The variety of raspberry varieties on the modern market is constantly growing. There are varieties of this beloved by many berries, which stand out in color, shape or size of the fruit, yield, and so on. However, many gardeners from year to year choose time-tested varieties. Raspberries of the Balsam variety also have many adherents, which is explained by its positive qualities.
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About the creation of a raspberry Balsam variety
The roots of the raspberry variety Balsam are literally and figuratively located in the Bryansk land. It was bred at the Kokinsky base of the All-Russian Institute of Selection and Technology for Horticulture and Nursery (VSTISP), which is located in the Vygonichsky district of the Bryansk region. An outstanding breeder, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor Ivan Kazakov worked here for many years. From 1968 to the mid-1980s, he created about 20 varieties of traditional raspberries, and then almost 30 varieties of remontant raspberries suitable for machine harvesting, 19 of which were added to the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation, in cooperation with the workers of the base from 1968 to the mid-1980s.
Ivan Kazakov - the creator of many varieties of raspberries
At the end of December 1981, the Kokinsky stronghold filed an application with the State Commission for Testing and Protection of Breeding Achievements to conduct a variety testing of raspberry Balsam, for the creation of which Rubin Bulgarian and Newburg served as the initial varieties.
Photo gallery: raspberry balsam and varieties used in its creation
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- The "parents" of raspberries of the Balsam variety were Newburgh and Rubin Bulgarian
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- Newburgh raspberry variety - medium late ripening
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- Raspberry variety Rubin Bulgarian regularly bears fruit, even being affected by the disease
After thorough testing in 1993, a new variety of berry bushes was included in the list of raspberry varieties recommended for cultivation in Eastern and Western Siberia, in the North Caucasus and north-west of Russia, on the Middle Volga, in the Central Black Earth Region, Volga-Vyatka and Central regions. ...
In 2006, the State Variety Commission issued a patent for the raspberry variety Balsam to the All-Russian Institute of Selection and Technology of Horticulture and Nursery.
What is Balm raspberry
In the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation, raspberry Balsam bushes are described as sprawling erect, growing up to 180 cm high.The average number of shoots is formed - from 15 to 20 pieces per 1 m2... They have hard, short, brown spines covered with a waxy coating, which have an average size and density on the surface of the bark.
Quite large berries of Balsam, reaching 2.8 g in weight, ripen in medium terms. Fruits of approximately the same size grow. They are dense, well separated from the fruit bed, dark purple in color, in shape they are a wide cone with a blunt tip.Each bush can give 2.2 kg of fruit, which will be from 60 to 80 centners per hectare. The taste of the berries is determined by the tasters as medium. They can be eaten fresh or processed into various preparations.
Balsam raspberries reach a weight of 2.8 g
In the process of variety testing, it was noted that the raspberry Balsam bushes tolerate winter cold well, without drying out and vomiting. During the growing season, the plant is slightly affected by spider mites and purple spot.
In the information from gardeners about the Balsam variety, you can find several differences from the official characteristics, which, apparently, is explained by the differences in climate, weather conditions of the berry growing area and, of course, the quality of plant care:
- the taste is characterized as rich and rather sweet;
- berries are very large;
- fruiting is noted as stable, constant - new berries quickly ripen on the bush after harvest.
Video: raspberry variety Balm
Important points of cultivation
Planting and caring for raspberries Balsam generally do not differ from the agricultural technology of other varieties of these berries.
Raspberry Balsam is easy to grow, but you should adhere to the rules common to all varieties of these berry bushes
You just need to take into account a few significant points of departure:
- Raspberry Balsam bushes are quite large, so the plantings should not be thickened, otherwise you will complicate the processing of raspberries, worsen the illumination of the berries and, therefore, increase their ripening period:
- when planting bushes in a row, a distance of 70 cm to 1 m is left between them, and between rows - from 2 to 3 m;
- individual bushes are planted at a distance of at least 1.5 m from one another;
- for the convenience of handling the raspberry, it is better to use supports - stakes or trellises. Tying the stems of a plant to a stake hammered into the middle of the bush or next to it is convenient, but it deprives part of the crop of sufficient sunlight and delays its ripening. The optimal solution, if 3 or more bushes are planted with raspberries, is to use trellises, to which the shoots are tied as they grow so that they do not shade each other;
Trellis is the best support solution for raspberries
- one should not forget about the rules for feeding raspberries, although they are common for all varieties of this plant: when applying mineral fertilizers, you must strictly follow the instructions for them, which indicate the procedure for preparing the feeding, the volume or weight of its application for each plant, the frequency of the operation:
- nitrogen fertilizers must be applied for the last time no later than the beginning of June;
- in the future, until the end of the season, only potash and phosphorus can be used;
- after watering or rain, when the water is absorbed into the soil, it should be loosened to provide the roots with sufficient air access and prevent their possible rotting in a humid environment.
