Raspberries are grown for yourself or for sale. Juicy, ripe, bright fruits attract with aroma and appetizing appearance. But sometimes, when harvesting, the berries crumble and crumble, losing their presentation and structural integrity. You can make jam or compote from such crumbs, but it is better to understand the cause of the problem and take appropriate measures.
Reasons for crumbling raspberries
Diseases
The cause of raspberry crumbling is often the presence of viral diseases. The carriers of the disease are insects. If the green mass lags behind in growth, the berry becomes crumbly and small, spots appear, deformation of shoots and leaves is observed, this is undoubtedly a virus.
The following ailments are distinguished:
- Black raspberry necrosis. The disease is transmitted by aphids. The main indicator of the disease is the death of leaf edges. To combat the virus, aphid repellents are used.
- Terry dwarfism. The infection is carried by pollen and seeds, and transmitted by aphids. The disease can be recognized by slower growth, deformation of shoots, yellowing and spotting of leaves. Treatment does not give long-term results; the best solution would be to get rid of infected plants by planting new bushes.
- Mosaic. The virus is transmitted by aphids. The disease leads to the death of the top, spotting of the plant and a complete loss of fruit quality. To prevent and combat the disease, comprehensive treatment against insects is needed.
- Ring spot. The viral disease is spread by soil nematodes.With the disease, growth retardation and uneven berry set are observed. The main treatment will be pest control.
Watering and fertilizing
It is important to provide the fruit bush with optimal hydration and nutrition. Low air humidity, insufficient watering and lack of fertilizing cause loss of strength, which leads to scattering of the berries.
Without the opportunity to be saturated with water, the grains do not bind, which destroys the structure of the fruit and leads to crumbling.
Fertilizing during the period of ovary formation and berry filling has a beneficial effect on the harvest. Nitrogen-potassium products, slightly pink solutions of manganese or nettle tincture are suitable for fertilizer.
Proper care prevents crop loss by preserving and restoring fruiting.
Late harvest
The raspberry consists of numerous peas and is a complex multi-drupe. Inside each ball there is a seed, thanks to which the plant reproduces.
Falling to the ground, the seeds begin to take root and germinate, forming new seedlings. Nature provides this mechanism of reproduction, so overripe fruits fall apart into separate elements.
Based on this, it is important not to delay harvesting. If you need to delay harvesting, you can water the bushes generously. Once saturated with moisture, the berry will not fall off for another 2-3 days.
Basic care rules to prevent raspberries from falling apart in your hands
A healthy, abundant harvest requires proper care. Despite the unpretentiousness of the plant, it is important to follow the rules and secrets of growing, which help to obtain intact and large fruits:
- regularly water and mulch the beds;
- loosen the soil and remove weeds;
- feed with a full complex of fertilizers in a timely manner;
- monitor the external condition of the plant;
- prevent the appearance of pests.
High-quality and careful care is the key to a rich harvest. Improving the condition of the soil helps to eradicate viral diseases and achieve fertility.
It is important to note that raspberries need sufficient watering and air access. You should not plant the crop in the middle of the garden; it is better to choose a corner place with enough sunlight.
The plant needs space; it is necessary to remove excess growth in time, leaving sufficient distance between the bushes.
By following simple rules, raspberries will delight the whole family with fruits for more than one season.
