Raspberry "Joan G": advantages of growing the variety

A variety with great prospects and major drawbacks - Joan Jay raspberry, a pearl from the collection of Scottish breeder Derek Jennings, received diametrically opposed assessments from gardeners and farmers. Over 20 tons per hectare, more than 7 kg per linear meter, sweet, aromatic - ideal for commercial plantings. Dry, insipid, with meager productivity - the crops are divided, puzzled by the low yield.

Raspberries Joan Jay: assessment of the originator, opinions of breeders and gardeners.

What Joan G raspberries actually are, as they call them - characteristics, descriptions from the originator and gardeners, assessment of prospects, subtleties of cultivation and care.

Does first mean best?

Not so long ago, remontant varieties of raspberries became a real discovery for our gardeners, allowing them to see, and not only see - and eat plenty of berries, and even prepare them for future use already in the year of planting. Repairers are significantly easier to care for and have no problems with wintering, pests, diseases that have accumulated over the season - cut them out after fruiting in the fall to “zero”, and that’s it, new powerful stems will come out of the ground in the spring. But I still wanted something more from them. Eh, if only there were no thorns yet... the summer residents sighed sadly, remembering their scratched hands in the battle for the harvest of delicious berries. And they smiled sadly, realizing that these were just crimson fantasies...

And now, completely unexpected and revolutionary news that immediately awakened the desire to own this “miracle” was the appearance of the first thornless repairman - Joan J. This “British” entered our market about 5-6 years ago, and many people who grow it still have it as their favorite.

Let's take a closer look at the history of its creation and characteristics in order to better understand why it is so popular, except for the lack of thorns.

Reviews

Many beginners and professional gardeners give positive feedback. Bushes of such raspberries are highly marketable, give a good harvest and are easily digestible in garden plots.

When arranging a crop, it should be taken into account that the berries have a rapid period of overripening, equal to approximately 3-4 days. Hence the need to harvest every day. The collected fruits can withstand long-term storage, and their undemanding nature for transportation makes this raspberry variety increasingly popular among gardeners.

Also, in addition, many note the ease with which the fruit is removed from the bushes, the sufficient density of the pulp and the durable “skin”. These properties help in long distance transportation. The culture is very suitable for sale in markets, as well as for processing on an industrial scale.

Origin

Joan Jay is a remontant raspberry variety of English selection, bred by the famous scientist Derek L. Jennings as part of the Medway Fruits breeding program (in Maidstone, UK) in 2008. As a result of a laboratory experiment, the complex hybrid Joan Squire was crossed as a male plant, pollen was taken from it, and Teri Louise, which, after pollination, is the “parent” of the seeds, was crossed as a female plant. From subsequent controlled plantings in the ground in the fields, seedlings of a new variety were selected that met all the necessary characteristics.

Site selection and soil preparation

If we talk about the place where it is better to plant raspberries, then it is always the sunny side of the site. The rows should go from north to south. It is worth digging up the previously allocated area and letting the soil stand for a while so that it becomes loose. If necessary, the soil can be dug up with fertilizers. If the area is clayey, then it is necessary to remove the clay if possible.

Next you need to make rows. To plant seedlings, you can use the hole or trench method. Here the choice will be purely personal. The holes should be up to 50 cm deep and 80 cm wide. The number of holes should be equal to the number of seedlings. We install trellises next to the holes and throughout the entire raspberry patch. The distance between the supports is from 3 m, and the wire on which the branches will be attached should be distributed at 3 levels: 0.7 m, 1 m and 1.6 m.

You can additionally pour growth stimulants or any other fertilizer into the holes. The seedlings are lowered into the hole and covered with soil so that the root collar is at ground level. You need to leave 80 cm between the bushes, but 1-2 m between the rows will be enough.

After planting, the seedlings must be watered, 2 buckets per hole.

