Raspberries are a treasure trove of vitamins and nutrients in your garden. They possess amazing healing properties and are delicious too. With proper preparation, they can delight you not only in summer but also in winter. Typically, with proper care, they withstand any winter frosts. Every gardener knows how to prune raspberries for winter to retain their taste and medicinal properties.
To store raspberries properly over winter, you can construct a special shelter. It doesn’t require many materials. A wooden frame covered with polyethylene film and topped with tree leaves will suffice. Alternatively, other methods can be used.
How to Prepare Raspberries for Winter?
This process should start in June. First and foremost, ensure you do not over-fertilize the plants with nitrogen.
It’s crucial to dose fertilizers correctly, as over-fertilization is a primary reason for decreased frost resistance in these berries. Grow raspberries in a spot that receives consistent sunlight to strengthen their shoots, helping them survive the winter.
How to Properly Use Mulching (Raspberry Fertilization)?
If using regular manure, the last feeding should be done no later than June 15. When using standard mulch, the final feeding should be completed by July 25.
Another important factor is the plant’s density. The bush method of cultivation implies having no more than 4 shoots. By the end of September, you should completely clear the plant of all leaves and trim all shoot tips. Neglecting this will cause the leaves to rot and damage the plant buds.
How to Prune Raspberries for Winter?
If you’ve recently bought and planted raspberries, you should refrain from pruning them for winter, as they are still quite weak. Better to leave them so that photosynthesis can occur through the stem, providing nourishment and strength for the cold months.
The bushes should always be watered and mulched. The following autumn, the shoots are cut down to the ground. In spring, you’ll see new shoots, and in summer, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Some gardeners don’t prune raspberries entirely, leaving a stem about a meter high. This method allows for an early summer harvest, with another one at the end of summer on new shoots. However, this approach requires more effort, as the shoots need thorough preparation for winter. You’ll need to tie and cover the stems for winter, fertilize, and water them.
If your climate has mild winters, winter pruning is not necessary and can be done in spring. This is because after the first harvest, the plant accumulates strength for the next. Another reason is that in such climates, the soil freezes late, so pruning too early may cause premature bud sprouting, leading to harvest loss.
Preparing Everbearing Raspberries for Winter
Preparing everbearing raspberries for winter can also be done in several ways. You can prune them the following spring, after the second fruiting. It’s important to carefully separate fresh and strong shoots from weaker and dry ones. Others prune shoots down to ground level, which ensures a good harvest by August. How you prune raspberries for winter is up to you.
What to Cover Raspberries With in Winter?
Paradoxically, the best winter cover for plants is snow. If necessary, you can manually add a layer of snow to the plants. It’s important to ensure that an ice crust does not form on the snow. Pay extra attention to autumn plantings of bushes and cover them with leaves from deciduous trees.
A 30 cm layer of leaves is average. A wooden frame can also be useful. You could use a simple wooden box covered with film and ventilated. Don’t forget to cover it with a good layer of snow in November. As you can see, preparing raspberries for winter, pruning, and covering them is not complicated at all. It’s quite straightforward.
