Raspberry Giant ruby: variety description and characteristics, planting and care

Description of the raspberry variety Ruby giant says that it is a remontant variety that produces fruits 2 times a season, for which it is valued by gardeners. Consider the characteristics of the variety, the rules of planting and care, watering and feeding, pruning and preparing for winter. How to propagate raspberries, what diseases to protect against, when to harvest berries and how to store them.

Description and characteristics of raspberries Ruby Giant

The variety is derived from a variety called Patricia and has much in common with it. Like all remontant varieties, the berries of the Ruby Giant ripen on the shoots of the past and current year. Fruiting from July to September.

This is a tall plant, thornless shoots reach 1.6-1.8 m, their tops can bend down. It is cold-resistant, can tolerate frosts down to -30 degrees. Raspberries have good immunity to diseases, they are not particularly demanding on soil and growing conditions.

The berries of the Ruby Giant are large, up to 11 g, classically regular in shape, the seeds are small. Fruit color varies from bright red to ruby. The taste is refreshing, sweet, with sourness, the aroma is strong, persistent. The berries are dense, do not crumple when harvested, they tolerate transportation well. The yield is high - from an adult plant you can collect up to 9 kg of berries per season. Such a harvest can only be obtained with intensive care.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The ruby giant has the following advantages:

resistance to infections;
harvest duration;
yield and large fruit;
cold resistance;
great taste and strong aroma;
berry transportability.

Disadvantages: exactingness in nutrition and care.

Growing and care rules

Due to its high yield and ability to produce 2 crops, the Ruby Giant raspberry requires proper and constant care. Therefore, it is suitable for experienced gardeners who know about the needs of the crop and how to care for it.

Landing

Raspberry Ruby Giant grows best in sunny and level areas, with moderate moisture and protection from the winds. Prefers light, loose, fertilized soils with a neutral reaction.

Plant seedlings in spring or autumn. The soil is prepared as follows: the previous crop is removed, the remains of weeds along with the roots are dug up and fertilized with organic matter and ash. For each meter of soil, a bucket of humus and 1 kg of wood ash are added. After that, planting pits are prepared on the site according to the scheme 1-1.5 m between seedlings in a row and up to 2 m - in row spacing.

Raspberry planting looks like this: the roots of the seedling are lowered into the hole just below the root neck, covered with earth, watered. When the water settles, the root zone is covered with mulch material to prevent drying out and the growth of weeds. Mulch can be made from straw, hay, sawdust, thin wood chips, fallen needles.

Water and fertilize

Water the shrub should be moderate and even, so that there are no periods of waterlogging or, conversely, overdrying.Raspberries of this variety can be grown under a drip irrigation system, which is convenient in that it evenly distributes water, with its help you can not only water, but also fertilize the crop.

You need to feed the plants several times a season: in early spring, in the bud phase and when the berries have reached their size, but have not yet begun to pour. Manure and herbal infusions, ash solution, mineral fertilizers for fruit and berry crops are used as fertilizers.

Cutting Features

The first crop of raspberries gives on the shoots grown last year, the second - on the greens of the current year. After fruiting, 2-year-old shoots are cut under the root. In order for the next ones to grow, the bushes need nutrients, so they should be fed.

Second pruning scheme: cut out all the shoots in the fall and get only one crop on those that grow next season. It will be more abundant than if it is formed on shoots of different ages.

Preparing for winter

In cold regions, raspberries need to be covered for the winter. To do this, fill the soil near the roots with any suitable mulch to completely cover the ground. If it is expected that the winter will be cold, you need to cover the shoots with agrofibre.

Reproduction

Remontant raspberries are propagated by layering - shoots are added dropwise in summer near the mother bush. Until autumn, roots appear on them. They are dug up and transplanted to new beds. Raspberries are covered with mulch.

Diseases and pests

Raspberries can be prone to infectious fungal diseases that spoil not only the leaves, but also the fruits, reducing the yield.After the formation of the ovary, preventive spraying with fungicidal preparations should be carried out. If pests appear, it is worth using insecticides, if possible, non-aggressive biological ones, so that poisonous substances do not get into the berries.

Harvesting and storage of crops

The fruits of the Ruby Giant variety are harvested after full ripeness. They are quite dense, withstand transportation and short storage in a cold, dry place. Store raspberries in food containers in the refrigerator. It must be dry, clean and undamaged. Substandard needs to be processed within a day.

The ruby giant makes excellent home-made preparations - preserves, jams, compotes. Berries are tasty and fresh, but they are not stored fresh for long, after picking they need to be eaten as soon as possible.

The Ruby Giant variety lives up to its name - red berries are really large, and do not shrink over time. Plants are cold-resistant and rarely get sick. For home gardening, raspberries of this variety will be a good purchase. A few mature bushes can provide a whole family with delicious, fragrant products for a whole year, until the next harvest.