Keen gardeners are always on the lookout for new super-productive raspberry varieties. They experiment with new products, share their impressions and experiences. Modern large-fruited, high-yielding raspberries are pleasant and profitable to grow, but not every variety has a universal set of qualities with which it can be grown under any conditions.
Among the long-standing proven varieties of domestic selection, the ancient raspberry variety Novosti Kuzmina, which was bred at the end of the 19th century by the Russian breeder N.V. Kuzmin, is still very popular. He combined the American variety Cuthbert with the Russian Smolenskaya raspberry, known in Russia since time immemorial .
Novosti Kuzmina has been the most cultivated raspberry since the fifties of the last century throughout the European part of the country, right up to Siberia, since this variety is characterized by good yield and regular fruiting, regardless of climatic or soil conditions.
The history of the creation of raspberry varieties News Kuzmina
Regarding the time of creation of the variety, information in the sources varies: according to some sources, the raspberry Novosti Kuzmina appeared in Vetluga, Kostroma province in 1880, other authors believe that this variety was bred in the Nizhny Novgorod region in 1912. And everyone agrees on one thing - the raspberry Novosti Kuzmina was received by crossing the American variety Cuthbert and the Russian raspberry variety Smolenskaya.
Raspberry bushes News Kuzmina continue to delight gardeners for more than a hundred years
Description of raspberries News Kuzmina
Kuzmin's news has been known for quite some time, but has not lost its popularity and is in constant demand. This proven variety has proven itself well and is a favorite of many experienced gardeners, despite the emergence of a huge number of new varieties.
News Kuzmin was bred in 1880 in the Nizhny Novgorod region, in the city of Vetluga, by breeder Nikanor Vonifatievich Kuzmin, in whose honor it received its name. The “parents” of this variety are the Russian raspberry Smolenskaya and the American raspberry Kubert.
Raspberries are very tall, reaching a height of 2.5 meters. The shape of the bush may vary depending on the climatic conditions of its growth. In the central and southern regions it is spreading, and in the north it is erect. News Kuzmina almost does not produce root shoots, which makes it easier to care for and complicates reproduction.
The number of replacement shoots is average. With age, the bush's ability to form shoots decreases. Young stems are light green, last year's stems turn brown. The shoots are covered with a waxy coating and a small number of thorns, the bulk of which are located in the lower part. There are small thorns on the lower surface of the leaves (they are slightly curled), which is a distinctive feature of the variety. Raspberry flowers are white, like other varieties, but quite large, which makes the bushes especially attractive.
The berries have long stalks and small seeds. They are colored pinkish-red and have a blunt-conical oblong shape. The fruits are large and medium in size, weighing 2-4 grams. Easily separated from the stalk. After ripening, they do not fall off, but remain hanging on the bush. Ripe berries acquire a pronounced aroma of forest raspberries. In addition, they have a pleasant sweet and sour taste and are considered the standard for taste (their taste is rated 5 points). They are eaten fresh and used to make juice, compote, liqueur, and jam. Despite their excellent taste, the berries are unsuitable for the market, since due to their high juiciness and low density they quickly lose their presentation and become completely untransportable.
The ripening period of raspberries is mid-early. Usually the fruits ripen at the end (and even the middle) of June - early July. But in dry conditions, due to moisture deficiency, the ripening period is delayed by 15-20 days. Fruiting is extended, thanks to which you can enjoy the excellent taste of the berries for two months.
The productivity is quite high. Usually 1.5-2 kilograms of berries are harvested from a bush (50-70 centners per hectare).
Raspberries are self-fertile, but if other varieties are planted next to them, their yield will increase.
Although Novosti Kuzmina does not belong to the remontant varieties, in favorable weather conditions, with frequent summer rains, young shoots can reach 2-3 meters in height and partially bear fruit in the fall.
Novosti Kuzmina is characterized by increased winter hardiness and can withstand 25-degree frosts without problems, even without cover.
Agricultural technology
The Novost Kuzmina raspberry variety is suitable for cultivation in any region of Russia where gardening is possible.
Raspberries of the Novost Kuzmina variety are surviving the cold winter successfully.
It can be found in the North-Western region, and in the Moscow region, and in the Volga region, and in the Urals, and in Siberia... Truly unpretentious, highly winter-hardy, reliable ! In regions with harsh climates, it successfully winters under snow. If the winters are very cold and the snow cover is not too high, then in the fall it is better to bend the bushes to the ground. This way the flower buds will overwinter more successfully and will not suffer from temperature changes and drying winds. The shoots bend easily, they are not brittle, flexible and durable.
