Any raspberry experts?

[RunnerBean]

I was given some raspberry canes from a friend last year. They're doing really well and producing lots of fruit but I don't know anything about them. They produce fruit from June onwards (until Nov last year but I don't know if this is because of the mild autumn), so would this make it a summer fruiting raspberry? The fruit seems to be mostly on the new growth (damn things are nearly 6 feet tall now) but I've read that on summer fruiting raspberries it fruits on the old growth. I could just keep on doing what I'm doing, which is cut them down when the fruit's finished to feed to my stick insects, but any tips on what I actually should be doing would be gratefully received! It'd be nice to get enough fruit to make some jam but my 3 year old picks and eats all the berries as soon as they're ripe

Thank you!

[MKG]

If the fruit's on the new growth, they're definitely autumn-fruiting raspberries. Looks like you're doing everything right apart from pruning time - they should be cut down to ground level in February (or, at least, not until every leaf has fallen). That way, the roots retain the benefit of sun on leaves as long as possible and can build up for the next splurge of growth.

Mike

[Green Aura]

I'm certainly no expert, runnerbean, but my understanding is (and I'm sure there'll be much disagreement) that there's this years growing shoots, which will produce fruit next year, last years growth, producing fruit this year and the brown dry, year before growth, that is what gets pruned out, right at the base.

As to whether they're summer or autumn growing - I have no idea, but I think it might influence when you prune. When does your friend prune theirs?

[RunnerBean]

Thank you

[ojay54]

The prob is though Autumn fruiters ,as Mike says fruit on this year's growth,it's not necessarily a doddle sorting out which that is,especially if a)You're fairly new to raspberries and/or b)You inherit a neglected clump.

Also,this and last summer have been so good the Autumn fruiters have started early.

For what it's worth,I bet they're summer raspberries,but Mike's told you how to be sure:cut them all down to ground level,and if you get no fruit nexy year,at least you know they're summer raspberries.
Cultivation is a little different as far as pruning and training is concerned.Summer varieties,set 2 wires between wooden posts,one a foot off the ground,the other@4ft.Tie the shoots that are going to fruit to the wires.When they've fruited cut them to the ground and then as you work along the row tie in new year's strong growth in their place,as this will bear next year's fruit.

Autumn fruiters posts again,but you need two 3ft horizontal pieces of wood attached to the posts at sy 12'' and 3 or 4 ft off the ground ,and 4 wires strung between the ends of these. This arrangement keeps your annual growth up together ,especially if it's windy.

All raspberries are gross feeders so over winter,a massive mulch of some thing good.If you live near the sea,for some reason I'm not sure of (could be phosphate) they respond brilliantly to a mulch of seaweed.

[dave45]

I have summer-fruiting rasps and pruning plus benign neglect seems to work well too !

[boboff]

I like my Raspberries.

I have found that with Autumn Raspberries, they fruit earliest in the year on 1 year old wood, but a small crop.

Why not have a play, leave some at 6ft, some cut to 3ft, and some down at ground. ( but as Mike says in Feb)

I don't stake mine either, and they droop but seem okay.

I suppose it depends on what sort of set up you have, it looks okay in my "Forest Garden" but probably wouldn't be that nice in an Allotment.
-
MMM though is the expert you seek, what that lady don't know about Raspberries ain't worth knowing! :-)

[RunnerBean]

[quote="boboff"

I have found that with Autumn Raspberries, they fruit earliest in the year on 1 year old wood, but a small crop.
[/quote]


Yes, that's exactly what mine are doing.

At the moment they're in my garden and I've got maybe half a dozen canes really squashed in to a small space. They are staked a bit but I didn't expect them to get nearly 6 ft tall! I'll know to put in taller stakes next year. I'll be moving them over to the allotment once I've got it all going- I suppose early spring just after they've been pruned would be best?

Thank you everyone, I feel a bit less clueless about raspberries now.

[boboff]

My Little thoughts.

June. Autumn Fruiting one year old wood. Low yield
July - August Summer fruiting one year old wood. Good Yield
August - Sept - Oct - Nov even.. Autumn fruiting virgin wood. Good Yield.

Transplant when the earth is warm and not to wet, before you see new growth, which depending on the season can be March / April. Cut in Feb any way.

[ojay54]

OK,even though I'm having a good day,and the sun is shining ,I'm going to say it.Don't bother transplanting the canes,burn them.They are the cheapest fruit to yield ratio you can buy.Get some decent canes,guaranteed virus free,they take no more effort to grow than some old manky things that cost nothing.I know,'recycle/reuse etc.etc.' but the only real prob raspberries get (apart from birds and young kids) is virus and the effect is a slow but steady diminishing of yield,that you often don't realise until you replace them.

Dons tin hat,runs for the bunker .

[RunnerBean]

Mine look really healthy though, and they put out a lot of new plants in the spring. Should I still replace them every few years like strawberry plants?

[ojay54]

I would,but not every few years,maybe 10.
If you've got the time,and you're as sad as me, do half and half,then compare results.
We all know the satisfaction of growing your own food,but ,for me.there's something almost spiritual about picking your own fruit(maybe it's from the old hunter/gatherer times) or maybe it's just time for my medication....

[Millymollymandy]

My Little thoughts.

June. Autumn Fruiting one year old wood. Low yield
July - August Summer fruiting one year old wood. Good Yield
August - Sept - Oct - Nov even.. Autumn fruiting virgin wood. Good Yield.

I agree with you, but where I live it's one month earlier. Just started picking my Zevas (autumn).... aaaaarrrrrrggggghhhh! Had to put the seep hose on too and my newer patch is not doing well as it's so dry but a bit shady and there is hardly any fruit on the autumn rasps. However my old bed (year 9 I think) is doing fine. My RHS book says 7 years for raspberries which is why I started a new bed!

[JoseyJo]

Following this with interest... we have a large clump of very overgrown raspberries inherited with the allotment - I have no idea how old they are. The fruit is quite scarce considering the size of the clump, and comparing to the yield from a much smaller 3 yr old clump in our garden. What fruit there is, is generally not nice, with lots of green and brown bits in. I was thinking that the whole lot was probably past it, and we should just pull it all up. Would this sound right, or should I cut it all down, or try to salvage some canes? I haven't pruned them at all in the 2 yrs since getting the allotment.
Do raspberries benefit from being grown on fresh ground, like strawberries, or could we replant in the same spot?

[boboff]

Two schools.

Old Jerry - Dig them up and start again.

Other - Cut back all but this years new growth ( if they are Summer fruiting they will have no dried up flower heads on them in Feb) Mulch with compost or other nice organic. Wait and see.

Personally I am with the other camp, as raspberries seem to go nuts in a patch after about 3 years, in sending up lots of fresh new plants.