Raspberry Caramel

Remontant varieties of raspberries, which have an extended fruiting period and high yield rates, are very popular with domestic gardeners. One of these varieties is the raspberry Caramel, which differs not only in the excellent taste characteristics of the berries, but in their excellent keeping quality.

This variety has been developed for 10 years by many breeders in Russia. As a result, thanks to the efforts of the researcher I. V. Shiblev from the Shkolny Sad kennel, a fragrant variety Caramelka was created, which in 2016 was included in the State Register. It is recommended for cultivation throughout Russia.

Caramel has a medium-sized erect bush, its height does not exceed 150-170 cm. Young shoots are covered with a waxy bloom, and pubescent green leaves turn purple at the end of fruiting. The bushes do not need additional pollinators, as they are completely self-fertile. Due to powerful shoots, they do not need to be attached to supports. The medium-sized, shamrock-shaped leaves with a sharp end are juicy green in color. The flowering of the bush is very elegant, large white flowers are collected in racemose inflorescences.

The plant has an average ripening period. Depending on the region, fruiting can begin in late July or early August and continue until frost.

The variety is considered very productive, up to 5 kg of berries can be harvested from a bush per season, and up to 20 tons per hectare in industrial plantings.

The cone-shaped berries have a juicy and firm flesh with a sweet taste and a bright raspberry aroma. The average weight of one berry is 6 g, and the largest one can grow up to 12 g. Fruits are easily removed from the stalk, are distinguished by good transportability, do not lose their shape and do not flow within 3-4 days. They have absolute versatility, they can be used both for fresh consumption and for various desserts and preparations. The tasting score on a five-point scale is 4.6 points.

Raspberry bushes prefer to grow in the sun, in an elevated and open place, away from groundwater. They have an average drought resistance. They have a high ability to adapt to adverse weather factors.

Autumn is considered the best time for planting raspberries, but planting in spring does not predict a good harvest, since all the forces of the bush will go to survival.

Experienced gardeners recommend not planting raspberries in places where tomatoes, peppers or strawberries were previously grown. Places after growing cucumbers, zucchini and legumes are perfect. Raspberry bushes are recommended to be planted with red currants, cherries or apple trees.

In regions with scorching sun and dry climates, the plant grows best in partial shade. For this, places along the fence or any building are perfect.

For Caramel, black earth or loam is ideal. After 8-10 years, the concentration of nutrients in the ground is significantly reduced, so it is necessary to transplant the bush to another place. Since the raspberry bushes are very small, at least 0.7 m can be left between the bushes, at least 1 m from other varieties.

Like all remontant varieties, in the fall, raspberry bushes are completely cut off at the root, so that next year the fruiting will be on young shoots. At the beginning of summer, it is recommended to remove young growth. Sanitary pruning is necessary throughout the season to prevent thickening of the bushes,

Raspberries are very susceptible to lack of watering, so it must be done regularly, about 10 liters of water must be poured onto the bush. In especially rainy summers, watering is reduced as needed. Stagnation of moisture can negatively affect not only the taste of the berry, but also provoke various diseases.

The yield also depends on the content of nutrients. Therefore, during digging in the spring, mineral fertilizers, ammonium nitrate or potassium sulfate are added. At the beginning of summer, they are fed with nitrophos. Raspberries also respond well to organic fertilizers (mullein, chicken droppings or ash).

Caramel is quite frost-resistant, but this only applies to regions where there is a lot of snow. In areas with little or no snow, it is better to cover the bushes for the winter; agrofibre, straw or mulch are suitable for this.

This variety has good resistance to various kinds of diseases and pests. Despite this, with inappropriate agricultural technology or in especially unfavorable seasons, bushes can be affected by anthracnose, purple spot or gray rot.The first signs of disease are damage to the leaf and its fall, drying of the buds and deformation of the fruit. For any symptoms of the disease, it is necessary to immediately treat the bushes with 1% Bordeaux liquid or copper sulfate. Fallen and diseased foliage must be removed and burned. The thickening of the plantings should not be allowed.

There are several ways to breed.

The most laborious and uncommon among gardeners is the seed method, so we will not pay attention to it.

The simplest and most used is reproduction by dividing the bush. In autumn or early spring, the bushes are shortened and divided into several parts. Each of them should have developed roots or there should be 2-3 shoots. Such seedlings can be planted in a permanent place.

And it is also possible to propagate by root shoots, which is a very simple and affordable option. Moreover, the roots of Caramel are very prone to this. To do this, it is necessary to transplant the young process to a permanent place. In order for them to take root as well as possible, it is better to shade them and cut off the leaves.

You can also carry out propagation with green cuttings. To do this, at the beginning of summer, cuttings are cut with a length of 10-15 cm so that the lower part is white. For better root formation, they must be kept in a stimulator for 12 hours, and then planted for rooting under a film or under a jar.

Based on the reviews of gardeners, it can be noted that most of them, indeed, note the yield of the variety, even in rainy years the berries do not deteriorate. The harvest does not decrease, the berries remain large and tasty. The variety is especially promising for large-scale cultivation, it pays off well and is in demand among the consumer. The bushes bear fruit until October and are not afraid of the first frost.