Malina Pride of Russia

A rare garden plot does not have, among the plants growing on it, raspberries - a favorite sweet berry. After all, it is not only tasty and fragrant, it is an irreplaceable assistant in the fight against colds. The Pride of Russia variety is found quite often in Russian gardens.

It was the dream of Russian gardeners to get a fruitful variety of large-fruited raspberries, resistant to unfavorable growing conditions and diseases. It was carried out by the Russian honored breeder Viktor Kichina. The basis was the American and Scottish hybrids, known for their large-fruited. The variety, called Gigantic by gardeners, was created by hybridization of such raspberry varieties as Stolichnaya and Shtambovy-20, in 1998 it was given the official name - Pride of Russia.

Powerful, but compact, low-spreading bush, 1.5-1.8 m high, with straight, thick, flexible, waxy shoots without thorns. Young branches are devoid of wax bloom. The leaf is large, dark green. During the season, the plant gives 5-7 root suckers, 7-10 replacement shoots. Fruiting on two-year long shoots annually.

Malina Pride of Russia is characterized by:

• exceptional large-fruited;

• excellent taste and beautiful appearance;

• the absence of fruit falling off upon reaching ripeness;

• average winter hardiness;

• heat resistance;

• lack of thorns.

The pride of Russia does not tolerate the lack of light and the lack of regular watering. If during the fruiting period there were prolonged precipitation, a prolonged drop in temperature, the berries may lose their presentation, often doubled, the taste deteriorates. The disadvantages are the low keeping quality of the fruits and their weak aroma, the inability to transport the crop.

The variety is non-repairable, but has a long fruiting period up to 5-6 harvests per season. The beginning of ripening of berries occurs in July and lasts until August.

You can collect up to 4-5 kg ​​per bush or 20 tons per hectare, which makes it one of the highest-yielding varieties.

Light red, conical in shape, large sweet berries weighing 4-12 g, with a dessert taste, the pulp is juicy with a pleasant, mild aroma. Fruits are collected in bunches of 15-20 pieces. The bones are small, almost invisible when eating. Ripe berries are easily separated from the stalks, but do not crumble. It is not recommended to store fresh raspberries for a long time, maximum 3 days in the refrigerator. Fruits for universal use - suitable for all types of processing: freezing, jams, compotes, preserves.

When planting, it is necessary to maintain an interval of 1-1.2 m between seedlings, and 2 m between rows. The variety takes root well in a new place and quickly develops new territories, therefore, timely harvesting of the growth is necessary. Variety care The pride of Russia comes down to regular watering, loosening and mulching the soil in the raspberry-tree, thinning the bush and feeding.

The creator of the variety, Viktor Kichina, advised cultivating large-fruited raspberry varieties, which include the Pride of Russia, on supports that support the bush, especially during the fruiting period, when the berries make the shoots heavier. The garter increases the illumination of each bush and makes it easier to care for the raspberry tree. The stems are tied to supports in two places: at a height of 50 and 130 cm.When cultivating a variety, trellises are mounted in one line, the pillars for which are installed in 2 rows along the planted bushes every 3 m. Shoots are tied to the wire stretched over the supports.

Well-lit slopes, the highest places on an area with a low groundwater level, are suitable for growing raspberries Pride of Russia. The culture grows well on the south side along fences, sheds, utility blocks that act as protection from cold winds. The variety needs light loamy, sandy loam soils, the acidity is better neutral. Clay soils in the area intended for planting seedlings must be improved by adding 1 bucket of sand per 1 m2. If the soil is acidic, liming is better - 500 g of lime per 1 m2.

If you have a choice, it is better to avoid planting raspberries next to potatoes, peppers, tomatoes and strawberries, these crops are also undesirable as predecessors.

2 weeks before planting, the site is dug up, choosing the weeds. For 1 m2, 2 buckets of compost or humus and 300 g of ash are added. For bush cultivation of the variety, pits of 60x50 cm are prepared.For linear, trenches 50 cm wide and 45 cm deep are dug.The distance between the rows is maintained at about 1.5-2 m, between the bushes - 70 cm.

After planting, watered abundantly at the rate of 5 liters of water per plant. The raspberry tree must be mulched with straw, hay, dried grass, with a layer of at least 10 cm. The shoots must be cut to a height of 45 cm.

Watering is of particular importance when caring for a raspberry tree, with a lack of moisture, the shoots of the plant ripen poorly, the fruits may shrink, the yields are reduced. Adult plants should be watered once a week, freshly planted seedlings more often. The desired rate is a bucket per bush. The variety Pride of Russia is especially demanding for watering during flowering and fruit setting. It is not recommended to water the raspberry by sprinkling during the ripening of the berries, it is better in the grooves. Subwinter watering, especially in a dry year, is recommended at the rate of 2 buckets per bush.

Fertile fertilized soil in the raspberry field is the key to high yields. In the first season after planting, the crop is not fertilized. The next year, after the snow cover melts, 30 g of urea per 1 m2 is applied to stimulate shoot formation. In June, fertilize with potassium salt, nitrophosphate at the rate indicated on the package of the drug. In the fall, you can add superphosphate and potassium salt.

A simple and quick way to propagate the Pride of Russia variety is with the help of root suckers. They are carefully dug out with a lump of earth, taking those at a distance of at least 30 cm from the bush, and transplanted into pre-prepared pits or trenches. This procedure is carried out in the fall, in September-October. The variety forms a lot of offspring, there are no problems with breeding.

Experienced gardeners use a more laborious method - cuttings.

Raspberry variety The Pride of Russia, planted in the garden, will always be the envy of neighbors, the object of the owner's vigilant concerns and a source of tasty and healthy berries.