Features of care
Raspberry is a very controversial crop: it is moisture-loving, but at the same time it is difficult to tolerate close groundwater; prefers loose soils, but they must also be dense enough to retain moderate moisture.
Raspberries love watering.
The variety Novosti Kuzmina is quite traditional in this regard. Any raspberry does not grow very well in swamps: due to increased dampness, young shoots “fatten” in the summer, the wood does not ripen well in the fall, and the tissue freezes in winter. But the increased winter hardiness and unpretentiousness of Kuzmin News gives the right to recommend this particular variety even for swampy places - it will show itself better than many others.
Tendency to disease
A common disadvantage of “old” varieties is their potential instability to many diseases and pests. Purple spotting of stems, gray rot of berries, spider mites, shoot gall midges (swelling of stems) - all this can appear in a neglected raspberry tree.
Purple stem spot is one of the possible diseases of raspberries.
Reducing harmfulness can be achieved without chemicals, using agricultural techniques - planting in a sunny place, regular thinning, cutting out affected stems, and timely picking berries.
Characteristics of the raspberry variety Novosti Kuzmina
The variety is highly winter-hardy and has proven itself well in variety trials. Included in the State Register since 1948 in all regions except both Siberian and Far Eastern. The bushes are hardy and can survive winter cold without bending down.
Raspberries are self-fertile. The yield is average, up to one and a half kilograms of tender berries or 50–70 c/ha are harvested from one bush. Experienced gardeners who specialize in growing this variety note that if you surround Novosti Kuzmina raspberry plantings with raspberries of the Turner, Marlboro or Crimson Mammut varieties, the yield will increase and become much more stable.
Raspberry berries Novosti Kuzmina ripen in early July
Raspberry News Kuzmina is sensitive to drought and suffers more from insufficient watering than other varieties. However, when the air temperature is high and moisture is provided, it gives an excellent harvest. Experts note that in a humid, windless summer, new flowers can form and bear fruit again in the fall.
The variety is susceptible to all fungal and viral diseases, so it is especially important to purchase seedlings only from trusted large suppliers.
Damaged by pests. The greatest damage to plantings is caused by the raspberry mosquito and spider mites.
Despite poor resistance to diseases and pests, raspberries of the Novost Kuzmina variety are considered by gardeners to be the standard of taste and are valued for their high winter hardiness.
Reviews from gardeners
Alexander, 58 years old, Kursk
I have been growing the Novosti Kuzmina variety for more than 20 years. The areas for its planting are periodically changed. I really like the taste of the berries and the yield. The weight of the fruit is about 4 g. Diseases appear rarely. Raspberries produce little growth, no more than 1-2 shoots. A very good variety, I always leave a few bushes, although I like to try new varieties of raspberries.
Semyon, 35 years old, Kerch
I grow Novosti Kuzmina raspberries for sale. Five years ago I planted 10 bushes, today their number on the site has exceeded 200. The bushes are vigorous and spreading. The variety tolerates heat well up to +37 degrees due to drip irrigation. The more humus you add in the spring, the higher the yield. The berries do not store well, so I try to sell them or make jam as soon as possible.
Lyudmila, 44 years old, Ufa
I chose Novosti Kuzmina raspberries based on the description of the variety, reviews and photos. This variety is very popular in our region. A couple of years ago I planted several seedlings, which quickly began to grow. Today I collect fruits with a wonderful aroma and taste. These raspberries make simply incomparable jam and compote. In order not to be left without a harvest, I make sure to water the plantings during drought.
Pros and cons of the variety Novost Kuzmina
Positive characteristics include:
- ease of care;
- fruit size;
- dessert taste;
- good harvests;
- extended fruiting;
- super high frost resistance.
- In poor keeping quality.
- Low transportability.
- Instability to windy weather and dry climates.
- Sensitivity to viruses.
The Achilles heel is:
Landing
Raspberries are planted in spring or autumn. To plant raspberries, it is recommended to choose a place protected from cold winds, since the plant is very sensitive to drafts. The area should be dug up in advance.
News Kuzmina grows on any soil, but the maximum yield can only be obtained on fertile soil, the acidity of which varies from 5.5 to 6.5. If the soil is too acidic, it can be neutralized with limestone flour, slaked lime or wood ash.
It is better to fertilize the soil with organic matter: humus, manure or humus. Seedlings are planted in pre-prepared holes (30x30 centimeters) or trenches. They are planted in 2 rows, which are placed at a distance of about a meter. Leave a half-meter distance between the bushes. Plants are watered abundantly.
