Japanese grape, Rubus phoenicolasius: care from A-Z

The Japanese grape has small, red fruits, like ours Raspberries respectively. Blackberries are similar, which is why they are also called red-bristled raspberries. The wood of the shrub is reddish and makes the deciduous plant an eye-catcher in the garden even in winter. The plant is rarely found in German gardens, although the shrub does not make great demands on care.

Characteristics

• botanical name: Rubus phoenicolasius
• Genus: Rubus
• belongs to the rose family (Rosaceae)
• Common names: Japanese grape, red-bristled raspberry
• perennial
• Height: 1 to 3 meters
• Spread: 1 to 1.8 meters
• Growth habit: overhanging shrub
• Leaves: tripartite, dark green
• Flower: light pink flowers
• Flowering period: June / July
• Origin: China, Korea, Japan
• Harvest: collective drupes ("raspberries")
• hardy: older plants are hardy
• lime tolerant
• Location: full sun
• Soil type: deep, permeable
• pH value: 6.5 to 7.5
• Humus: humus
• Toxicity: no known toxins
• Plant species: bedding plant, ornamental plant
• Garden style: Solitary in the garden, with climbing aids for house walls, etc.

Location

The fruit-bearing branches of the Japanese grapevine need a location in full sun so that the berries can ripen and become really sweet. The base of the shrub should be shaded if possible. It is suitable as a solitary plant in the garden or for planting without a support

• Privacy screens
• Wooden fences
• Trellis

floor

Rubus phoenicolasius prefers neutral to calcareous soils. The pH should be between 6.5 and 7.5. It is important that the soil does not contain any gravel or clay. Ideally, the floor is:

• profound
• permeable
• slightly sour
• humus

Tip: To improve the soil quality, some bog soil can be incorporated.

Buy preferred container plants

You can get Rubus phoenicolasius in good specialist shops in various sizes. It is best to buy the shrub in late summer or early fall. So it can be planted in the garden that same year.

plants

If the Japanese grapevine is planted as a solitary in the garden, the distance between the individual plants should be at least 1.5 meters, because the red-bristled raspberry likes to spread.

Tip: The best time to plant is between October and April, when the ground is not frozen and frost-free days can be expected.

When planting, do the following:

• Soak the root ball of the Japanese grape in lukewarm water
• Dig a planting hole with a diameter and a depth of 30 centimeters
• The planting hole must be at least the size of the root ball
• Place the shrub in the center of the planting hole
• The upper edge of the root ball may not be more than one centimeter below the ground
• fill up with loose soil
• kick well
• water abundantly

care

Japanese grapes are easy to care for. The most important maintenance measure is the adequate supply of water, as the plants need a lot of water. The regular removal of harvested or The red-bristled raspberry not only makes dead rods look better, it also increases the harvest yield, as more light comes into the interior of the plant.

to water

Rubus phoenicolasius is a very thirsty plant. So it often has to be watered twice a day (morning and evening) in sunny locations.

Tip: Mulch the soil below the red-bristled raspberries with leaves and / or grass clippings, this will reduce evaporation on the ground.

Fertilize

To promote growth, you should fertilize the Japanese grape berries in spring with a fertilizer containing phosphate and potassium. In autumn she is happy to have some compost. You should refrain from fertilizing with nitrogen, as this only promotes shoot growth and does not stimulate the shrub to flower.

Cut

The Japanese grape berries must be cut regularly, as they only ever bear fruit on the wood of the previous year. Once the rods have done their job, they die. It is therefore advisable in mild regions to cut the harvested canes as close to the ground as possible in autumn. In regions with cold winters, you should not remove them until early spring. Young shoots that have not yet borne fruit must not be cut, as they will only bear fruit in the coming year.

So that the young rods also bear a lot of fruit, you should cut the weakest and strongest as close to the ground as possible if more than ten rods have grown back per running meter. If new rods grow far beyond the upper limit of the climbing aid, they can be shortened a little in autumn.

Toxicity

Rubus phoenicolasius is considered non-toxic.

harvest

The orange-red berries, which look raspberries or Like blackberries, they are harvested between July and September, depending on the weather. They are very rich in vitamin C and are reminiscent of grapes with their sweet and sour taste. In a good summer, you can harvest up to four kilograms of these delicious berries. It is particularly recommended for processing in jams or Jams.

Overwinter

Older Japanese grapes overwinter in the garden without any problems. On the other hand, young plants should be protected from the cold temperatures. Covering with sticks is suitable for this. If the shrub is grown in a tub, you should protect it in winter, otherwise there is a risk that the roots will freeze through.

Winter care

Since the shrub should rest in winter, it must not be fertilized during this time. You should also reduce the amount of water you give. Only give it enough water to prevent it from drying out. As soon as temperatures start to rise again, you should start over with summer grooming and watering.

Multiply

Rubus phoenicolasius practically reproduces by itself. As soon as the overhanging rods come into contact with the ground, they begin to form roots. During this time, many young bushes develop around the mother plant. These can be separated from the mother plant next spring and used elsewhere. If you want to stop this hustle and bustle, you have to shorten the rods in good time or tie them up on a trellis.

The Japanese grapevine does not only reproduce above ground, but also underground through runners. You can prune these daughter plants from the mother in autumn and put them in a new location.

Diseases and pests

Since the Japanese grapevine is not a native plant, it is spared the typical plant pests and diseases. In addition, it secretes a sticky secretion to protect against predators, which repels many predators. Unfortunately, however, a pest, namely the blackberry billy mite, cannot be stopped from doing so. If the tiny mite is infected, the fruits do not ripen evenly and lose their taste.

To prevent the pests from nesting, you should thinning out the bush thoroughly in autumn and remove all fruit mummies. Another preventive measure is to spray the shoot tips with rapeseed oil in the spring.