Mulching is a good substitute for loosening specifically for raspberries, since the plant is very sensitive to a lack of moisture: yield decreases, the taste of berries deteriorates.
The optimal layer of mulch for a crop is 5-10 cm, less will not retain moisture
Correct pruning is very important for the Balsam variety. This concept includes:
- removal of fruiting branches in the fall;
- rationing of planting when growing bushes, planted in a row, by removing weak shoots, so that there are 8-10 good shoots per bush;
- until mid-May, pinching the tops on young stems that have reached a height of 0.7-0.9 m, so that they branch better.
Pinching the tops of raspberries in May will provide a rich harvest for the next year
It is necessary to pay serious attention to the organization of the wintering of the bushes. Although the Balsam variety is declared cold-resistant, its preparation for winter largely depends on the climate of the raspberry growing area. In regions with severe snowy winters, shoots are tied into bunches and bent to the ground. Before snow falls, they are covered with spruce branches, straw, agrofibre - any material that allows air to pass through.If raspberries grow in an area where there is little snow or it is blown out by strong winds, it is better to leave the bush open, insulating only the trunk circle with an additional layer of mulch.
In areas with snowy winters, raspberry shoots bend to the ground
Why Raspberry Balm is better than other varieties
Let's compare raspberry Balsam with varieties of Scromnitsa and Kirzhach similar in terms of ripening.
Photo gallery: mid-season raspberry varieties
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- The berries of the described variety of raspberry Balsam are perfectly separated from the stalk
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- Raspberry variety Kirzhach - dessert taste
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- Raspberry Variety Modesty is convenient for picking berries, as it does not have thorns
Raspberry varieties selected on the basis of average ripeness, almost simultaneously included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation and growing in many gardens, have many similar characteristics, but there are also certain differences.
Table: Comparison of Raspberry Varieties of Average Ripening
| Characteristics | Balm | Shy | Kirzhach |
| Year of entry into the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation | 1993 | 1992 | 1994 |
| Bush height, m | 1,8 | Up to 2 | More than 2.5 |
| Ripening period | Mid-early | Middle | Middle |
| Purpose of fruits | Universal | Universal | Universal |
| Berry weight, g | 2,5–2,8 | 2,5–2,9 | 2,2–3,0 |
| Berry flavor | Middle | Middle | Dessert, tasting score 4.2 points |
| Yield, c / ha (kg per bush) | 60–80 (2,2) | 70–90 (2,2) | 67–100 |
| Clutching berries with a fruit bed | The berries separate well | Information not found | Strong grip |
| Shoot formation, pieces / m2 | Average (15–20) | Average | High (over 25) |
| The presence of thorns on the shoots | Average | No thorns | Few |
Disease and pest resistance:
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The obvious advantages of Balm over the Modest and Kirzhach are:
- resistance to diseases and pests;
- easy separation of berries from the fruit bed, as a result of which raspberries do not wrinkle during harvest;
- low shoot-forming ability, as a result of which the bushes do not shade themselves, do not thicken, which contributes to their health and better ripening of the crop.
Reviews of gardeners about raspberry balm
My favorite varieties of raspberries are Meteor, Oksana, Balsam. Every year I have a great harvest. In the spring, when I plant new raspberry bushes, I make a planting hole for each plant with a width and depth of at least 30 cm, I add rotted manure and ash there. I do not use mineral fertilizers and other chemicals.
I have been growing for about 6 years. I consider the stability of the crop to be the main advantage. It does not vomit, it is winter-hardy (I must bend it down for the winter - after all, Western Siberia), the summer heat is also not a hindrance to it. It ripens amicably and the taste is excellent, sweet and sour, not dessert, of course, but it suits me, in the freezer - too. The berry weighs about 3 grams. The overgrowth gives not much. For all the time I was not sick with anything, this year I really cut off a few stems - purple spot prevailed, almost all varieties were ...
People not in vain say: "An old friend is better than two new ones." Having planted Balsam raspberries on his plot, the gardener can be sure that he will receive a good harvest of tasty and aromatic berries in the summer and much-needed prepared useful additives to the winter menu.
