Raspberries are delicious, delicate members in the same botanical family as the rose and the blackberry. Also known as Rubus idaeus, raspberries contain more vitamin C than oranges and are high in fiber. In fact, raspberries have one of the highest fiber content of any plant foods which makes up for about 20% of the berry’s total weight. These berries are also low in calories, rich in folic acid, high in potassium, vitamin A, calcium, beta carotene and manganese.
The Key Reason You Should Grow Your Own Raspberries
Many of us don’t realize is that the valuable nutrients in raspberries degrade the longer they are stored. This means that you need to consume them as soon as they’re picked to get the full benefit. When you grow your own raspberries, you’re most likely to do that. And a small cup of fresh berries may meet half your daily requirement of Vitamin C when picked and eaten fresh. That’s an amazing incentive to grow these special little berries.
Raspberries are also easy to grow – no need to be scared of growing this fruit if you are new to gardening. Many raspberry cultivars are cold hard and others are heat and drought resistant. This means that no matter where you live, you can find a variety that is just right for you. There is more good news, raspberries are, for the most part, very resistant to most pests and a number of diseases that often plague other plants.
So what’s keeping you from growing your own raspberries? Let’s see how to go about growing buckets full of delicious raspberries. Follow the tips below for a plentiful harvest.
The Total Guide To Growing Baskets Full Of Delicious Raspberries
Choose The Right Spot
Decide on a suitable area in your garden before you even get your raspberry plants. Once they are established, raspberries stay around for a long time. Raspberry canes need support such as a fence or trellis and should be trained initially. Consider it a long term investment guaranteed to give you rich rewards indefinitely. Once established, a yearly pruning is all it takes by way of maintenance.
Raspberry plants need full sun to have the maximum amount of fruit. The plant can tolerate some amount of shade, but that will severely reduce fruit production. So, choose an area that gets plenty of sunlight throughout the day.
Well draining soil and good air circulation are also important, but some protection against wind is necessary. Planting on a slight slope is ideal as it allows for quick drainage.
