Raspberry variety Glen Fine is one of the leaders in European selection

Description of the variety

The thornless Glen Fine raspberry is a mid-early fruiting variety, suitable for both open and closed ground (under light film cover - in tunnels). Depending on the growing region, the fruiting time varies (for the Central region - the second half of June).

1. The variety is distinguished by its great growth vigor - powerful shoots rise 1.8...2.5 m.
2. Developed root system. Growth buds form on the lateral roots - during the summer season, the space of the bush is heavily overgrown with root suckers, which require regular thinning.
3. A variety with a 2-year fruiting cycle produces a harvest on shoots of the 2nd year of growth.
4. When grown on a trellis, the yield can reach 30 t/ha, 4.5 kg. from the bush.
5. The berries are small, harmonious in taste, elongated, red. Average weight - 5...6 g, individual specimens - up to 10...12 g.
6. Ripe berries do not fall off and can stay on the stalk for several days.
7. The variety quickly acclimatizes to various climatic conditions (especially cold and drought). Resistant to viral diseases.

Photo and description of Glen Fine raspberries

Glen Fine is a two-year-old tall raspberry variety. With good care and on suitable soil, the height of the bush can reach 2.5 meters. Towards the end of the first year after planting, fruit buds begin to form on the bush, and after wintering, fruits ripen on the replacement shoots, most of which are located in the middle part.

The variety begins to bloom in June. Good fruit set is due to the fact that the flowers of this variety are bisexual. It is possible to collect up to 30 kg of berries per square meter of plantings. The fruits stay on the bushes well, the average weight of one berry is 5–6 grams, but can reach 10.

They are grown both in the ground and in greenhouses. It forms shoots well and tolerates drought and frost. Resistant to most infections. May also exhibit remontant properties.

a brief description of

Advantages of the variety

• absence of thorns;
• universal in the method of cultivation - open ground or greenhouse;
• does not require planting pollinator varieties;
• yield up to 300 kg/acre;
• excellent harvest quality - large, tasty berries with good commercial properties;
• the berries do not fall off when ripe;
• provides enough shoots for reproduction;
• Duration of fruiting - up to 10 years;
• frost resistance;
• easily tolerates dry periods;
• resistant to most viral diseases of berry plants.

Disadvantages of the variety

• not suitable for heavy soils;
• trellis installation is required.

The variety of British selection Glen Fyne, recognized by European farmers, quickly attracted the interest of Russian gardeners, as can be judged by the sharp increase in the number of reviews on specialized forums.

The ancestor of the Glen Fine variety is the Glen Ampl raspberry, popular among Russian gardeners. The varieties are similar in many characteristics, except for yield, which is much higher in Glen Fine.

Trimming

First of all, shoots that have already bear fruit are removed from all Glen varieties. Usually, when pruning, only one replacement shoot is left. At the end of May - beginning of June, the sprouts, which are approximately one meter long, are cut off. After this treatment, closer to autumn, a bush with five to six side shoots remains. This is the best option for sending the bush for the winter.

After wintering, the next pruning is carried out in May and consists of shortening the shoots by five to ten centimeters.

Landing

When choosing the optimal location for planting Glen Fine raspberries, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the site as a whole. An unpretentious variety of British selection will take root in any conditions, only for a yield of 30 kg/sq. I won't have to count.

What factors should be avoided when choosing a place to plant Glen Fine raspberries:

1. The area after nightshade crops is usually infected with late blight and various root rots.
2. Dense compacted soil does not allow the root system to feed a powerful bush.
3. Damp and flooded areas only provoke oxygen starvation of the roots and the development of rot.

The best place for Glen Fyne raspberries is a sheltered, well-lit, fertile area with loose soil.

It is best to grow tall bushes on trellises. The bushes are planted at intervals in the row: 50 cm. The row spacing depends on the method of cultivation - from 2.0...2.5 m in garden plots to 3.0...4.4 m in industrial plots where agricultural machinery is used.

There are no special preferences when choosing a planting season: it can be autumn or spring - it depends on the circumstances.

Step-by-step landing instructions:

1. The area for raspberries is dug up, the soil is cleared of weed roots.
2. For 1 sq. m add 1 bucket of humus or compost for digging.
3. The roots of the seedling are not buried - they maintain the same planting depth.
4. Water the hole - about 5 liters of water per root.
5. The ground is leveled and the root zone is mulched.

The seedling is cut into 3-4 buds, leaving a “stump” approximately 10-20 cm high.

Growing and care

Reviews from gardeners about Glen Fyne raspberries only confirm the unpretentiousness declared by the authors of the variety. If you use mulching around the tree trunk, then weeding, loosening and, for the most part, watering will not be necessary at all.

