Raspberry Zyugan

The Zyugan raspberry variety, bred in Switzerland by breeders from the Lubera company in the 90s of the XX century, was initially distributed only in Europe. He came to Russia in the early 2000s and gained popularity among gardeners for its unpretentiousness and high yield.

The family nursery Lubera was founded in 1889, and for three generations of owners have been engaged in the selection and breeding of high-yielding fruit and berry crops.

A plant with erect, strong shoots, covered with small purple thorns, forms a compact bush. A powerful root system allows you to get two full harvests per season. Raspberry Zyugana is a tutumer subject to proper pruning and proper care. The height of raspberry shoots reaches 1.5 m. In greenhouses, they stretch up to 2.5 m. The leaf is large, rich green, medium-wrinkled.

Features of the Zyugan variety:

• versatility of fruit use;

• stable fruiting;

• resistance to negative natural factors;

• unpretentiousness and undemanding care;

• heat resistance;

• berries tolerate transportation well;

• excellent taste;

• frost and drought resistance;

• immunity to diseases and pests.

The properties of the variety make it possible to successfully cultivate it in summer cottages, in farms as a commercial crop.

Zyugana is a remontant variety with a medium late ripening period. When cultivated in a two-year cycle, summer fruiting in the southern regions begins from the second decade of June, in more northern parts of the country - from the end of June. The harvest from young shoots can be expected from August to October. To prevent the late harvest from being beaten by frosts, it is recommended to cover the raspberry tree with agrofibre.

Zyugana has an outstanding yield, one plant is capable of producing up to 9 kg of fruits. Average yield is 6-8 kg per plant.

Large and homogeneous, light red, round-conical berries, the flesh is dense, juicy, the average weight is 6-7 g. The sweet-sugar dessert taste with a slight sourness and bright aroma is estimated by experts at 4.3 points out of 5 possible. High sugar content, balance of fruit acids, pronounced aroma resemble the taste of wild berries.

Tightly adhered drupes do not allow the fruits to crumble, in combination with a dense consistency, this allows them to be stored at room temperature for up to 3-4 days, in the refrigerator - up to 2 weeks, and also transported without damage and loss of presentation.

The fruits of Zyugana endure the summer heat, retaining their size, do not crumble when they reach maturity and from the wind, heavy rainfall almost does not harm the quality of the berries, only individual drupes can rot. Withstand fruits and light frosts, being covered with foliage or covering material. They use fresh raspberries, for freezing, making jam, jam.

The characteristics of the variety allow it to be cultivated both in the open field and in greenhouses. For the convenience of working with plants and getting the best harvest, experts recommend using the trellis method of planting bushes. The unpretentiousness of the culture allows you to get by with the standard methods of care:

• regular watering and loosening;

• weeding and mulching;

• top dressing.

Particular attention should be paid to watering, the root system is located close to the surface, there is a risk of drying out, especially during dry periods.

In regions with high humidity and insufficiently warm summer, the taste of raspberries becomes less sweet, and the consistency of the berries becomes watery, the root system can be affected by rot. In this case, it is recommended to grow the crop for one harvest. The warm climate and the late onset of cold weather will reveal all the advantages of the variety, will allow harvesting until frost.

When cultivating the variety in a two-year cycle, the upper part of the Zyugana shoot of the current year bears fruit in the first year from August to frost, after which the part of the stem that has borne fruit is cut off in late autumn. In the next season, the rest of the shoot will harvest in the summer, after which it is recommended to cut it out immediately after picking the berries, without waiting for the onset of autumn. This method of growing raspberries is suitable for more southern areas. In cold climates, cut off all the shoots bearing fruit in the current season. Next year, ripening will begin in early August, and most of the berries will have time to ripen before frost. Bush rationing is carried out annually: weak growth is removed. It is recommended to leave from 8 to 10 shoots per 1 m2.

Raspberry Zyugan prefers sunny, protected from cold winds and drafts, southern slopes, small hills. A wall of an outbuilding or a fence can serve as protection from the wind.

Loose and fertile soil, with neutral acidity or slightly alkaline, is the key to future high crop yields. On acidic soils, a liming procedure is carried out. If the depth of groundwater on the land intended for the raspberry tree is higher than 1 m, it is better to refuse to place the culture in this place. Care must be taken when choosing antecedent crops. The soil on which other varieties of raspberries, tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers grew before the planting of Zyugana, is too poor for good plant growth. The best predecessors are legumes, cucumbers.

Spring planting of raspberry seedlings is carried out in the soil prepared in the fall:

• digging up the site with the removal of weeds;

• sandy soil is enriched with humus, forest land;

• sand, compost, humus are introduced into clay soils;

• holes or trenches with a depth of 40-50 cm are prepared, which are filled with humus, compost, wood ash is added.

In the spring, with the onset of warmth, when the earth warms up enough, they begin to plant seedlings.

Reproduction of Zyugan's raspberries will not cause difficulties for gardeners - the culture gives a lot of root growth. An offspring is selected that is 30 cm away from the mother bush, carefully separated with a sharp shovel from the main rhizome and, with a lump of earth, transferred to the already prepared holes of a new raspberry tree. The root collar of the seedling is left at ground level. The planted young bushes are watered and mulched abundantly. It is recommended to plant seedlings, maintaining an interval of 50-70 cm, row spacing - 1.5 m.

The Swiss-born Zyugan variety has taken root in Russian gardens and is loved by many gardeners. The only difficulty is the acquisition of high-quality planting material. Recently there was a new product - Zyugana yellow, even sweeter and more aromatic.