Raspberries (Rubus sp.) are one of the most popular cane-growing berries to grow.
Watch: how to grow your own fruit
Raspberries can provide fruit from November to April, depending on the variety. Eat them fresh picked straight from the vine, make into jam, or freeze for later use.
How to grow raspberries
Raspberries can be trained to grow vertically. Once you know how to care for your raspberries properly, the plant will give you delicious fruit year after year.
Types of raspberries
There are two main types of raspberries: summer fruiting varieties (also known as flora canes) and autumn fruiting berries. Summer fruiting berries will produce a large crop at the end of summer on canes that were planted the year before.
Autumn fruiting raspberries (primo canes), will produce fruit on the current season’s cane growth, but will fruit in early autumn.
How to plant raspberries
Purchase raspberry canes in winter. Plant 1 metre apart in holes that have been well-prepared with compost and manure. As raspberry canes can reach about 1.5 metres tall they will need to be supported with a trellis, fence or a wire structure.
How to care for raspberries
Aspect
Plant raspberry canes in winter in a spot where they are exposed to the sun all day.
Climate
Raspberries prefer cooler climates.
Soil
Raspberries need well-draining, rich soil to thrive. So make sure you add plenty of compost before planting.
Water
Give your raspberries plenty of water to drink, especially when they are fruiting. During winter, while the canes are dormant, you don’t need to water as regularly.
Fertiliser
Apply fertiliser to your canes when they start to bud to give them energy to flower and fruit.
Maintenance
Use netting to protect the fruit from birds.
Pests and diseases
Raspberries are also prone to scale insects.
The sap-sucking insect looks like a shell; they mainly attach themselves to the leaves and stems where all the goodness is, but can be found anywhere on the plant.
Here’s how to get rid of scale on your plants.
How to Prune raspberries
Pruning your raspberries at the end of the growing season will depend on the type you are growing.
Summer-bearing raspberries produce fruit in the second year. You can cut back second year old canes to the ground after you have harvested all the berries. Make sure you leave the first year canes, and the new canes that have appeared, otherwise you won’t have any fruit next year.
The tips of the Autumn-fruiting raspberries produce fruit at the end of autumn. The following summer, the rest of the cane produces fruit, after which the plant dies and can be pruned back.
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