How to Grow Raspberries
Raspberries are a tasty summer treat. They are a healthy snack and they make a great summer desert. In the fall these berries can be canned as preserves so that you can enjoy a taste of summer even in the dead of winter. However, while these berries are a great summer treat, they are also very expensive if you have to buy them in a supermarket. Fortunately, they cost next to nothing if you grow them in your garden.
1. Know Where to Plant Your Raspberry Plants
The first step that you need to take if you want to grow your own raspberries is to find the right location in your yard or garden to plant them. Raspberries are a hardy plant, but they need lots of sun, relatively dry soil that has a lot of nutrients. You should also avoid planting your raspberries where you have previously planted potatoes, tomatoes, and egg plants, or where wild raspberries or blackberries have grown. This is because these plants have a root rot that can kill your domestic raspberry plants.
2. Prepare Your Soil
To prepare your soil for your raspberries you should try to mix in mulch and organic fertilizers to your regular top soil. Incorporating sand into your top soil is also a good idea. This will help to ensure proper drainage. Before you plant your raspberries you should try to get the soils pH level to somewhere around 5.6 to 6.2. If you soil is too acidic you can add ground up limestone to your soil. This will help to raise the soils pH level.
3. Selecting a Raspberry Plant
There are many different types of raspberry plants that you can select from. To get the best results you should buy plants that are suited for your climate. If you live in a colder climate that has harsh winters then you will want a heartier variety of raspberry. Most nurseries will have a growing chart that will tell you where a particular raspberry plant will grow in. However, your local nursery will probably be your best option for finding the right raspberry plant for your area.
The most recommended raspberry plants are: Boyne, Killarney, Newburgh, and Nova varieties.
4. Planting Your Raspberries
You should follow the instructions provided by the nursery that you buy your raspberries from. If you buy your plant for a department store or a home improvement store then the growing instructions will generally be on the package. Usually you will want to wait until the threat of frost has past before you plant a new raspberry plant. For most areas this will be around April.
5. Caring for Your Raspberry Plants
Raspberries pretty much take care of themselves. However, you will need to make sure that they get just enough water to survive. Too much water can be as harmful to raspberries as too little water. In the fall, after your last harvest of berries cover your raspberries with hay or compost to both protect the plants through winter and to feed the soil for next year.
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