Description

Bushes of medium vigor, height from 1 to 1.5 meters. The stems are thick, powerful, and well branched. The length of the sides is 50-70 cm, and the main thing is that on each of them full-fledged fruit branches are formed - laterals, as on productive varieties of summer raspberries. A big plus is that the shoots are absolutely smooth - without any thorns, light green in color, erect, but due to the high yield they can bend to the ground, loaded with fruits. Therefore, it is very desirable to use a trellis to obtain a full harvest and placing branches on it greatly facilitates caring for plants and selecting berries. The leaves are large, with three or five leaflets and a deep pattern.

One of the undeniable and main advantages is its excellent taste, one of the best among all remontants. The berry is sweet, juicy, with a rich raspberry aroma. The sweetness persists even in cool rainy weather. The berries are large, wide, elongated-conical in shape, very smooth, bright red, most likely even ruby, but darken when fully ripe.

They are easily separated from the fruit stem, with a dry separation. The drupes are uniform, small, well interconnected. Berries weighing 4-6 grams, can reach up to 8 grams. The average weight in the season is 5 g and throughout its entire duration the fruits do not become significantly smaller. The pulp is quite dense and elastic, but the skin itself is of medium strength. When ripe, they can hang on the bush without shedding for up to a week, but in the hot summer months the dark berries burn heavily in the sun, and this is considered one of the problems in cultivating Joan Jay, especially for the southern regions. The solution is to grow in tunnels covered with agrofibre, opaque film, or a shading net over the plantation. But this is not convenient and accessible for everyone.

The berries ripen from the base to the tip, which demonstrates the degree of their ripeness and serves as a kind of indicator of readiness. For transportation and subsequent sale, it is advisable to take fruits with a light tip, but for personal consumption, canning, freezing, take fully colored ones, in which all the wonderful aroma and rich taste are widely revealed. So the English originator of the variety for commercial purposes recommends a daily selection of fruits with an incompletely colored tip.

Advantages and disadvantages of Joan J raspberries

Let's consider only some of the advantages of the new variety of berries for which gardeners value raspberries so much.

• Great taste. Everyone loves sweet red raspberries since childhood. But the fruits of this particular variety will allow you to enjoy the rich taste even more. Tastings of the Joan J raspberry harvest are often held. At such events, the berries are a great success and are appreciated.
• High yield. This is one of the main advantages for which gardeners fell in love with such raspberries. Plus, if the weather conditions are right, you have the opportunity to harvest several times. You can enjoy fresh berries to your heart's content and have time to stock up on them for the winter. The shrub also forms a large number of shoots, which makes it easier and faster to reproduce.

• Easy to collect. There are no needles on the trunks and branches of the bush, which means you won’t have to protect your skin with gloves and endure pain, as is often the case when harvesting traditional raspberry varieties. Ripe, dense fruits with strong skin do not leak; they are effortlessly separated from the stalk. This makes it easy to transport and store raspberries, maintaining the integrity and beautiful appearance of the berries.
• Resistant to heat and disease. Sometimes the vagaries of nature ruin the plans of gardeners and destroy the harvest grown with great difficulty. With Joan J raspberries, you don't have to worry about the bush dying from heat or drought.

With all the undoubted advantages of this variety, it still has its disadvantages and specific features, which should always be remembered.

For example, despite the property of remontability, the shrub begins to bear fruit quite late. However, this rule applies provided that the climate region in which the plant develops is not warm enough and there is not enough sunlight. In such regions, the variety may not reach its full potential because it simply does not have time to ripen.

It is recommended to cultivate the variety in the southern regions; the frost resistance of the shrub does not exceed -16 degrees Celsius.

Also, some gardeners note that a large amount of harvest can cause some inconvenience. The branches of the bush cannot withstand the abundance of large, heavy fruits, so special supports will have to be made for the plant

It is also important to ensure that the berries are not overripe.

Productivity

Joan Jay is a remontant of early ripening, bears fruit on the stems of the current year from the end of July, the main flow of berries occurs in September, and in October it produces its entire harvest. Now some gardeners have figured out another simply superb highlight of this beautiful raspberry.

