Raspberry Bear

Raspberry varieties of Altai selection have long been loved by gardeners for their unpretentiousness. Bear cub (Mishutka) is just one of these varieties. We will talk about its features in the article.

Raspberry with a funny name Bear cub was bred in Russia, at the Gorno-Altai Institute of Agriculture. The famous scientist V.M.Zeryukov was engaged in breeding, he also gave the variety a name. The raspberry was named after the breeder's grandson. Two varieties were used to breed the Bear: Shiny and Stolichnaya. Both varieties have no thorns.

The bear cub is a universal variety, there is no remontability. The bushes of the culture are slightly spreading, grow up to 130 centimeters. The bushes are medium-sized, compact. Very flexible, so they do not break under the weight of the berries.

Shoots are straight, with short internodes. The bark on them is velvety, without a wax coating, but with a light down. The kidneys are close to each other. Fruiting shoots grow at a moderate pace. There are no thorns on the Bear.

The bear cub belongs to the varieties with an average ripening period. Fruits appear on two-year-old shoots. In most regions of Russia, berries are harvested at the end of July, but a lot depends on the climate. If the area is south, the berries may well ripen earlier. Fruiting is long-term, so the fruits are harvested for several weeks.

The bear cub is a very adaptive variety. With proper care, it takes root in any conditions. Such raspberries are grown throughout Russia, the Caucasus, Ukraine and Belarus. Bear cub is especially recommended for cold regions, including Siberia.

The Bear's yield is high. If the rules of agricultural technology are followed, it is quite possible to collect up to 3.2 kg of raspberries from the bush. The fruits lie well and are successfully transported for sale.

Raspberry Teddy bear produces large red round fruits. The weight of one berry can reach 6 grams. Drupes do not crumble. The berries taste sweet and sour, raspberry. His score is 4.9 points. The pulp is quite dense, due to which the variety is actively grown for sale. It is also ideal for jam and freezing.

The key to the successful cultivation of the Bear is the correct selection of planting material. You should buy young seedlings in the ground with a height of at least 16 cm, without diseases and rot. Lignified shoots should be prepared for planting in late autumn. You can store them in plastic bags.

As for leaving, it will be minimal. This variety grows well even where other raspberry species cannot survive. He only needs simple agrotechnical measures: watering, fertilizing, pruning, preparing for winter. Such care is no different from caring for other types of raspberries. The only thing is that in the spring this variety of raspberries must be tied up. This is done on supports or trellises.

It is worth noting that the plant is self-fertile, so it does not need pollinators.

Raspberry Bear prefers southern areas with plenty of sunlight. Drafts are best avoided. Shade from fruit trees and other types of shrubs is allowed. Inadmissibly close occurrence of groundwater. Do not plant raspberries in areas with high humidity.

The soil is suitable for fertile loamy or sandy loam, light texture. Before planting, the site is cleaned. And also the land will need to be fed with organic matter: mullein, chicken droppings or humus. Planting material is planted at the end of the first month of spring. Before planting, a couple of handfuls of wood ash are placed in each hole. A distance of 70-80 centimeters is maintained between the bushes.

The first pruning must be done in the spring. The procedure is aimed at removing dead and thinned shoots during the winter. On frozen shoots, the top is removed, but only up to the first living bud. In autumn, shoots that have already borne fruit are removed. And also prune primary specimens infected with diseases or simply undeveloped. After pruning, each bush should retain 5 to 8 viable and strong shoots.

The bear cub is very difficult to tolerate stagnant moisture, so watering should be dosed. In summer, in dry and hot weather, watering should be carried out every 7 days, pouring 2 buckets of water under each bush. You can also organize drip irrigation or water supply through trenches, which will have a beneficial effect on the growth of raspberries.

The first 2 years of feeding the Teddy bear is not needed, since they were already introduced during planting. You can only periodically mulch the culture. In the third year, the gardener will need a fertilizing scheme. The first is brought in after the snow melts. You will need 1 or 2 buckets of organic matter per square meter of soil: manure or compost. When foliage begins to grow, the plant will need nitrogen. The berry formation period will require phosphorus and potassium. In the fall, you will need to add about 15 grams of potassium chloride, as well as about 30 grams of superphosphate per 1 sq. m.

The bear cub is a very frost-resistant variety that can withstand up to -35 degrees Celsius. However, if the region has snowless winters and severe frosts, the bushes need to be prepared. Note that in any case, they will not completely freeze out even without shelter, but the yield will significantly decrease.

To protect the raspberries, the bushes need to be bent to the ground, but do not lay them on the ground, otherwise they will break. Then the bushes are covered with non-woven material. If there is snow, be sure to put it on top of the material.

Raspberry Bear is highly resistant to various types of diseases. So, she practically does not get sick with infectious and fungal ailments, is not attacked by spider mites, gall midges. However, it can be affected by raspberry aphids. This insect should be treated with insecticides before or after flowering.

To completely protect the culture, prevention should be carried out:

• do not damage the roots;

• do not grow raspberries in one place for more than 6 years;

• choose healthy seedlings, and monitor the quality of the soil;

• disinfect garden tools.

The bear cub gives a huge amount of root growth, so even a completely inexperienced gardener can propagate such a variety. To do this, take a shoot located about 30 centimeters from the base of a large bush. With the help of a shovel, they scoop up the soil, with the same tool they cut off the process. The resulting specimen is immediately planted in the prepared hole, cutting the roots in advance. The procedure is carried out after the snow melts or closer to the end of September.