Raspberry Hercules

Raspberry Hercules, also known as Gerakl, has been pleasing gardeners with abundant harvests and excellent taste for several years. It is successfully used for fresh consumption and for all processing methods, and is grown for sale. The plant is unpretentious in care, its seedlings are easy to obtain on your own farm.

Hercules is a raspberry variety that appeared thanks to the breeding work of I.V. Kazakov. The specialist set his goal to breed a plant capable of successfully wintering in the climate of the Moscow region, resistant to diseases, and yielding large fruits. The efforts of VSTISP specialists were crowned with success, and the Ottom Bliz variety from the mid-season group was taken as a basis.

Hercules is a raspberry that forms slightly spreading bushes up to 200 cm high. Plants are medium in size, with strong, upright shoots. The branches are covered along their entire length with light brown thorns - hard, prickly, thin, with a slight downward slope. The leaves are not too large - medium in size, dark green in color, with a characteristic curl and wrinkle of the plate.

Shoots 1 year deep purple. By the end of the season, a noticeable waxy coating appears on them.

Raspberry remontant, gives 2 harvests during the fruiting season. Ripening dates are late. Bushes bear fruit in early July, and then from the first half of August until the very frost.

Self-fertile raspberry Hercules is suitable for growing in all regions of Russia without restrictions. Its bushes tolerate drought and cold equally well, and are highly resistant to adverse weather factors. In the north, raspberries give a standard gain, but yields are declining. Hercules is best adapted to the climate of the middle zone of the Russian Federation and the south.

The yield is high, 2.0-2.5 kg per bush, 10-12 tons per hectare. Fruit-bearing shoots are formed in the spring, so the old ones can be painlessly removed in the fall.

The rich ruby, bright color of the berry is a characteristic feature by which Hercules raspberries are easily recognized by gardeners. It got its name also for a reason. Hercules' berries are very large, truncated-conical, their weight reaches 5-6 g. The dense pulp has a refreshing, sweet and sour taste. Raspberries have a distinctive aroma that is not overpowering when eaten fresh.

Raspberries Hercules need to provide fairly comfortable growing conditions. When planting, it is recommended to maintain a distance between plants of 0.7 m, the rows should separate a space from 1.2 to 1.5 m. When growing, this variety does not require the use of supports, it is possible to cultivate in a one-year cycle with complete removal of shoots before frost. The plant must be replanted every 8-10 years, changing its location.

When choosing a location, you should give preference to areas that are well lit, bathed in sun rays during the day. The optimal solution would be a hill located in the southern part of the garden. The shadow of Hercules is contraindicated, as is landing in the lowlands, where the snow melts for a long time. You cannot use the ridges on which there were nightshade plants or strawberries under the raspberry, but legumes, zucchini, cucumbers and pumpkin can be considered successful predecessors.

Plants are insensitive to the choice of soil. Any type of soil will do. But groundwater should lie no closer than 1 m to the surface. Wind protection is also required - natural or artificial. For planting in spring, the period from April to May is suitable, in autumn it is carried out in September.

The pit preparation is not too difficult. It is enough to carry it out 2-3 weeks before planting. For 1 m2 of area, it is recommended to add 20 kg of humus, 50 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium nitrate. The earth is dug up, loosened, strongly acidic soils are additionally sprinkled with lime or furnace ash. Then pits 60 cm in diameter and 45 cm deep are formed.

The plant is immersed in the soil to the level of the root collar, mulched at the base. The trench landing method is also common. When using this method, the rows are oriented from north to south, placed in parallel. Trenches are made up to 50 cm wide and up to 45 cm deep.

Watering is moderate. When pruning shoots for the winter, a preliminary abundant watering is required. Excess moisture to this variety is harmful, as well as its lack. The optimal frequency is once a week, 10 liters at the root. In wet weather, watering rates are reduced to avoid plant death.

Plant feeding is shown 3 times during the season. In early spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied to the soil - ammonium nitrate, as well as potassium sulfate. Before the start of the first wave of fruiting in July, it is recommended to water with a solution of nitrophoska - 70 g per 10 liters of water - to increase the size of the fruits. In the fall, by the end of the season, it is worth adding superphosphate granules, ash and potassium salt to the soil. Pre-watering the soil is required, otherwise you can simply burn the roots.

The variety is winter-hardy. Withstands frosts down to -30 degrees. With a complete cut of the aboveground part in the fall, the bush practically does not need shelter. Moreover, excessive warming will lead to overheating of the roots, leading to the death of the bush.

Hercules is a raspberry, resistant to diseases and pests, fungal infections. Plants are practically not affected by raspberry mites, gray rot. The danger for the variety is represented by shoot and leaf aphids, raspberry beetle, kidney moth.

Raspberry Hercules gives a large amount of growth. It can be easily propagated by getting a large number of side shoots. The plant produces root shoots, which are dug out after reaching a length of 15 cm along with the roots. After separation from the mother bush, the young seedling quickly adapts to a new place.

Autumn reproduction occurs by cuttings. In this case, the roots of the plant are cut. The length of each cutting is left within 10 cm, then they are placed in the furrows, leaving 30 cm between the seedlings. Mulch is sprinkled on top, watering is done, then the needles are laid. In early spring, this shelter is removed, the bed is sent under the film before the sprouts appear.

Raspberry Hercules, according to most summer residents, can be considered one of the best remontant varieties, zoned for the Moscow region. It is easy to collect, transport - the berries do not fall off the stalks, retain their shape. It is noted that the more sunny the area is, the more sugar the fruits accumulate. Many recommend this subspecies for commercial cultivation.

Negative reviews are mainly related to the specific taste of remontant varieties. To some, it seems completely not crimson. The lack of sweetness and brightness of the aroma is practically the only complaint that is made against Hercules. In addition, the sharp thorns make the harvesting process much more difficult.