In late autumn or early spring, the trunk is cut not to zero, as usual according to agricultural technology, but by half or even less - up to 30 cm long. This ensures record ultra-early fruiting from the 20th of May until July, and then, after a very short break, new shoots start working on the berries. It turns out to be an almost continuous berry conveyor, and the variety itself can easily be considered a real “tuttimer”, capable of producing a full harvest twice a season. The same pruning technique is used on another fruit remontant “hit”, albeit blackberry - Black Magic, but pruning is carried out higher - from 1 meter.

The variety is very productive! The declared yield is 16 - 19 tons (the well-known and proven, almost standard repairman Polka has a yield of 8 - 10 tons). In our conditions, in the first year, with early planting, it is capable of producing up to 600 grams per shoot. The next year, the yield increases significantly and is already up to 1 kg, respectively. In terms of berries - about 100 pieces in the first year, and in subsequent years up to 500, provided there is good branching (growth of the sides).

Joan Jay produces a lot of root shoots, which is excellent for those who are engaged in propagation for personal plantings or selling seedlings, but you will have to normalize the number of stems in a row a little more often on fruit-bearing plantings. Usually leave 10-12 pieces per linear meter.

Characteristics of remontant raspberries

As you know, remontant varieties have a slight drawback - the taste of fruits and berries of such crops is somewhat inferior to ordinary ones. Jenning Derek, who developed the Joan G raspberry variety, managed the impossible - the berries have a very good taste and deserve 4.7 points (out of a possible five) in any tasting.

Raspberry Joan G has the following characteristics:

• early ripening of berries - fruiting begins in July;
• long fruiting period - berries appear on the bushes until autumn frosts (usually until mid-October);
• the bushes are not too large, mostly their height does not exceed a meter;
• the shoots are thick, elastic, without thorns (which greatly simplifies harvesting);
• each shoot produces five fruiting branches, their length can reach 50 cm;
• about 60-80 berries are formed on one branch already in the first year after planting;
• Joan Jay raspberries are rich red;
• large raspberries - the average weight of the berries is 6-8 grams;
• Joan G's raspberries have an excellent taste - sweet and sour, dessert, the aroma is well expressed;
• unripe raspberries are easy to distinguish by their white tip, ripe berries are evenly colored;
• Joan Jay raspberries are resistant to drought and high summer temperatures;
• The frost resistance of the variety is average - the bushes will withstand a decrease in temperature, without shelter, to a maximum of -16 degrees;
• the variety is unpretentious, but, like any remontant raspberry, it needs plenty of nutrition;
• vigorous shoots with a large number of berries must be tied up, otherwise the branches will break off or bend.

Important! Many gardeners and experts consider Joan G raspberries to be the queen of remontant varieties. Harvested raspberries are usually consumed fresh; the berries are also excellent for processing and freezing.

It is not recommended to grow the Joan G variety on an industrial scale, since raspberries do not tolerate transportation well and cannot be stored for long periods of time. But for private and small farms, this remontant raspberry is what you need

Harvested raspberries are usually consumed fresh; the berries are also excellent for processing and freezing. It is not recommended to grow the Joan G variety on an industrial scale, since raspberries do not tolerate transportation well and cannot be stored for long periods of time. But for private and small farms, these remontant raspberries are what they need.

Pros and cons of the variety

Almost all reviews from domestic gardeners about Joan G raspberries are positive - the variety is indeed one of the best. Raspberries have many strengths:

• ripe berries are easily separated from the stalks, and practically do not fall off the bush;
• The skin of raspberries is dense, which allows you to maintain the integrity of the crop during harvesting and transportation;
• very good taste;
• the ability of the plant to tolerate drought and extreme heat;
• easy propagation due to the large number of shoots.

Among the shortcomings, gardeners note the not very good winter hardiness of the Joan G variety. These raspberries need to be covered or grown only in the southern regions of the country. Another nuance is that you need to provide the bushes with abundant fertilizing, because the taste and size of the fruit greatly depends on the fertility of the soil.

Attention! The listed factors cannot be called serious shortcomings, because such requirements are “put forward” by all remontant raspberry varieties. With proper care, Joan Gee's remontant raspberry allows you to harvest about six kilograms from each bush

On an industrial scale, yields average 18 tons of berries per hectare of land

With proper care, Joan Gee's remontant raspberry allows you to harvest about six kilograms from each bush. On an industrial scale, yields average 18 tons of berries per hectare of land.

