Raspberries are only plentiful where the soil is nutrient-rich and evenly moist. Mulching is the ideal solution to create an ideal soil climate. At the same time you ensure that you have less work with weed removal.

What does mulching do?

The gardener understands mulching to be the spreading of a layer of natural materials on a bed or under shrubs.

Garden waste can be used as materials. Bark mulch is particularly good for covering the ground.

Mulch raspberries

With raspberries, mulching proves to be useful in several ways.

The mulch layer keeps moisture in the soil, provides a good supply of nutrients by rotting as fertilizer and keeps the soil loose.

Due to the cover, weeds cannot or hardly grow under the raspberry bushes. This is important because dense weed growth promotes the dreaded cane disease.

The best time for mulching

Fall is the best time to mulch fall raspberries. After cutting back the late varieties, the material is evenly distributed among the shrubs. The blanket may be spread two to five centimeters thick.

Summer raspberries are best mulched after pruning in the summer after harvest. Once you've trimmed back the biennial canes, apply the mulch layer.

In principle, however, you can mulch all year round. If there is lawn clippings or you have chopped shrubs, spread the material right under the raspberries.

Well suited mulch materials

  • bark mulch
  • mature compost
  • Rotted stable dung
  • Shredded shrub cuttings
  • lawn clippings
  • fallen leaves
  • straw

Any material that is natural and will rot is suitable for mulching. They release nutrients that significantly improve the soil.

Artificial mulch layers are available in specialist shops. They are made of fleece or similar materials. This material also decomposes over time, but is not as nutritious as bark mulch and the like. These covers are primarily used to prevent weed infestation and to protect against drying out.

tips and tricks

Never use mulching materials from diseased plants. Contaminated layers of mulch spread the diseases to the shrubs. You should also not use plant material that is already flowering. It germinates on the ground and provides additional weed growth.

Category:

Vegetable garden