Growing Raspberries

GROW YOUR OWN RASPBERRIES

Raspberries are among the most delicious and delicate of berry crops.Raspberries, plucked soft and sweet, are the most delicate of fruits. This makes them perfect for home gardens you can give them all the tender handling they need and enjoy them at their best.Just a few raspberry plants will reward you with plenty of fruit from midsummer until mid autumn. Raspberries can be grown in any size garden, you can even grow raspberries in containers.

Planting and Growing

• Raspberries can be planted any time during the dormant season, between November and March, providing the soil is not frozen or waterlogged.
• Most people grow summer-fruiting raspberries, which are ready for harvesting in early summer. You can also buy autumn-fruiting raspberries, which are ready for harvest from late August to October.
• Buy only certified disease-free plants.You can get the bare-root, in containers, or as tissue-cultured plant-lets Your best option is probably vigorous, year-old, bare-root plants that have been propagated from virus-indexed stock.
• Raspberries come in several colors. Yellow and red raspberries are the hardiest and are very sweet. Black raspberries are delicious but are the least hardy and the most susceptible to disease. Purple raspberries fall somewhere in between red and black.
• Raspberries are usually planted in rows and trained along a post and wire system. But, if you have a smaller garden, you can still grow raspberries, either in containers, or train them up a single post.
• Plant red and yellow raspberries 2 feet (60 cm) apart in a row, and they'll fill in solid in a year or two. Space black and purple raspberries 3 feet (90 cm) apart. Keep the row width fairly narrow 6-24 inches (15 to 60 cm) wide to allow every cane to get plenty of sun and be fully productive. Mow or till along the edge of the row as needed to keep the raspberries from creeping out.
• Apply compost and a little balanced organic fertilizer in late winter, if needed, for good growth. Mulch to discourage weeds and keep the soil evenly moist; water during dry spells. Propagate by division or layering, but only if you are sure your plants are healthy. In many cases, you're best off buying new, certified disease-free plants.

Pruning Raspberry Tree

• Regular pruning will encourage your plants to produce high yields of top-quality berries.
• When the raspberries finish flowering and fruiting for the season, prune the old canes but leave the green ones in place as they’ll produce next season’s berries. 
• Pruning should be done anywhere from 30 per cent of the trellis height to as high as you can comfortably reach to pick the berries. 
• A good prune will help increase next season’s improved crop of raspberries.

Harvesting And Storage

• The first summer raspberries are ready for harvesting in early summer, whereas autumn raspberries won’t mature until late summer. 
• Pick on a dry day. 
• Eat them fresh, freeze them, or make into preserves.

Few Health Benefits Of Raspberries

• Iron and Folic acid-Raspberries are a good source of iron and folic acid (which is used especially in treatment of low red blood cells or anemia).
• Anthocyanins-Color pigments in berries that are powerful antioxidants. Blue, purple, and red color has been associated with a lower risk of certain cancers, urinary tract health, memory function, and healthy aging.
• Vitamin-C-They are high in fiber, vitamin C, potassium and folate. Raspberries contain about 50% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C. Some of the fiber in raspberries is soluble fiber in the form of pectin, which lowers cholesterol.
• Skincare Benefits-Raspberries are packed with magnesium and several key vitamins and minerals vitamins C, B, E, PP, folic acid, citric acid, iron, potassium, calcium, pectin and high content of tannin's as well as fructose. All these amazing compounds contribute to skin’s elasticity, toning and enhance skin brightness and color. The main actions of raspberries on skin are astringent, anti-septic and tonic.

Chocolate Mousse with Raspberries Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 oz (170 g) bittersweet or dark chocolate
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) granulated sugar
• 2 cups (500 ml) 35% Cream
• 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla
• 3/4 cup (175 ml) fresh raspberries
• chocolate shavings or curls

Preparation

• Finely chop chocolate and place in a large heat-proof bowl; add sugar.
• Reserve 1/3 cup/75 ml cream. In a saucepan heat remainder of cream just until it reaches a boil; pour over chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted and thoroughly blended. 
• Whisk in vanilla.
• Place plastic wrap directly on top of mixture and refrigerate at least four hours.
• Whip mixture until stiff peaks form. Spoon half into 8 dessert dishes.
• Reserve 1/4 cup/50 mL raspberries. Layer remainder of raspberries and mousse.
• Whip reserved cream and spoon on top of mousse.
• Garnish with reserved raspberries and chocolate curls.