Kuzmin's news needs support due to its height. Therefore, plants are grown on two or three rows of trellises: the bottom row is made at a height of half a meter, and the top row is made at arm’s length.
Optimal growing conditions
When considering the description and planting of raspberries of the Novost Kuzmina variety, it is necessary to pay attention to the conditions for its proper growth. This is an unpretentious and hardy variety. He is not afraid of frost. Able to survive even at temperatures of -25ºС. This makes it possible to grow the presented raspberries in most of the territory of our country.
The variety feels especially good on fertile soils. Otherwise, to get a good harvest, you will need to apply special fertilizers. Even inexperienced gardeners can cultivate this type of raspberry without any problems. It is extremely difficult to make a mistake when growing it.
Kuzmin's news refers to unpretentious varieties. It can develop harmoniously even in shaded areas. It requires high-quality soil moisture. Plants of this species are not afraid even of flooded areas. You can plant raspberry bushes even in lowlands. In this case, the soil will need to be periodically dug up, removing shoots and weeds in the root zone.
Agrotechnical features
When planting raspberries, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to choosing the site intended for it. So, in conditions of sufficient moisture, the best option for the crop would be to place it on gentle slopes with warm exposures or flat areas. If we are talking about arid regions, then optimal conditions for the crop can be created on light slopes in northern directions or on flat areas with low relief. Definitely not suitable for planting are depressions where there is excessive humidity and stagnation of cold air, as well as hills where there is no snow left in winter due to the wind blowing it away. Groundwater should lie no closer than 1-1.5 meters to the soil surface.
Pre-planting soil preparation consists of deep loosening it while simultaneously filling it with the necessary fertilizers. The planting itself News Kuzmina can be carried out in early spring or autumn after leaf fall. Sometimes the summer method is also practiced - using green cuttings. The variety can be planted either in individual bushes or in rows. In the latter case, the distance between rows can reach 1.5-2 meters, and between plants in a row - 40-50 cm.
When caring for vegetative raspberries, important operations are weeding, watering, fertilizing and pruning fruit-bearing shoots. They try to keep the soil between the rows free of weeds, since competition for moisture and nutrients will inevitably lead to weakened growth and reduced plant yields. They try to irrigate not too often, but with sufficient volumes of water in order to thoroughly wet the root layer.
Harvesting is carried out at intervals of one or two days, trying to make greater use of the morning and evening time, when there is no sweltering heat. Containers for harvesting raspberries should be small, so that under their own weight, the delicate berries Kuzmin News are less crushed. After the fruiting period of the variety has ended, the shoots from which the fruits have been harvested are cut off with pruning shears, while weak and diseased shoots of the current year are removed.
Care
The variety is characterized by unpretentiousness. Raspberries feel great on any soil, even not too fertile. But the plant does not tolerate drought well, which is why the berries become very small and dry out. Therefore, regular watering is required in dry summers. With sufficient moisture, the berries remain large throughout the entire fruiting period, which is significantly extended.
Trimming
Typically, pruning is done in early spring before sap flow begins or in the fall. But in order to increase productivity and increase its frequency, it is also recommended to prune the bushes after picking the berries.
To increase the number of flowers and achieve uniform ripening, shoots of the first year are pinched at a meter height. This technique activates branching and promotes the formation of fruit branches.
Top dressing
Kuzmin's news can grow without feeding. But in order to get large berries and a good harvest, it is recommended to apply potassium and phosphorus fertilizers during the period of berry formation and ripening.
How to trim
Typically, such events are carried out before sap flow has begun, in the spring. And after the last harvest.
To ensure that there are many flowers and raspberries ripen together, one-year-old shoots are pinched. One meter high. You will give the opportunity to activate branches and help form fruit shoots.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
The variety's resistance to disease is average. Gray rot most often affects raspberries. Preventive measures against most infections include:
If the bushes are damaged by fungus, they are treated with fungicidal agents.
You can learn more about the fight against gray mold in raspberry plantings from the video below:
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Sustainability indicators
Raspberries are resistant to low temperatures: in almost all regions of the country, they successfully winter without shelter. The situation with the ability to withstand heat and drought is much worse. Gardeners who cultivate this variety in the southern regions report that with insufficient watering, the leaves on the bushes droop and wither, and fruiting sharply decreases. In addition, Novosti Kuzmina is extremely susceptible to most fungal and viral diseases and is very attractive to insect pests (especially spider mites and raspberry gnats).
