Rasberry

The word ‘Raspberries' brings to mind a bunch of delicious red berries. Yet, raspberry is not a berry at all, but a fruit with plenty of drupelets. When carefully plucked they reveal a hollow fruit inside. These fruits were found in the moist and temperate regions. They tend to spring up in places devoid of vegetation.

Growing Raspberries in our garden

The first step begins with a trip to the nursery in the winters. Raspberries are best planted in the late winter. Proper selection of the cane is important. The deeply dug ground should be enriched with organic matter. Nitrogen is good for the growing cane.

The first bloom should be plucked. This helps the plant grow. After the plant grows to a desired level, reducing the manure should stop further growth. The plant then bursts forth with fruit. These should be plucked when they are red ripe and ready to drop at the touch of a hand.

How much water do they require?

Raspberry patches should be well watered in the summer. Drip irrigation system works fine, alternately straw could be spread around it to trap the moisture. The canes should be left without water in the autumn months to turn them strong to brave the winters.

It is necessary to regularly prune the canes and destroy the old, diseased ones. As they have a tendency to grow they should be cut and kept within their boundaries.

The whole raspberry patch should be weeded regularly.

How beneficial are the Raspberries?

Leaves:
The astringent flavored leaves are used to regulate menstruation. Raspberry leaves look similar to the blackberry leaves. But a trained eye differentiates the raspberry leaf by viewing the underside, which is silvery white.

Raspberry, the fruit:

• They are rich in Vitamin A, C and E.
• They contain a high amount of fiber and are good for digestion.
• Raspberries also contain tannin that provide a remedial relief for intestinal inflammation.
• Raspberries are a rich source of calcium, iron and magnesium too.
• Xylitol contained in raspberries can work as sweeteners.

The people of Troy were the first to discover the bounties of this fruit. Of the 200 known varieties of raspberries just two are grown. ‘Loganberry' and ‘Boysenberry' are the hybrids introduced in the markets. Harvey Logan developed ‘Loganberry'. Later on Rudolph Boysen, developed the ‘Boysenberry' from the loganberry, raspberry and the blackberry.

Consumed whole, as desserts or jams raspberries are a tasty package of nutrition. A cup of raspberries contain sixty calories. Apart from the high nutritive value, they prevent diseases by boosting immunity