Watering

Bushes need watering only in the absence of precipitation during the most difficult periods for the plant:

• after planting during the acclimatization period in a new place;
• for the winter - moisture-charging watering for wintering;
• on the eve of flowering;
• during the period of ovary formation.

It is contraindicated to over-wet the soil - excess moisture leads to fungal diseases. Mulching helps solve two problems at the same time - it makes the work of the summer resident easier and creates optimal conditions for the growth of raspberries.

Top dressing

Fertilizing must be given to fruiting bushes annually. It is best to do this in 2 steps.

• in the spring - organic matter (humus, compost) for digging or mullein diluted 1:6;
• in the fall, after harvesting - a mineral complex for berry crops (Agricola, Master) or wood ash.

Trimming

Pruning fruit-bearing summer raspberry bushes is carried out in 3 steps:

• after harvesting, remove all fruit-bearing branches;
• before storing for the winter, sanitary cleaning of the raspberry tree is carried out, removing weak shoots affected by pests and diseases;
• in the spring, remove damaged, frozen branches and tie the shoots to the trellises.

Disease and pest control

Glen File raspberries are quite resistant to most diseases. To prevent late blight and powdery mildew, experienced gardeners recommend treating raspberry plantings with copper sulfate (blue spraying). Copper salts also affect overwintering insect larvae.

Preparing for winter

Preparing Glen Fine raspberries for winter is no different from the usual techniques for gardeners in the Central region:

• shoots are removed from the trellises;
• tied in bundles and laid on boards so that there is no contact with the ground;
• for the Central region, it is quite enough to simply press the shoots with arcs or boards, and with the arrival of winter, throw in more snow;

In regions with little snow, it is recommended to cover the tied branches with burlap or agrofibre.

Watering

The first watering is carried out four days after planting the shoots. These days serve for the adaptation of seedlings and their rooting in the soil. Further watering should be done only when the top layer of soil is noticeably dry.

For Glen Fyne, permeable, loose soil free of weeds is best. Loosening and weeding can be done manually or, if there is no time and desire, replaced by mulching using the above method.

Reproduction

Given the tendency to form root shoots, there is no point in experimenting with dividing the bush and cuttings. At any convenient time, you can select a cutting - a green shoot, which gardeners call "nettle" - and transplant it to a permanent place. When sanitary clearing a bush, 4-5 such shoots are left (the rest are removed immediately after they appear). At the time of transplantation, the layering should be up to 1 cm thick in diameter.

Fertilizer

This variety is fed from early spring until the berries are harvested. Best suited for fertilizer:

• superphosphate;
• potassium salt;
• mullein heavily diluted with water;
• diluted bird droppings (usually chicken) at the rate of 1 part droppings to 15 parts water.

Green mass (herbal infusion) and ash are also suitable as top dressing.

Reviews

I grow 2 varieties: Lyachka and Glen Fine. The first is earlier and its fruits are larger, the second is 2 times more productive and sweet, without thorns! Glen Fyne bushes are more compact and easy to pick berries.

Glen Fine is distinguished by the yield and taste of the fruit. Moreover, I like the berries most of all when they are fully ripe and have even fallen from the bush. I specially spread non-woven material between the rows to collect berries from it. Surprisingly, Glen Fine’s fruits, even on the material, do not dry out and do not spoil for several days; an excellent variety for summer residents who come only for the weekend.

The ease of propagation of Glen Fine raspberries and the simple care of plantings add popularity to the European variety, especially among busy city gardeners. The productivity of the variety and the taste of the berries will not leave anyone indifferent.

Care instructions

The Glen Fine variety is unpretentious in care:

• Timely weeding and watering are important for him. The plantings are watered for the first time five days after the shoots are planted. Then over the summer two or three more times. The Glen Fine variety is not afraid of drought, but the bushes may die if the soil becomes too dry. Before winter, be sure to water the plant.
• The raspberry plantation is mulched with a layer of ten centimeters. The procedure replaces loosening the soil. Apply mulch to damp soil. Its ribbons help free the plantings from weeds, of which the worst is wheatgrass.
• Long raspberry shoots need a garter. It is convenient to tie the bushes to a wire in two rows, stretched at a height of one and a half to two meters.
• Annual feeding will only increase the yield of the bush. Fertilization begins in early spring, continuing in the summer ten days before the berries ripen. And in the fall you definitely need to feed the berries. The minerals used are potassium salt and superphosphate. You can also use mullein solution in a ratio of 1:6, bird droppings – 1:15.
• Attention is paid to the formation of the bush. Annual shoots are pruned in early spring, leaving a stump of ten centimeters. The branches that appear on it will bear fruit in the fall.
• Root shoots that are unnecessary for reproduction must be destroyed three to four times a summer.

You can get high yields of aromatic berries with proper care of the berry crop.