Summer residents were told how to feed raspberries after the snow melted

Before the snow melts, you need to decide how to feed the raspberries for a bountiful harvest. There are many proven options and drugs, writes Ogorod.ru.

Like other berry bushes, raspberries wake up quite early, so it is important to have time to prune before the buds open. In warm regions of the country, the procedure should be completed before the beginning of April. Usually by this time the snow has completely disappeared from the site, leaving behind the soil saturated with moisture. Ideal conditions for top dressing.

For 2-3 years after planting, raspberries fully use the fertilizers applied to the hole. Since the shrub is picky about top dressing, a good harvest will not work without them: over time, the berries will become smaller, their taste will deteriorate.

In the spring, it is very important to add nitrogen fertilizers to the raspberries, which contribute to the growth of green mass. The stronger the shoots are, the more flower buds and, accordingly, berries they will have. And it will not be so easy for diseases and pests to gain a foothold on a strong plant with good immunity.

It is better to apply fertilizer for raspberries after the soil warms up to a depth of 5-10 cm.

But before feeding raspberries in early spring, you need to make sure that it is necessary. If in the fall you have already applied complex or organic fertilizers, then postpone the spring procedure until the bushes bloom: now the raspberries will have enough food to start the growing season.

If you didn’t have time to make autumn top dressing, then after the gathering, be sure to feed the raspberries. However, do not forget about important rules.

Mineral fertilizers and organic matter must be applied at intervals of at least 1.5-2 weeks. The simultaneous introduction of these types of dressings requires knowledge of compatibility. Dry dressings are carefully added dropwise along the perimeter of the bush to a depth of 5 cm, liquid ones are applied under the root. Granular fertilizers can simply be scattered near the plant or dissolved in a bucket of water and poured under a bush (the latter will be more effective). It is permissible to use organic matter only after overheating or in a very diluted form so as not to burn the roots of plants.

It is convenient to apply top dressing into grooves up to 20 cm deep along the perimeter of the near-stem circle. After fertilizing, mix it with the soil and sprinkle with a small layer of earth.

We recommend that you comply with the norms of fertilization – more is not better! Also, do not forget that the amount of feeding depends on the size of the plant: the smaller the bush, the less nutrients you need to make.

Raspberries have a superficial root system, which is easily damaged by deep loosening and digging, so dry fertilizers must be applied carefully.

Weakened and diseased plants should not be fed: this will weaken them even more, because instead of getting stronger, they will waste their energy on absorbing fertilizers. It is better to use special anti-stress preparations, giving preference to spraying.

Feeding raspberries with urea

Urea (urea) for raspberries is one of the best options for spring feeding. A nitrogen-rich fertilizer will help the bush recover faster after winter. After the introduction of urea, the plants quickly grow shoots and foliage, many flowers form on the branches, and hence fruits. The fertilizer is well absorbed, slowly dissolving in the soil.

Nitrogen from urea does not get directly to the raspberry roots; first, soil microorganisms work on it. Hence the important rule: apply urea only to warmed soil with awakened microflora, otherwise there will be no benefit from it. Also, urea will not work on very poor soil: first it is worth returning its fertility, enriching it with microorganisms.

For 1 sq.m of raspberry, it is enough to add 10 g of urea. For irrigation, you can dilute 30 g in 10 liters of water and pour 3 liters of urea solution under each bush. Spraying with urea is also useful: 20 g per 10 liters of water.

How to feed raspberries in spring with manure

Spring feeding of raspberries with manure will allow you to get healthy plants and increase their fruiting. You can use horse, goat, pork, rabbit, sheep or cow dung (mullein), but not fresh. The nitrogen contained in the fertilizer will remain in the soil for a long time, gradually nourishing the plants, and potassium and phosphorus in an accessible form will improve future flowering and ovary formation. And, of course, manure will make the soil more fertile, contributing to the formation of humus in it.

True, this fertilizer also has a “dark side”: the presence of weed seeds, pest larvae in the composition … Therefore, use manure purchased only from trusted manufacturers, and do not be tempted by too low a price.

To prepare a solution of 3-4 kg of fresh manure, pour 10-12 liters of water and leave to infuse for 7 days. Then dilute in a ratio of 1:10 and water the raspberries at the rate of 10 liters per 1 sq.m of plantings.

Feeding raspberries in spring with compost

If you have mature compost, use it to fertilize your raspberries! This valuable mixture of decomposed organic matter is perfectly absorbed by plants and saturates them with nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and other useful elements. It also has a beneficial effect on the composition and structure of the soil.

Compost does not have to be made on your own: like other top dressings, you can buy it. But then you will not know what it is made of.