Tips for Growing a Fabulous Raspberry Patch

Raspberries are a delightful fruit, easy to grow and very versatile. If you love to garden and grow your own food, then be sure to find some room for a few canes. They will not disappoint, as there is nothing like the satisfaction of harvesting your own garden.

Planting Raspberry Canes

Canes are available in early Spring at most farm and garden centers, or easily ordered on line as well. This is the best time to plant them to allow them to establish themselves well with the early spring rains. My raspberry plants are ever-bearing or a fall bearing variety. These produce fairly heavily throughout the growing season.

Location

Choose the site for you bed wisely, considering that they grow quickly and require plenty of good air flow. A sunny site is very beneficial to a good crop, at least 6-8 hours per day.

Soil Preparation

Prepare your soil by amending the planting area with a mix of good, composted materials such as: manure, shredded leaves, grass clippings, garden lime (if your soil PH is acidic), and peat moss to help retain moisture and raise the PH, as they are water loving plants. Depending how you choose to plant your canes, whether in rows or a large open bed, plant them with room to grow. I like to give the canes about 2 - 3 feet apart and if doing multiple rows, leave a good 6 feet between for ease when harvesting.

Soak the roots of the canes in a bucket of water to hydrate them well before planting. Dig a good size hole to accommodate the entire root ball. Plant to the base of the canes growth from the roots. Adding a general garden fertilizer as a top dressing broadcasted after planting will help them to get off to a good start. If you don't mind buying fertilizer, a 20-21-20 formula is great for Raspberries to stimulate root, cane and berry production.

Canes do well with some support if you want to keep them nice and tidy. Otherwise, let them grow naturally. I have a small 12" space and prop them up with large twine to keep them more upright, rather than cascading for easier picking. ;-)

Caring for Raspberry Plants

Watering

The plants will need a good 2 inches of water per week to keep the fruit hydrated. Preferably twice a week if it is really hot without any rainfall. If they do not get enough water the berries will stay very small and may even wither up before ripening. Water at the base of the plants if possible, instead of overhead watering.

Pests

• Aphids -symptoms: Curled leaves turn yellow and wither, also presence of ants indicate aphids
• Cane Borer - symptoms: Cane may bulge and die back due to larvae, look for sawdust around old canes.
• Raspberry beetle - symptoms: Small fruit-worms can be seen inside of ripened fruit.
• Japanese Beetle - symptoms: Heavily chewed leaves (larvae/white grubs)
  
  My pest control is quite minimal, I have only experienced Japanese beetles feasting on the raspberry leaves in July a few years ago. They are native to our area so you may not have any issues with them at all. Occasionally, I will see a squirrel standing up to eat a few if they are hanging close enough to the ground. Too cute for words!
  
  
  

  Harvest Time

  
  
  Once the berries begin to ripen, approximately two weeks after they bud, be sure to check them daily. The fruit will start coming in slowly, but quickly turns into a picking frenzy once your canes are 2 - 3 years old. They can produce a lot of berries, averaging 1 -2 quarts per plant throughout the growing season.
  
  You will be able to tell when they are fully ripe by their bright red color. Also, when you go to pick them they will easily pluck from the vine. Plants will continue to fruit well into fall and start to slow down as the nights become much colder.
  
  Do not wash your berries until you are ready to use them as water will cause them to spoil quicker. Refrigerate your berries right after harvesting, they will keep fresh for 2-3 days tops.
  
  Enjoy your berries fresh everyday, in smoothies, cereals, fruit salads, and of course a cocktail too. If you find you can not consume your bounty fast enough, you can always make Raspberry Jam. Or, lay them onto a cookie sheet in the freezer until frozen then store the berries in Ziploc freezer bags for up to a year.
  
  
  
  

  Pruning and Dividing Canes

  
  
  It is recommended to trim your canes, cutting them on an angle, back to about 3-4' tall in very early spring when new growth starts. This will keep your canes controllable and less crowded, which encourages better fruiting. Personally, I prefer pruning in late September to early November here in New York's zone 5-6. I like to have all my growing beds very clean before winter, just my preference.
  
  After a couple of years you can remove the old, brown canes that stopped producing. Also, thin out the spindly canes or any damaged ones to discourage disease. After two - three seasons you will have had many new canes popping up throughout your growing bed.
  
  New growth will emerge in early spring on the older canes and new shoots will appear from the ground. Raspberries spread by runners underground and can easily be dug up and transplanted first thing in Spring.
  
  

Source - How to Grow
Smoothie Source

I hope you have enjoyed my growing tips for raising Raspberry plants. I encourage you to do so if you have the room for them. Happy Gardening!

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