Autumn raspberry feeding: methods and important information

Not all plots of land allow for large areas for raspberry bushes. This berry is typically planted somewhere in the corner of a fence, and few people take care of it. But even a small area can yield a good raspberry harvest. All it takes is proper planting and fertilizing. Proper autumn fertilizing will maximize the yield.

Features of the procedure

Fertilizing raspberry bushes in the fall and into winter is crucial. Once the harvest is complete, the raspberry plant needs to quickly recover and prepare for the new season. This crucial step involves fertilizing, proper pruning, watering, and other important tasks.

First, remove excess and fruiting shoots. For regular raspberry varieties, this is done in the last month of summer, and for remontant varieties, at the end of September. The next step is to dig the soil shallowly, to a depth of about 20 cm. Weeds will naturally be removed, but of course, they must be pulled out.

Raspberry bushes thrive naturally in humus. For this reason, in peasant times, manure and straw from the barn were sprinkled on the berry bushes. This technique also helps reduce the number of insects that are dangerous to raspberries—the raspberry beetle.

You can buy manure or prepare your own compost from whatever you have on hand. You can use weeds, kitchen scraps, peat, leaves, or grass clippings.

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This amount should be applied only once every two to three years. It wouldn't hurt to add some ash to the soil—about two to three handfuls per square meter of bushes. It's important to prepare thoroughly for winter.

Use of mineral components

It's worth noting that mineral fertilizers are used only as a supplement to organic fertilizers when caring for raspberries. Organic matter quickly rots, nourishing the soil and improving its structure. Mineral fertilizers, on the other hand, enrich the soil with essential elements.

When fertilizing raspberries in the fall, avoid using nitrogen. This will encourage excessive growth of shoots, which will not have time to adapt to winter and will eventually die. Another beneficial fertilizer is potassium, which the plant needs to withstand cold temperatures. Fertilizing the plant with potassium will increase the shoots' frost resistance.

Another useful autumn fertilizer is phosphorus. If you use it when tilling the soil, it will be absorbed by spring. In fact, autumn feeding of raspberries is the most effective. The soil will be saturated with the added micronutrients for a long time, and in the spring, the bush will begin to actively utilize these fertilizers.

[sc name=»info-attention» text=»It is strictly forbidden to use fertilizer complexes containing chlorine. This can negatively impact the development of not only the root system but also the shoots and fruits. Specialized fertilizer complexes are available for purchase at any online store selling gardening supplies.»]

Fertilization rules

There are specific rules for feeding raspberries in the fall for the winter. Dig holes about 20 cm deep around the bushes, 30-35 cm apart, and add fertilizer. This promotes the migration of nutrients into the root layers of the soil. This creates direct contact between the humus and the roots, which creates an incredible effect. Don't forget to cover the entire area with soil, as this will protect the roots from winter damage.

For autumn care of the plant, you can prepare a mixture of potassium sulfate and superphosphate granules—20 and 40 grams per square meter, respectively. Superphosphate powder is not suitable for this mixture. It is not absorbed by the soil and does not reach the roots. For young plants, the dosage of this mixture is reduced by 20 and 10 grams, respectively.

Another option is "Autumn" raspberry fertilizer. It's particularly suitable for highly acidic soils. In addition to potassium and phosphorus, it contains boron, magnesium, and calcium. It should be applied at a dosage of 30-40 g/m². Application guidelines must be carefully considered, as the final result will depend on them.

There is quite a lot of advice regarding the care of various garden shrubs, but all of them are only appropriate in certain situations.

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Mulch and its features

Any organic material can be used as mulch: chopped grass, leaves, straw, hay, sunflower seed husks, and others. However, don't use vegetable tops or fallen leaves. For mulch, prepare a layer of 10 to 15 cm. Furthermore, the mulch will also decompose into fertilizer. This way, the fall fertilization of raspberries with mineral fertilizers will begin to take full effect. Over the winter, the bush will absorb all the necessary nutrients, and you'll reap an incredible harvest in the summer.

Many gardeners neglect the use of mulch, but it's incredibly beneficial for plants of all types. Not only do you protect the roots, but you also create a future fertilizer complex. If you have a suitable mulch material, feel free to add it.

Don't forget that autumn is considered a good time to plant raspberries. If you follow these same fertilizing guidelines when planting, you can harvest your first berries as early as spring. Fertilizing your raspberries with manure in the fall is also a good idea.

Proper application of compost and humus will not only create a constant supply of microelements to the roots, but also protect the root zone.

Care instructions

Finally, it's worth mentioning that after the summer heat, the plant may lack moisture, so don't forget about autumn watering. In autumn, root growth accelerates as shoots stop growing.

If the soil is dry, the roots will stop growing early, leaving the plant weaker during the winter cold. Even if the winter isn't too cold, the consequences can be dire. The best time to water is late September. However, over-watering is not recommended, as this can stimulate the growth of the above-ground grass.

Watering should be moisture-replenishing. This means not just surface watering (a bucket per bush), but approximately 50 liters of water per plant to adequately moisten the growing roots. Many gardeners prune their bushes during this period, which leads to significant moisture loss. Watering will help compensate for this loss. Nowadays, autumn feeding of raspberries after pruning is especially important, as cuttings negatively impact the plant's nutrition.

Don't neglect autumn fertilizing of raspberries for the winter; this is a crucial step for the plant. This process won't present any particular difficulties, even for a novice gardener. Raspberry care also doesn't require any special skills. A properly fertilized bush will generously reward gardeners with delicious, juicy, and aromatic berries. And the yield will be so abundant that you can enjoy them all winter long.