Raspberry roots are located superficially, which makes it unprotected against adverse weather conditions: in winter the shrub can freeze, in summer it can dry out. Therefore, when choosing a mulching material, it is necessary to take into account the season.
I recommend reading: Ways to increase the strawberry yield
Mulching in autumn
The ground in front of the shelter must be loosened to increase the number of air pockets in the soil layer. To protect the shrub, both artificial and organic materials are used, which will help protect the raspberry from frost in the absence of snow and from severe frosts in winter.
The timing of the procedure depends on the region of cultivation: mulching is carried out from late September to early November.
For an autumn shelter, use:
- Peat, which is mulched even on top of snow, has a protective layer thickness of 10-12 cm for heavy soils and 5-7 cm for light and normal soils.
- Sawdust - laid in a layer, 10-12 cm thick. Mulch is not harvested in the spring, the sawdust is completely rotted within 2-3 years.
- Over-matured foliage, which must be replenished annually. Raw materials aged for 2 years are used as mulch. The thickness of the shelter should be 10-15 cm.
- Straw - must be spread around the plants in a layer of at least 10 cm.
- Compost. The material is used only in cold winters. Due to the high nitrogen content, fertilization will lead to rotting of the root system. If the compost is used as mulch, then the layer thickness should not exceed 5 cm.
In addition to organic matter, agricultural fiber with a density of 50-60 g / m2 is used to protect the raspberry tree. The material is cut into strips and placed in the aisles. The shelter will not only protect the raspberry tree from freezing, but also prevent the appearance of weeds during warming.
Spring work in the raspberry plant
In spring, mulching is started as soon as the replacement shoots grow in length by 30 cm.
Before sheltering, the shrub must be fed with nitrogen fertilizers (from organic matter, it is better to use rotted manure or urea as a mineral fertilizing). If the soil is mulched before feeding, most of the nutrients will not penetrate to the root system.
Spring mulching materials:
- Sunflower husks, scattered in a layer of 5-8 cm, maximally protects the roots from freezing at low night temperatures and from overheating in the heat. It is not worth using the peel of other crops (buckwheat, millet), it will be carried by the wind.
- Paper. Newspapers or similar products are used as mulch, except for old prints, for the manufacture of which toxic paints were used. Newspapers are crushed or laid in sheets, covered with straw, hay or earth on top. This mulch helps to increase yields and prevent the germination of weeds.
- Overripe chips or small branches are used for surface mulching, with a layer thickness of up to 10 cm.
- Manure shelter with straw, 5 cm thick, is great for protecting young raspberry bushes. The heat generated by the decomposition of the material will feed and heat the roots of annual plants.
- Hay mulch is rarely used in spring due to the presence of weed seeds, which begin to actively germinate when warming.
Agrofibre is used not only in autumn, but also in spring, to cover the topsoil in the raspberry tree.
Do you mulch raspberries?
Original articleand many other materials, you can find on ourwebsite.
Read also: We feed cherries and cherries from spring to autumn