Is Raspberry the Same as Rubus idaeus? A Full Analysis of Cultivation Techniques and Market Prices

Rubus idaeus (raspberry) is the dried fruit of the Rosaceae plant Rubus chingii, distributed in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi and other places. It has the effects of tonifying the kidney, securing essence and reducing urination, and nourishing the liver to improve eyesight. So is Rubus idaeus the same as raspberry? What are its cultivation techniques? What is the market price per jin?

I. Is Rubus idaeus the same as raspberry?

When it comes to raspberry, many people do not yet know that it can also be called Rubus idaeus (raspberry). In fact, the two are the same fruit. When the fruit is not yet ripe, it is dried, and this gives rise to the name Rubus idaeus. The fruit that people eat in daily life is called raspberry. To put it plainly, the biggest difference between Rubus idaeus and raspberry is that the former is the unripe fruit, while the latter is the ripe fruit.

II. How is Rubus idaeus cultivated?

1. Propagation

(1) Root sucker propagation: During root sucker propagation of Rubus idaeus, the mother plant should be kept in moist, loose soil with sufficient nutrients. Select and retain well-developed root suckers, keeping a spacing of 10-15 cm. After autumn, dig up the root suckers; dig deep to retain more lateral branches. They can be planted as they are dug, or first heeled in after digging and used to establish the plantation in early spring the following year.

(2) Cutting propagation: For cutting propagation of Rubus idaeus, dig out lateral roots about 1 cm thick, choose roots with buds, cut them into root sections about 10 cm long, and carry out cuttings in mid-March. Open a ditch 10 cm deep, insert the roots obliquely into the seedbed, leaving one quarter exposed above the soil, then cover level with soil.

(3) Transplanting propagation: For transplanting propagation of Rubus idaeus, from November each year to March of the following year, dig up wild plants from mountain woodland, cut off the aboveground basal shoots, keeping 20 cm in length, and take care not to damage the dormant buds at the base. Then transplant them into a leveled field, with a plant spacing of 25 cm and 2700 plants per mu. After planting, cover with soil and firm it, water to settle the roots, and cover with straw, dry grass, and the like.

2. Land preparation

When planting Rubus idaeus, choose slightly acidic gentle sloping land with deep soil, fertile and loose texture, and good drainage, plow deeply and prepare the land, and transplant at a plant-row spacing of 50 cm × 100 cm or 100 cm × 100 cm. Before transplanting, apply sufficient base fertilizer, applying farmyard manure at 3-5 kg per plant.

3. Management

During the growth period of Rubus idaeus, in combination with loosening the soil and weeding, apply topdressing 2-3 times each year, mainly nitrogen fertilizer, with an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. Apply seedling fertilizer in March, flower fertilizer in April, and wintering fertilizer in November, applying 1500-2000 kg of human excrement and urine per mu, and pay attention to watering during summer and autumn droughts. In May-June and August-September each year, carry out two intertillages and weedings to reduce the consumption of nutrients and water by weeds, so as to promote robust growth of the Rubus idaeus plant.

4. Bud removal

For Rubus idaeus, in April-May, when new branches produce lateral branches, remove the terminal buds to promote lateral branch growth, and at the same time pinch the lateral branches to encourage the development of secondary lateral branches. With more branches, the leaves are luxuriant, increasing the fruiting mother branches for the next year and increasing yield. During the fruiting period, set up a support beside each plant to prevent lodging.

5. Fertilizer and water

Each autumn, 2000-3000 kg of farmyard manure can be applied per mu, and topdressing can be applied once each during flowering and fruit development to increase the fruit-setting rate and promote fruit enlargement. Topdressing should mainly use quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer, applying 10-15 kg of urea per mu each time. At the same time, apply 1 kg each of borax and zinc sulfate per mu to help preserve flowers and fruits. Do a good job in drainage and irrigation; water timely in drought to keep the soil moist. Drain accumulated water promptly after heavy rain to prevent flower and fruit drop.

6. Pruning

In spring, promptly prune away the withered tips of the two-year-old branches to encourage the remaining branches to produce strong fruiting branches. Thin out branches at the base that are too dense and branches with pests and diseases, leaving 7-8 two-year-old branches per plant and maintaining a reasonable density, which is conducive to ventilation and light transmission and ensures high and stable yields. After fruit harvest, prune away the two-year-old branches and thin out root suckers and overly dense basal shoots to control the total number of branches in the plantation.

7. Harvesting

The harvest time for Rubus idaeus is from mid-May to early June, when the fruit has fully developed and is green, not yet turning red and ripe. Harvest in batches. After picking, remove stems, leaves, receptacles and other impurities, then pour into boiling water and blanch for 2-3 minutes before removing, then spread out to sun-dry or dry. The finished product is best when the grains are complete, solid, yellow-green in color, sour in taste, and free of stems, leaves and debris.

III. What is the price of Rubus idaeus per jin?

The market prices of Rubus idaeus vary quite a lot between different regions. At present, the price of wild Rubus idaeus of ordinary grade in Zhejiang is around 220 yuan, and the price of cultivated goods is around 230 yuan. In Yibin, Sichuan, the new harvest of Rubus idaeus is basically finished, and at present the supply at the production area is moving slowly, the market has declined somewhat, and the current price of ordinary grade at the production area is around 50 yuan.