Other Features

Let's list all the advantages of this raspberry: thornless trunk, very tasty, large and aromatic berry, excellent yield, ability to bear fruit twice per season, suitable for both the fresh market and for processing, canning and freezing, ability to show good results already in a year planting, unpretentiousness, early fruiting.

And some cons:

• Weak frost resistance of the variety (up to -16 degrees).
• The bush, laden with fruits, is quite flattened.
• Weak resistance to didimella (purple spot) in dense plantings and high humidity.
• Poor keeping quality and transportability of fully ripened (dark red) berries.

I would like to say a few words about how to achieve good yields when growing Joan Jay raspberries:

• Buying high-quality healthy seedlings from trusted sellers, which can be found in the “white lists” on gardening forums.
• Preparation of planting holes. It is advisable to add about 5 liters of rotted manure, finely chopped organic matter (branches, bark, etc.), non-acidic peat, a tablespoon of granular mineral fertilizers and mix all this well with the soil, pour it with water and let it settle a little. Later, all this will provide good nutrition to the plant for several years.
• Mulching of plantings with mown grass, straw, weeds without seeds, previously finely chopped. This technique preserves moisture, protects the root zone from overheating in the summer months, improves soil structure and prevents weed growth. A layer of at least 10 cm is desirable.
• Spilling drugs against soil pests: Antikhrushch, Bazudin, Nurell, Aktara (in particular against Khrushchev, which can cause significant harm or even destroy the root system). If the seedlings are in pots, water them before planting; the soil should be moist. If with an open root, then soak in a solution of the drug, followed by spilling after planting.
• Ensuring abundant and regular watering, preferably drip, despite the fact that the Joan Jay variety is quite drought-resistant.
• Installing a trellis and then placing raspberries on it.

• Planting plants every 0.5−0.7 m with normalizing the number of stems as they grow (10−12 pieces per linear meter) to avoid crowding, which affects the size of the berries and the condition of the plants themselves.
• The distance between rows is from 2 to 3 m for ease of maintenance.
• Regular feeding of the bush with fertilizers, both at the root and along the leaves, in order to successfully reap such a large harvest.
• Timely treatment before flowering with drugs against diseases (fungicides) and pests (insecticides and insecto-acaricides).
• Sanitary cleaning of plantings from dry and diseased leaves, fallen and rotten fruits, checking the general condition of raspberries.

Author: Maxim Zarechny.

Landing of Joan Gee

It is necessary to pay important attention to the process of planting this crop, namely:

• choice of soil;
• choosing a location;
• landing time.

The yield will depend on this. Let's consider this issue in more detail.

When to plant?

It is recommended to plant these raspberries in autumn or spring. Given the low frost resistance, it is worth giving preference to the spring period. Then the plant will be able to approach the frost with a good root system that can absorb enough minerals and other nutrients for a normal winter. Weak shoots run the risk of dying during autumn planting. But it is worth describing the main advantages of spring and autumn planting, so that gardeners know which season is preferable for them.

Spring:

• you can immediately understand how necessary it is to grow these raspberries. It will produce berries, and the summer resident will appreciate their taste and quality characteristics;
• the root system will have time to grow;
• The plant's immunity will increase.

Autumn:

• in order for the plant to survive the winter, less fertilizer is needed;
• strengthening immunity by hardening the shoot;
• the active growth stage begins earlier, since no time is required for acclimatization.

Reference. Regardless of the time of precipitation, it is necessary to strictly follow the recommendations for caring for the variety in order to get a good harvest.

How to choose a place?

The place for growing JG raspberries must be selected based on the following recommendations:

• the soil should be loamy or sandy loam;
• neutral soil acidity;
• there is no groundwater under the raspberry tree;
• sunny place;
• protection from the wind (planting along the fence is recommended).

Reference. If you choose a shady place, the yield will be significantly lower; the berries will ripen with a high acidity content. Thus, those who like sour pods create a raspberry garden in the shade.

