You’ve probably realized that just acquiring a garden plot doesn’t guarantee you’ll have a thriving garden. It takes a lot of hard work, especially if the soil is poor and requires special preparation. Your plot needs specific cultivation techniques.
Our extensive research has shown that with the right pre-planting preparation, sandy soils can successfully support the growth of raspberries, currants (both red and black), gooseberries, and other berry bushes, yielding good harvests.
So, what’s the secret to cultivating light-textured soils? First, sandy soils are notoriously low in organic and mineral nutrients. Additionally, they have a poor ability to retain water. These two critical factors need to be addressed to ensure the soil can effectively support plant growth. Start by bringing in peat and clay to your plot. Level the area where you plan to plant your berry bushes. Then, along the future rows, dig a trench that is 1.5 to 2 feet wide. The length of the rows can be determined based on the layout of your plot.
At the bottom of the trench, lay a 2 to 3-inch layer of clay, which will require about 110 to 150 pounds of material per linear meter of trench. On top of the clay, add a 4 to 6-inch layer of peat (approximately 150 pounds per linear meter of trench). It’s best to use well-decomposed, moist lowland peat for this layer. Fill the remaining part of the trench with the topsoil you removed while digging. It’s advisable to carry out these tasks in the fall. A snowy winter will help retain moisture in the peat layer, which is crucial for the plants during the growing season.
The clay layer primarily acts as a water barrier, while the peat layer serves two functions: it has a high absorption capacity, retaining a significant amount of water (one volume of peat can absorb up to ten volumes of water), and it contains a substantial amount of organic matter.
After filling the trench, in the fall, apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizers on the surface at a rate of 80 grams of superphosphate and 40 grams of potassium sulfate per square meter. Nitrogen fertilizers should be applied in the spring at a rate of 80 grams per square meter. Be sure to incorporate them into the soil to a depth of 4 to 5 inches.
It’s best to plant raspberries towards the end of winter, right after the ground thaws. Choosing the right varieties is crucial. Opt for those that are resistant to pests and diseases, winter-hardy, and high-yielding. Additionally, the varieties should be self-pollinating and have a compact bush form.
Another important consideration is the planting scheme. For raspberries, the rows should be spaced 6 to 8 feet apart, with 10 to 14 inches between plants in the row. This dense planting will prevent gaps if some plants fail to take root and will quickly fill and form a fruit-bearing strip, allowing you to harvest 2 to 3 pounds of raspberries per 6.5 feet by the second year, and between 4 to 13 pounds in the third year and beyond.
The width of the fruit-bearing strip should be about 1.5 to 2 feet. When filling it, leave 14 to 16 strong, evenly spaced shoots on the surface. Prune them during the active growth phase, which is in the spring and summer when they reach a height of 12 to 16 inches. At this time, it will be easy to distinguish between strong and weak shoots. Carefully remove the weaker ones at soil level with pruning shears to minimize damage to the others. This technique significantly reduces the transpiration surface, allowing the remaining shoots to utilize moisture and nutrients from the soil more effectively.
For currants and gooseberries, space the rows 5 to 6.5 feet apart and 1.5 to 2.5 feet apart within the row. Of course, this will largely depend on the compactness of the bushes of each variety.
I’d like to highlight another crucial point. Due to the vigorous growth of replacement shoots at the beginning of the growing season, plants will absorb water from the soil quite intensively. In some years, during prolonged spring-summer droughts, this can dry out the area, negatively impacting the growth and yield of the plants. Therefore, it becomes necessary to “recharge” the soil with moisture. Watering is essential. Create soil mounds on either side of the raspberry rows, about 3 to 4 inches high. The amount of water for irrigation should be three large doses per linear meter. It’s best to apply this water gradually over 1 to 1.5 hours to allow for proper absorption. Watering in the evening is preferable to minimize evaporation.
By following these guidelines, you can achieve excellent berry harvests in your garden.