The root system of raspberries is shallow, which makes them vulnerable to adverse weather conditions. In winter, the plant can freeze, and in summer it can dry out. When choosing what and how to mulch raspberries, you should take into account the time of year.
Please put your likes and subscribe to the channel "About Fasenda". This will allow us to publish more interesting garden articles.
Procedure in the fall
Before covering the bushes, it is necessary to loosen the soil. This will increase the air gaps between the soil particles. Covering material can be artificial or organic.
Mulching in late September or early November (depending on the region) helps to protect a raspberry garden from frost, which begins earlier than the first snow falls, as well as from severe frosts in winter.
For an autumn garden shelter, it is recommended to use:
- Peat. You can cover the root system of the bushes even after the snow falls (from above). If the soil in the garden is heavy, then it is recommended to lay the mulch in a layer of about 10-12 cm. For normal and light soil - 5-7 cm.
- Sawdust. The thickness of the shelter should be about 10-12 cm. Sawdust in the spring can not be removed. After 2-3 years, they completely rot.
- Fresh foliage. To cover raspberries, you need to harvest the foliage annually. Raw materials that have been in storage for at least 2 years can be used as mulch. The layer that will save the roots from freezing should be about 10-15 cm.
- Straw. Dry stalks of cereals and legumes must be laid around the raspberry bushes with a layer of about 10 cm.
- Compost. Not recommended for warm winters. The compost is rich in nitrogen. This fertilizer can cause raspberry roots to decay in winter. When using compost as mulch, it is recommended to lay a layer of no more than 5 cm.
In addition to organic matter, agrofibre can be used as a covering material. To protect the raspberry garden from frost, it is necessary to purchase a fabric with a density of 50-60 g / m². Agrofibre is cut into strips and placed between the rows. Spunbond will also prevent weeds from sprouting in the spring.
Gardening in spring
It is necessary to start mulching raspberry bushes in spring when replacement shoots up to 30 cm have already grown on the plants. Garden crops must be fertilized before sheltering. After winter, raspberries need nitrogenous feeding. Manure can be used as a good organic fertilizer. If you mulch raspberries and then fertilize, then because of the layer that covers the soil, most of the nutrients will not be able to penetrate the root system of the plants.
For sheltering bushes in spring, they are well suited:
- Sunflower husk. Does not interfere with the normal air exchange process. It protects well from cold spring nights, as well as from overheating of the roots. Lay the mulch in a layer of 5-8 cm. It is not recommended to use the husk of other crops, such as millet or buckwheat, because it will scatter in the wind.
- Paper. You can use newspapers or any other similar product. It is not recommended to use old prints, during the production of which toxic printing ink was used. Mulch paper can be shredded or laid in sheets. It is necessary to put straw, hay on top or sprinkle the sheets with earth. Paper mulch will prevent weeds from germinating and increase raspberry yields.
- Straw manure. Experienced gardeners recommend using this type of mulch for one-year-old plants. The heat that will be generated during the decomposition of the product will warm up and nourish the young plant. The mulch is laid in a layer of 5-8 cm.
- Slivers. For the surface coverage of the soil, chips or small branches are used, which were previously (pereperevali) in the compost heap. The layer should be about 10 cm.
- Hay. In spring, it is rarely used as a covering material. The hay contains weed seeds, which, with the onset of heat and due to regular watering, will begin to germinate quickly.
In spring, as well as in autumn, agrofibre can also be used as a material for surface soil coverage.
Original articleand many other materials, you can find on ourwebsite.
Please put your likes and subscribe to the channel "About Fasenda". This will allow us to publish more interesting garden articles.
Read more:Why do raspberry leaves turn yellow and what to do about it