Landing algorithm

It is necessary to plant raspberries correctly so that they take root and grow normally. Here's what needs to be done and in what order:

1. First you need to dig a hole or trench. It is worth noting that with trench planting it will be easier to care for the crop. Planting depth is about 60 cm.
2. Next you need to lay out fertilizers. Humus should be used at a rate of about 5 kg per bush. Nutrients are very necessary for young shoots so that they take root normally.
3. The bush is planted, sprinkled with earth and lightly compacted.
4. Water the plants.

Important. Some gardeners plant bushes directly into the slurry. That is, they add water before planting the plant. In this case, the roots adhere better to the ground, but when the root system is buried, it is difficult to understand when the next watering is required. In addition, the moisture will be much deeper than the required depth. Therefore, this planting method is recommended only for experienced gardeners.

Tips for caring for raspberries

In order for raspberry seedlings to bear fruit well, they will have to be properly cared for.

Watering

Joan Jay is considered a drought-tolerant variety, which is why some believe it should be watered infrequently. However, without sufficient moisture, the development of bushes and ripening of berries will be slow. Therefore, it is recommended to moisten the soil once a week. At the same time, 8-10 liters of water are poured under each seedling.

Trimming

Pruning is considered the most important factor in caring for raspberry bushes. Joan Jay should be shortened at least twice a season. The first preventative pruning is carried out in the spring. During this period, weak and frozen shoots are cut out. In the fall, stems that have stopped bearing fruit are pruned.

Top dressing

During the growing season, it is necessary to fertilize raspberries. Experts recommend adding more manure liquid, as plants respond well to it. Also, to increase productivity, a fertilizing mixture of chicken manure is added.

Preparing for winter

Before the onset of winter frosts, pruning is carried out, during which weak shoots are removed. Then you need to cover the seedlings to protect them from frost. To do this, dry tree branches and fallen leaves are laid on the soil surface.

Harvest and storage

The berries of this variety are easily removed from the stalk, have a dense structure and tolerate transportation well. These raspberries need to be picked at a certain time, avoiding overripening and shedding of the fruit. Ripe berries are placed in wooden or plastic containers in several layers. You shouldn’t put a lot of berries in a container, so that the mass of the upper layers does not crush the lower ones.

Raspberries cannot be stored for a long time, so even strong berries will not last long. 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator or basement is the maximum you can hope for. So, a few days after harvesting, it is better to process the unused part of the crop.

Did you know? From a botanical point of view, raspberries are not a berry. This multi-drupe consists of a large number of interconnected berries with a stone.

Raspberry varieties of modern selection are excellent at resisting drought, cold, and pests. Joan Gee is just such a species of this plant. Despite recent selection, these strong and productive bushes are steadily gaining popularity and positive reviews among Russian summer residents and farmers.

Nuances of cultivation

There are several growing nuances that you need to become familiar with before planting raspberries.

Recommended timing

First you need to decide on the exact timing of planting seedlings in the garden. Experienced gardeners recommend doing this in the spring, when the winter frosts end. Most often, raspberry bushes are planted in mid- or late April.

Selecting a suitable site

The selected area for growing raspberry seedlings must meet the following characteristics:

• good sunlight during the day;
• reliable protection from strong wind gusts that can break branches;
• There is no stagnant water in the area;
• Before planting the raspberries, no tomatoes, potatoes or strawberries were grown in the selected area.

Selection and preparation of planting material

For planting in the garden, shoots about twenty centimeters long are selected. In this case, the diameter should not be less than ten millimeters. Selected seedlings must be prepared in advance for further planting. Their roots are dipped in a container filled with water for 2-3 days. Then the soaked roots are treated with a means to strengthen and stimulate the development of the root system.

Planting process

Planting raspberries is carried out in several stages:

Creating a planting hole. A hole 40 centimeters wide and deep is dug at the site. Adding fertilizers. Superphosphate with humus and potash fertilizers is added to the dug planting hole. Then the fertilizers are thoroughly mixed with the soil. Planting

Having prepared the hole, raspberry seedlings are carefully planted into it.