Raspberry Giant Moscow

Moscow Giant is an amazing variety of large-fruited raspberries. The variety belongs to the early, the taste is very high. Due to these characteristics, the culture is very popular among gardeners.

The Moscow Gigant variety is one of the most eye-catching among berry horticultural crops. Unsurprisingly, it is in great demand among amateurs and professionals. The advantages of the Moscow Giant are the large size of berries, decent weight and high yield. The visual characteristics are as follows:

• the foliage has a juicy green color, the size of the leaves is large, the berries are bright red;

• the bushes are powerful, voluminous, the height can reach 3 meters, but usually lower - about 2 m;

• the shrub quickly becomes dense, as the shoots develop strongly, so timely pruning is important.

The Moscow Gigant grows well in any conditions, including frosty climates, so it is often chosen by gardeners of the middle lane, starting to be used in the Trans-Urals and Siberia. Among the advantages of the variety, the following are most often distinguished:

• large fruits of good dessert qualities;

• excellent yields throughout the season;

• the absence of thorns on the stems facilitates the collection of fruits;

• the shrub is self-pollinated;

• berries are suitable for transportation;

• dessert and commercial quality at a high level.

We must not forget about the disadvantages:

• thickens and overgrows very quickly, requires constant care in this regard;

• in the northern regions, it is only gaining its distribution, has not been studied.

As for the renovation, the Moscow Giant has a partial one, that is, the variety is classified as semi-renovated. The ripening period belongs to the early ones - this is a serious advantage over other varieties. The first fruits appear at the beginning of the first summer month, and the berries continue to appear until the second half of July. The timing varies depending on the place of growth and care. Before the first frosts, the Giant usually brings another crop - from mid-August to cold weather. In greenhouse conditions, raspberries will ripen all year round.

The yield of this variety is quite high, which makes it especially attractive for gardeners. One shrub brings at least 10 kg per season, maximum 12 kg of berries. Thanks to this, the Moscow Giant is in demand not only among amateurs, but also in demand in industrial breeding.

The berries of the variety are very large, their weight is rarely less than 25 grams, and can reach 30. Fruits are glossy, shiny, conical, bright color, typical for raspberries. Juicy pulp and tiny bones make it possible to feed this variety of raspberries to children at an early age. Dessert qualities are high - the taste is sweet, the aroma is pronounced, raspberry. The beneficial properties of the Giant are highly valued; berries can be consumed both fresh and frozen, processed.

In order for the Moscow Gigant to bring a rich harvest, it is necessary to provide high-quality agricultural technology. There are a number of events that are important to be held regularly and according to the rules.

• Fertilizers. If fertilizing is applied before planting, then you do not need to fertilize the plant for a long time. Top dressing is required by the Giant during the early spring, before the formation of flowers. Bird droppings, diluted manure are suitable. Do not fertilize raspberries more than once a month and a half.

• Moisturizing. The unpretentiousness of the variety makes it in demand among gardeners, but still, sometimes it is necessary to water the plant. It is important to monitor soil moisture, and watering frequency depends on weather and climate conditions. If the summer is dry, water the raspberry tree 2-3 times a week. Avoid moisturizing for about a month during rainy periods. Water the plant in the evening, otherwise the foliage and roots may get burned.

• Pruning. The variety needs frequent pruning, unlike other varieties, otherwise the bushes will thicken strongly. The shade harms the formation and development of fruits, and also negatively affects the shrub as a whole. In the fall, before frost, remove the tops of the first-year shoots, which already had berries. It is not worth cutting off all the shoots in the fall, this will lead to a decrease in the yield next year.

• Tying. Most often it is recommended to use metal raspberry garters. Wooden pegs are also suitable. Tying is done at a height of about one and a half meters. You can use a fan garter, if there are many rows of bushes - trellis.

• Mulching. This procedure is also mandatory. For mulching, hay, straw are suitable, sawdust or peat can be used. Mulching is necessary so that the roots do not freeze in the winter.

• Preparing for winter. Raspberries tolerate frosts well, but only up to -20 degrees. If the winters are harsher, shelter is worth taking care of. In the fall, prune, loosen the soil and mulch it. Mulch is harvested only in spring in warm weather. You can bend the stems to the ground and cover with agrofibre if the winter is too harsh.

The first landing of the Moscow Giant is carried out in warm weather in the spring, when the snow has completely melted, and can continue throughout the season. When choosing a territory, consider the following points:

• the area must be protected from drafts, strong winds;

• soil preparation is carried out in the fall, in advance;

• preliminarily improve the soil by planting cereals;

• it is better to choose a flat plot of land, a small slope is permissible.

There are several ways to plant this variety of raspberries, but in any case, the most important thing is to choose healthy, strong material. Discard visually damaged seedlings. You also need to take care of the soil - sandy loam soil and loam are optimal. In autumn, the soil is usually prepared - lime and ash, peat and sand, humus are added. It is not recommended to oversaturate the soil with fertilizers.

The row planting method is used especially actively - it is very simple, the sequence is as follows:

• dug trenches about half a meter or a little less;

• the distance between the bushes should not be less than one and a half meters;

• humus, potassium sulfate, superphosphate, ash are poured into the pits;

• fertile soil is placed on top;

• the seedling is not set too deeply;

• the root neck rises about 3 cm above the ground;

• after planting, moisten the soil with 2 buckets of water per seedling;

• mulch the soil with rotted manure, sawdust.

The disease resistance of this variety of raspberries is quite high, but fungal diseases are very often problematic. In addition to the fungus, raspberries are exposed to the invasion of insect pests. Aphids are the most troublesome. So that the harvest does not suffer, it is necessary to carefully monitor the raspberry tree in terms of weeds. It is the weeds that carry the aphids and infest the raspberries. Preventive measures in this regard are very important.

The variety is best propagated by layering and cuttings. For cuttings, take a ripe shoot, cut it off and create cuttings of about 20 cm each. Each should have at least 2 buds. The cuttings are stored in peat and moss in cellars. Landing is carried out in the spring or autumn under a quality shelter.