Raspberry «Gerakl»

Raspberry «Gerakl» (Rubus idaeus) – a remontant raspberry cultivar. The cultivar was obtained by I.V. Kazakov at the Kokinsky support point of VSTISiP from a cross between the variety Ottom Bliz and an interspecific seedling 14-205-4.

It is a medium-growing, weakly spreading bush 1.6-2 m high with low shoot-forming ability (3-4 replacement shoots). Shoots are erect, strong, do not require support; the fruiting zone comprises more than half their length. One-year shoots are medium in thickness, green, turning purple by autumn with a waxy bloom, thorny. Thorns are prickly, stiff, thin, straight with a downward inclination, light brown, and distributed along the entire length of the shoot. Leaves are medium-large, wrinkled, twisted, dark green.

Berries ripen from early August until the first frosts. Potential yield 60-70%. Berries are very large, 5-6 (10) g, truncated-conical, ruby-colored; the drupelets are uniform and firmly attached, and at full ripeness the fruits do not fall apart. Taste is sweet-tart, pleasant, delicate, refreshing; aroma pronounced, raspberry-like. Yield is high, 2-2.5 (3) kg per bush.

Hardiness zone: 4a (-36°C).

Location: prefers open, well-warmed sites protected from cold winds. Grows well on fertile, neutral soils (pH 5.5-6). Preferably planted on moisture-retentive but well-drained (groundwater should lie at least 1.5 m deep) light loam soils. On sandy and sandy-loam soils annual application of organic fertilizer and regular moderate watering are necessary.

Planting: raspberries are planted in spring before budbreak (when planted in spring, raspberries require regular watering for 2 weeks). In autumn, seedlings are planted from mid-September to mid-October. Recommended spacing at planting is 70 cm, between rows 1.5-2 m. Tolerates crowding normally if fertilized.

Pruning: to obtain an earlier crop, a full autumn pruning or a short pruning to 2 buds can be performed (in this case all thin shoots are cut out to reduce load on the bush). With full autumn pruning a taller bush with a larger yield can be obtained.

Care: requires regular weeding and soil mulching. Responds well to potassium and nitrogen fertilizers. In the second year after planting apply organic fertilizer – 1 bucket of compost or humus per 1 cubic meter, 25 g of double superphosphate, 20 g of potassium sulfate. In early June, if growth is weak, feed with manure infusion (5:1) or poultry manure infusion (12:1) at a rate of 1 bucket per 5 plants. In autumn requires a moisture-replenishing (deep) watering.

Propagation: propagated by root cuttings, rooted shoot tips, and green and lignified root suckers.

Pests: resistant to the raspberry mite.

Diseases: weakly affected by fungal diseases.

Uses: berries can be grown for the fresh market and for industrial processing. Good transportability.