Malling Promise Raspberry

Malling Promise raspberry (Rubus idaeus Malling Promise) – a remontant (everbearing) cultivar of the common raspberry from the genus Rubus. Bred in England by Norman Grab from a cross of an inbred line of the variety Lloyd George with the variety Newburgh in 1935.

It forms a moderately spreading bush 2–2.5 m in height. Produces a very large number of suckers. One-year-old canes are medium and thin, internodes short, canes erect, glabrous, thorny, without wax bloom. Thorns numerous, red-violet, short, with a thickened violet-colored base. The cultivar is of medium winter hardiness. Bending and covering the canes for winter with insulating materials is desirable.

Berries large (2.4–5.2 g), uniform in size, light red, bright, conical in shape, with many large drupelets. Drupelet adhesion not strong, receptacle shallow, long, surface of the receptacle relatively smooth. Berries are transportable. Flavor balanced, sweet-tart. Average yield 16 t/ha.

Frost tolerance: -28°C

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

Planting: raspberries are planted in spring before bud burst (with spring planting regular watering is required for 2 weeks). In autumn seedlings are planted from mid-October. Planting scheme 2 x 0.5 m. Planting holes are dug 0.4 x 0.4 x 0.5 m. Seedlings should not be planted deeply; after planting prune shoots to 30 cm above the ground.

Diseases: susceptible to viral diseases and their vectors, in particular to Didymella, Botrytis and anthracnose, but very resistant to fungal diseases

Pests: raspberry clearwing, stem fly, shoot gall midge, raspberry-strawberry weevil, raspberry beetle, prodoxid and bud moths, leaf and raspberry aphids, orokhotvorka, stem fly, spider mite.

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, apply a feed of manure infusion (5:1) or poultry manure (12:1) at a rate of 1 bucket per 5 plants. In autumn it needs a water-charging irrigation. Support is necessary; a trellis is best.

Pruning: raspberries are pruned in spring, when it is possible to identify the overwintered one-year-old canes. Pruning canes by 10–15 cm stimulates the formation of new fruiting laterals. On 1 running meter of row leave 10–15 strong canes 1.5 m high, spaced 15–20 cm apart. Thinning is done in early spring, but if carried out in summer, when stems reach only 20–25 cm, the remaining stems develop better. To accelerate ripening of a young cane it is recommended to pinch the tip in mid-August. Winter covering is necessary – canes are bent and tied in the last days of autumn before frosts. Do not do this during frosty days, as canes can freeze and break.

Propagation: propagated by root cuttings, rooted tip cuttings, green and lignified root suckers. Each year many shoots grow from the rhizomes, which can be used for propagation the following year. For this they are dug up while they have not reached 15–20 cm in height and transplanted to a new location. Root cuttings can be used effectively: roots at least 0.5 cm thick are cut into pieces 20 cm long and planted in specially prepared trenches.

Uses: raspberries are used fresh, canned and frozen; they are made into jam, liqueurs, jelly, marmalade, juices, wine and tinctures. Widely used in medicine. Leaves are used as a tea substitute. Suitable as a pioneer plant, for embankments and slopes, and for planting under other plants.