Raspberries are nutritious and delicious edible fruits that grow naturally in cold climates. However, you can grow it in most regions. Apart from this, farmers cultivate the raspberries individually for commercial processing and the fresh fruit market as quick-frozen fruits, juices, or dried fruits used in various culinary products. You can pick these fruits by hand, and they will ripen soon after strawberries and just before blueberries. A full harvest of raspberries can be expected from the third year of planting, and these trees are productive for 10 – 15 years.
Raspberry plants are very hardy and strong, requiring less care. When you start growing a raspberry plant, you need to know the various essential sections that would be useful for profitable raspberry cultivation. The tractor is the most prominent farm equipment with attachment for farming. Therefore, you can choose the Powertrac 439 and any other tractor model like Swaraj 717. Moreover, you can check the tractor price online.
Raspberry Cultivation Varieties and Process
Raspberry Varieties
There are ‘summer-bearers’ and ‘ever-bearer’ types of raspberries. Some of the varieties grown worldwide are; Ever-bearing red raspberries, Black raspberries, purple raspberries, summer red raspberries, and Golden raspberries.
Climate Requirement
Farmers grow raspberries in a wide range of climate conditions. However, they grow well in cool climates. Raspberries grow best in full sun and tolerate some shade. However, most raspberry varieties still grow well in regions with mild winters and cool summers.
Soil Requirement
The raspberry crop grows best in soils with good drainage, from sandy loam to silt. Avoid heavy soils with poor drainage as root rot will occur in a few days. Raspberry plants prefer a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0 for best yield and quality. Acidic soil should corrected by adding lime to the soil. Micronutrient deficiencies should met based on soil test results. Appropriate organic matter must be supplemented to enrich the soil in land preparation.
The season for Raspberry Farming
Generally, farmers grow the raspberry seedlings in a nursery container. You should plant it after the frost conditions vanish. You should plant these seedlings 1 each deeper than they grow in the nursery.
Land Preparation
Site preparation plays a significant role in raspberry farming. Soil drainage is a core part of raspberry cultivation. A well-drained subsoil with a good supply of organic manure is highly desirable in raspberry farming. It is not recommended to thrive raspberries in an area where tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, peppers of any kind, or other crops susceptible to verticillium wilt were grown in the past 2 to 3 years. As part of land preparation, eliminate any weeds from previous crops before planting raspberries. One or two ploughings should done to pulverise the soil.
Propagation and Planting
Generally, raspberry plants are propagated by suckers that develop from the roots. The root divisions of these plants are separated by digging with a sharp spade and separating them by hand. It is best to buy certified disease-free raspberry seedlings from a reputable nursery. One-year-old seedlings of raspberry nursery or container plant can be planted in the field when the stem length is approximately 20 to 30 cm. Usually, In raspberry cultivation, the distance between plants is 2.75 m in aisles and 60 cm in a row. Generally, it takes 15 – 18 stems per metre.
Irrigation in Raspberry Cultivation
Irrigation depends on the type of weather and soil conditions. However, the raspberry crop requires frequent irrigation in dry areas. If weekly rainfall is below 1 inch, it needs adequate irrigation. Raspberries generally require irrigation once a week. Make sure to do adequate irrigation after harvesting the crop. You can use drip irrigation if water is a problem in your area. There are some local government schemes providing subsidies for drip and sprinkler irrigation.
Manures and Fertilisers
Raspberry crop responds well to organic fertilisers and manure. However, a proper annual application of fertilisers should made for the better growth of plants. Each year, apply 60 to 90 grams of ‘N’ per 10 feet of row. Apply 1/3 of the total when new primocanes begin to sprout, 1/3 at the end of May and 1/3 at the end of June. You should follow the broadcast method for applying fertilisers. Light irrigation is required immediately after fertilisation in the soil. Any nutrient deficiencies should be made up based on soil test results.
Intercultural Operations
Farmers require shallow cultivation to control primocanes and weeds that develop between row aisles and hills. To prevent root damage, cultivate it no deeper than 1 to 1.5 inches. Mulching is also helpful for controlling weed growth and retaining moisture. During the growing season, don’t stop primocanes. You should remove the old and dead floricanes in late and fall summer. After picking all the fruits from the plant, prune outh the floricanes.
Need the Equipment
For better raspberries farming operation and productivity, you should do the cultivation modernly. The cultivation of raspberries required better tractors and implements. And farmers can select the better tractor according to their budget. We recommend the AC tractor model. Also, you can buy a tractor such as the Powertrac 445 or any other tractor that fits your budget.
For further information regarding raspberries farming in India, stay tuned with us.
