Raspberry variety Bellflower
A variety of raspberries called the Bell was born back in Soviet times at the Scientific Research Institute of Horticulture in Siberia named after V.I. M.A. Lisavenko, located in the Altai Territory. Initially, a promising variety was isolated from hybrid progeny seedlings obtained from the seeds of the freely pollinated Karnaval variety. The authors of the promising novelty were a group of employees of a scientific institution consisting of V.A. Sokolova, T.S. Kantor and I.P. Kalinina. In 1982, they transferred the hybrid form to the state variety test, which was successfully completed 9 years later, as a result of which the Kolokolchik was assigned the status of a variety, and his name was entered into the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation. It was admitted to industrial cultivation in the Middle Volga, West Siberian and East Siberian regions, but amateur gardeners spread it to the European part of our country, where it found many of its admirers. And yet, the variety is still most popular in its small homeland - in the Altai Territory and the Altai Republic.
The advantages for which the owners appreciate our hero are its striking unpretentiousness, based on high rates of frost and drought resistance, resistance to many diseases and pests of raspberries. At the same time, the gastronomic and aesthetic properties of the fruits remain at their best, and the yield even exceeds many varieties of comparable quality. The laboriousness of the cultivation and harvesting of the bell is facilitated by the very low spine of the shoots, the large size of its berries, and their easy separation from the fruit plant. The use of the harvested crop is universal.
Agrobiological characteristics
The growth force of the bushes is average, and therefore the shoots reach a height of 1.5-2 meters. The dimensions of the plants are moderate due to the not too strong spreading of the stems, which opens up the possibility of a relatively dense planting. Young shoots grow straight, firm and elastic, greenish in color with areas purple from anthocyanin pigmentation on the side illuminated by the sun. On the surface of the stems, there is a waxy coating, as well as noticeable pubescence, the intensity of which decreases in the direction from the base to the apex. Spines are very rare, located on a dark purple base. By the second year, the color of the raspberry shoots becomes gray, the appearance is geniculate, the pubescence at the base is preserved, but the spurs are completely absent, which allows you to safely tie up the stems, harvest the crop and remove the fruiting vegetative organs. By the way, the tie-up of shoots to the trellis is required both in the first and second year of their life, because otherwise, young stems run the risk of being damaged by strong winds, and fruit-bearing ones - to lie on the ground under the weight of the harvest. The leaves of the variety are complex, combining three or five simple leaf blades with moderately long petioles. The latter grows medium or large, oval in shape with a pointed end. The color of the leaves is usually light green, the texture is wrinkled, the profile is slightly curled. There are numerous small triangular denticles along the edges of the leaf. Fruit-bearing branches are formed in significant numbers, have several orders of branching and carry up to one and a half dozen or even more ovaries. The lateral surface is covered with a light waxy coating. They are quite durable, and therefore well withstand the mass of a ripening crop. Root offspring at the Bell are formed in rather large quantities, and in order to prevent raspberries from spreading throughout the entire plot, as well as to maintain the cleanliness of the row spacings, you will have to make a lot of efforts to eradicate the overgrowth. A large amount of it takes away strength and nutrients from plants, as a result of which productivity is sharply reduced.The preservation of part of the offspring is justified only if it is necessary to obtain planting material for reproduction.
By the type of fruiting, our hero belongs to the traditional varieties that form a crop on two-year shoots. The period of its flowering depends on the climatic conditions of the growing region, and may fall in May or early June. At this time, the bushes acquire a very beautiful decorative appearance due to the numerous large flowers. Their sepals are long and pubescent, and the stamens are located below the pistils. Fruit ripening occurs in the mid-early period, but usually it lasts up to a whole month from late June to early August. In this regard, the multiplicity of fees can reach 5-7 times, which is not very convenient for farmers, but it allows amateur gardeners to feast on fresh raspberries for a long time. The gross yield per season for bushes that are well cared for can reach high values of 2-3 kilograms or more, and in large areas, up to 110-125 centners of raspberries are harvested from a hectare of industrial plantings. Given the adaptability of the variety to the harsh conditions of Siberia, such productivity can be considered excellent for these places.
Ripening berries are quite large, reaching a height of 16-18 mm, and 17-19 mm in diameter. Their shape is rounded or broadly conical with a blunt tip, the color is bright red, the average weight is 3-4 grams. On the surface there is a slight sheen and slight pubescence, which does not spoil the attractiveness of the appearance at all. The drupes at the Bell are moderately bonded to each other and therefore do not disintegrate into fragments without the application of mechanical action. The berries are easily separated from the fruit, but practically do not crumble on their own. The pulp of the fruit when chewed is juicy and tender, sweet and sour to taste, has a tangible "raspberry" aroma. The dry matter content in berries averages 11-13%. The juice yield reaches 80%, the seeds and dense parts of the pulp do not exceed 18-19% by weight. The sugar content of the juice is quite good - 6-8 g / 100 ml. There are no data on the measured acidity, but judging by the harmony of the taste of berries, it can be concluded that this parameter is moderate. Vitamin C, which largely determines the benefits of raspberries for the body, is present in the fruits of our hero in an amount of 40-45 mg%. The taste of berries during tasting is estimated at 3.8-4.2 points, depending on the growing conditions. The abundance of sunlight falling on the plants has a particular effect on the gastronomic characteristics of the variety. Bushes that are in the shade or are cultivated in regions with frequent cloudiness will naturally yield poorer quality crops than those that are sufficiently lit.
Harvested raspberries can be used in different ways. Firstly, because of its tenderness and pleasant taste, it is quite suitable for fresh consumption. Many farmers cultivate it commercially, noting that the Bell market is popular with buyers and does not stale on the shelves. At the same time, the transportability of the berries is estimated as average, however, provided that they are carefully collected in small containers, problems with delivery to the market, as a rule, do not arise. The saturation of the aroma and color of the fruits contributes to their successful use in home preservation, in the manufacture of compote, jam, jam, confiture of excellent quality
In economic terms, the variety shows itself almost exclusively on the positive side, demonstrating, for example, both high frost resistance and drought resistance. This indicates its ability to adapt to various climatic conditions, growing both in the sultry south and in the harsh north. The main fungal diseases and pests are also practically not scary to him, and only single preventive treatments may be required to protect against them in the epiphytotic years.
