and diseases and the feeding of berries. The most terrible disease for the black plant is verticillous wilting. It is almost impossible to cure an already diseased plant, so prevention is so important:

• purchase of quality seeds;
• compliance with the rules of landing;
• good soil drainage.

To avoid fungal diseases, you can spray the plant leaves with special solutions containing copper and insecticides. To combat the raspberry beetle perfectly suitable solution with a content of 2% nitrophene. For repeated spraying before flowering, you can use the extract of wormwood and marigold (400 grams of a dry mixture of herbs per 10 liters of water). As a top dressing any organic fertilizers prepared by the hands well will approach. You can use nitrogen mineral.

According to reviews and descriptions of many experienced gardeners, the time spent feeding increases the yield of berries almost doubled. It is equally important to properly prepare raspberries for wintering. In mild climates, you can leave branches attached to the trellis.

Summarizing all the above, we can conclude: black raspberry combines all the best from blackberry and classic red raspberry. Berries are not only tasty, but also healthy. The plant itself is unpretentious and high-yielding. To grow such a decoration for a summer cottage and a summer table will not be difficult, even for beginners in the field of gardening.

You will learn more about black raspberries in the following video.