Organic Raspberry Little Sweet Sister- Rubus idaeus

The Raspberry Bush 'Little Sweet Sister' from Organic Agriculture is a dwarf variety, ideal for planting in large pots on balconies and patios. The plant, whose branches are devoid of thorns, produces rounded fruits of good size without being particularly large. Their flavour is quite representative of raspberries in general, but it is rather sweet than acidic and their dark red color is mouthwatering. This variety is the earliest of the so-called 'autumn' raspberries: after a small harvest in June, the second crop occurs from mid-July until autumn.

The Raspberry Bush (Rubus idaeus in Latin) belongs to the rose family, like strawberries, blackberries, and wild roses. The wild raspberry bush is native to Europe and temperate Asia, where it grows in cool climates alongside elderberry, beech, or mountain ash, especially in mountain undergrowth, but also in plains.

As for horticultural varieties, there are remontant ones, which produce once in June and then a second time in autumn, usually from August to October, and non-remontant varieties, which have a abundant harvest around June and July.

The Organic Little Sweet Sister Raspberry Bush is a deciduous bush with upright stems, reaching a height of 1m (3ft). The stems or canes are biennial, each one having the peculiarity of dying after fruiting. Each year, new suckers emerge from its roots, new canes that are thornless in this variety. The Raspberry Bush has green leaves on the top, white-green and downy on the underside. They are deciduous and turn yellow in autumn before falling. The flowering is very nectar-rich. The white flowers are small (1 to 2 cm (0.5 to 1in) in diameter), grouped in small clusters of 10 to 12, and appear in April-May. The fruits are formed by small agglomerated drupes, easy to detach when ripe.

To fully enjoy their flavor, raspberries should be consumed shortly after picking, as they do not keep well. If you have a abundant harvest, consider making coulis, sorbets, pies, or jams. You can also freeze them.

The production reaches its normal level in the third year after planting. A plant can produce fruits for several years, around 10 years.