How to grow cloudberries from seeds at home, planting and care

Many gardeners grow cloudberries, which grow well in open ground and in greenhouse conditions. Before planting such a berry, you need to understand the main features of its planting and cultivation.

Characteristics of culture

Garden cloudberry has distinctive characteristics that you should definitely familiarize yourself with.

External description of the plant

The bushes grow up to 30-35 centimeters in height, and therefore they do not need tying up. They form berries that look like raspberry fruits. However, cloudberry pulp is several times denser. They are small and grow to only 2-3 centimeters in length. Unripe berries are pink in color, and after ripening their surface becomes orange.

Suitable climatic conditions

Cloudberries must be grown in suitable climatic conditions and therefore it is recommended to figure out in advance which regions are best to plant them in. Experts advise planting berries in the Far East and central Russia.

Also, the plant can be planted in any part of Belarus or Ukraine.

What diseases are you susceptible to?

Cloudberry bushes, like other plants, can die due to various diseases. The berry is susceptible to the following pathologies:

• oidium;
• black spot;
• gray rot;
• mildew.

Planting cloudberries in open ground

Before planting bushes in your dacha garden, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic nuances of planting.

Disembarkation dates

Many novice gardeners do not know when is the best time to plant berries in the garden. Experts recommend doing this in the spring so that the seedlings grow faster. In this case, the best time for planting is considered to be the end of April and the first half of May.

Choosing a strong and healthy seedling

It is very important to choose a healthy and strong seedling that will not die after planting in the ground.Experienced gardeners advise selecting seedlings for planting that have a developed root and at least three branches 3-4 centimeters long. Seedlings without branches and with a weakened root system are not suitable for planting in open ground.

Required soil composition and planting hole dimensions

The berries should be planted in an area with soil that is highly acidic. Therefore, before planting, you need to add ground sulfur to the soil. The area can also be acidified with an aqueous solution made from citric or acetic acid.

After preparing the soil, planting holes are created 10-15 centimeters deep and 20-30 centimeters wide.

Planting and care technology

When planting cloudberries on a plot, the seedlings are carefully placed in planting holes and covered with soil. All planted bushes are watered with warm water.

Agrotechnical techniques for good growth and fruiting

Any berries need proper care, and cloudberries are no exception. Therefore, in order to properly care for the plant, you need to understand the basic agrotechnical growing techniques.

How often to water

Bushes need regular watering, which helps maintain optimal soil moisture. When watering, you must use heated and settled water. Cold liquid cannot be used, as it can damage the root system. The soil is moistened every day in the evening. One bush consumes 20-30 liters of water.

Fertilizer

In order for the planted berry to bear fruit better, you will have to feed it periodically. Experts advise fertilizing at least twice a season. In spring, organic fertilizers such as manure and humus are added to the soil. During the fruiting period, plants are fertilized with mineral fertilizers and preparations to stimulate growth.

Plant pruning

You cannot prune branches too often, as this will cause the bushes to dry out. Only dried or diseased shoots can be removed from plants. In this case, the procedure is carried out in the first half of spring, until buds have formed on the stems. After the first buds appear, pruning the shoots is contraindicated.

Treatment against diseases and pests

People who have been growing cloudberries for years often encounter dangerous pests and diseases. To protect the bushes, they are periodically treated with insecticidal preparations. The most effective remedies include Metafos, Actellik and Karbofos.

Experienced gardeners also advise regularly spraying the bushes with Bordeaux mixture, which prevents the appearance of many pathologies. It is necessary to carry out preventive treatment of bushes 2-3 times per season.

Features of flowering and fruiting

Cloudberries have certain characteristics of fruiting and flowering that you should familiarize yourself with.

When to expect the first flowers and berries

The period when flowering begins directly depends on the region in which the plant is grown. In the southern regions it begins earlier, and in the northern regions later. However, most often flowers appear on bushes in late June and early July. Within 1-2 weeks after the start of flowering, the first fruits form on the bushes.

Harvest ripening time

The first ripe berries appear on the bushes in the second half of August. However, if the summer was too warm, the harvest has time to ripen until August 10-15.

Collection and use of fruits

When the first ripe berries appear on the bushes, they begin to harvest. At the same time, fruits are harvested every 2-3 days so that the berries do not have time to overripe.Gardeners who grow cloudberries are not advised to collect fruits after rain, as they will quickly deteriorate after that. If you want the harvested crop to be stored for a long time, it will have to be picked along with the stalks.

Delicious jam and compote are prepared from cloudberry fruits. Some housewives place the harvest in plastic bags and freeze it in the freezer. The berries are also used to make medicinal teas, decoctions and tinctures, which are often used in folk medicine.

How to propagate a bush

There are two main methods of propagating cloudberry bushes, which are used by many gardeners. It is necessary to familiarize yourself with them in more detail in order to choose the best method for propagating seedlings.

Cuttings

Experienced gardeners use this method of plant propagation. To perform the procedure, strong cuttings of berries 10-12 centimeters high are cut in the forest. First, they are planted in containers with a nutrient substrate, after which they are covered with polyethylene. When growing such seedlings, monitor the soil moisture, which should not dry out.

The cuttings need to be rooted for two weeks, after which they are planted in the garden.

Planting rooted seedlings can be done not only in the spring, but also in the fall before the onset of frost.

Seeds

People who do not want to propagate bushes with seeds try to grow cloudberries from frozen seeds at home. However, some gardeners do not recommend using this method, since shrubs grown from such material are many times weaker than their parents.

Many gardeners prefer to freeze collected seeds to plant in the spring or early summer. However, in order for the plant to grow strong, it is recommended to plant all the seeds after harvesting - in mid-autumn.In this case, the seed is first planted in pots for growing seedlings, which in the future will be transplanted into open ground.

Popular cloudberry varieties

Despite considerable demand and popularity, breeders have not been able to develop garden varieties of cloudberries. Therefore, all gardeners and gardeners grow ordinary garden cloudberries on their plots.

Conclusion

Cloudberries are a common berry that many gardeners grow in their summer cottages. Before planting this plant, you need to understand the characteristics of the crop, the nuances of its planting and agrotechnical techniques that will help you harvest a good harvest of ripe berries.