How to protect raspberries from pests and diseases
Raspberries are one of the most delicious and healthy berries of all garden crops, however, unfortunately, numerous pests and pathogens that provoke the development of a variety of diseases are not averse to “feasting” on them.
Answering the question - how to protect raspberries from pests and diseases, we emphasize that it is extremely important to follow all the rules of protective and preventive measures at the appropriate time, as well as to apply the necessary agricultural techniques. Planting material also plays an important role in the health of raspberries. Try to buy high-quality raspberry seedlings from trusted nurseries to avoid the risk of contamination of your area.
Feeding raspberries in spring against diseases and pests
So, in order to get an excellent raspberry harvest, you should provide the crop with proper timely care, and it needs to start in the spring.
Feeding raspberries in the spring against diseases and pests is the key to abundant flowering and subsequent fruiting of the bushes. It is in the spring that hibernating insects awaken and the risk of crop infection by fungal and viral diseases increases. And it is the preventive treatment of raspberries that will help here, which must be started immediately after the snow has melted from the garden plot.
No one can name the exact time frame within which shrubs should be processed using the pruning method, since in each region the necessary conditions may occur at different times. But generally favorable weather conditions are established towards the end of March.
Pruning raspberries
Shrubs should be processed according to the following scheme:
- first of all, we cut off all the frozen tops of the shoots;
- Next, we remove damaged and “suspicious” stems (you also need to remove those branches whose growth can go inside the bush);
- then last year’s leaves are removed from under the bushes.
How to feed raspberries in spring?
When the harvested plant mass is destroyed, the soil around the bushes must be fertilized with nitrogen-containing fertilizers. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied precisely in the spring and summer, as they help reduce winter hardiness.
Note! If there is not enough nitrogen in the soil, this can lead to inhibition of shoot growth, shredding of leaves and, most importantly, to a decrease in the yield and quality of the berries themselves.
After all the manipulations described above, it is recommended to tie up the bushes in order to inspect them again for missing stems that need to be cut.
Medicines for combating raspberry diseases
Remedies against raspberry diseases are:
- chemical;
- biological.
Which of them are considered more effective is difficult to judge, since everything depends directly on the disease itself and the stage of its development.
Chemical preparations to combat raspberry diseases
One of the most common diseases of this crop is anthracnose. Nitrafen (three percent solution) or Urea (five percent solution) is used against this disease. Treatment is carried out by spraying. Before flowering, you can also treat the plantings with Bordeaux mixture (one percent solution) or Topaz.
To prevent the appearance of white spotting, in mid-March it is necessary to spray the bushes with two percent Nitrofen, and before flowering and after harvesting - with one percent Bordeaux mixture.
Raspberry canker spot is also treated with Bordeaux mixture (it should be sprayed during the same growing seasons as for white spot).
Let us remind you once again that for planting new plants it is best to buy seedlings from specialized nurseries, but if you still decide to plant your own plants, it is recommended to disinfect the root system with a one percent solution of copper sulfate. This will help minimize the risk of developing a disease called bacterial cancer.
Biological agents against raspberry diseases
One of the most popular biological agents used in the fight against diseases of this crop is Polyversum VR. In addition to the fact that it effectively protects raspberries from diseases and pests, it promotes the accumulation of auxins, which in turn favors an increase in the absorption of calcium by the fruit. Thanks to this, you can get a high-quality harvest of berries with excellent properties for transportation. Like many other biological agents, Polyversum helps to activate the crop’s immune system. Primary treatment should be carried out at the beginning of the growing season.
Events on raspberry agricultural technology
As mentioned above, agrotechnical measures to protect raspberries from pests and diseases are the most effective, since they act mainly as preventive measures. And, as you know, preventing a disease is much easier than curing it.
The list of agrotechnical measures includes:
- regular (every three to five years) change of place where the crop is grown;
- planting seedlings after certain crops (best after currants, legumes, gooseberries, row crops or chokeberries);
- mandatory removal of infected plants;
- destruction of all remaining vegetation after the harvest is harvested;
- following watering rules: raspberries do not like excessive humidity and stagnant water;
- planting raspberry bushes according to specific patterns suitable for a particular variety;
- correct application of fertilizers (in quantity and at appropriate periods of the growing season).
Scheme for protecting raspberries from diseases and pests
As for the scheme for protecting raspberries from pests and diseases, there are three main points:
Control measures using chemical agents are very limited, since the period of fruit ripening is prolonged for a long time. Thus, “chemistry” is used at the very beginning of spring, before the plants begin to bloom, and also after picking the berries.
New plantings are best formed from healthy planting material that is “clean” from viruses, fungi and pests. High-quality raspberry seedlings can be purchased at specialized institutes, experimental stations, and nurseries.
After harvesting, carefully inspect the bushes and cut out all weakened and diseased branches. This procedure is also done throughout the season. Unusable plant mass is burned, and the soil is mulched to protect the shoots from infection with gall midges.