Methods for Cultivating Raspberries: A Step-by-Step Guide
Raspberries are a delightful addition to any garden, providing sweet and delicious fruit from late June through to October. Here's a guide on how to care for and prune these delectable plants.
Summer-Fruiting (Floricane) Raspberries
Summer-fruiting raspberries, also known as floricane raspberries, fruit on the previous year's growth and are tall plants that require staking. To care for these, prune immediately after harvesting by cutting the canes that bore fruit down to ground level. In early spring, thin out the new canes, leaving three to four of the strongest per foot of row to promote air circulation and new growth.
Autumn-Fruiting (Primocane) Raspberries
Autumn-fruiting raspberries flower and fruit on the current season's canes. For a single crop next fall, cut all canes to ground level in late autumn or winter. Alternatively, for more frequent harvesting, practice selective pruning, allowing some primocanes to fruit in late summer/fall while thinning or pruning selectively.
| Raspberry Type | Pruning Time | Pruning Method | |-----------------------|---------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------| | Summer-fruiting (floricane) | Late autumn or post-harvest | Remove spent floricanes at ground level; thin primocanes in early spring leaving strongest canes only[1][3][2]. | | Autumn-fruiting (primocane) | Late autumn or post-harvest | Cut all canes to ground for single crop next fall, or selective pruning for more frequent harvesting[2][3]. |
Additional Care Tips
- Support raspberry canes with trellises to improve air flow and reduce disease risk.
- Feed plants with balanced fertilizers high in potassium for fruit development or nitrogen for growth as needed.
- Mulching and good nutrition (e.g., cow manure) also benefit raspberry plants.
- Always use clean, sharp tools to avoid disease transmission.
Varieties to Consider
- 'Malling Jewel': A raspberry variety with good flavour, reliability, and an early crop, available from Primrose.
- 'Valentina': Known for its unusual apricot-pink berries on spine-free stems and disease resistance, available from Marshalls Garden.
- 'Tulameen': A variety with excellent flavour, few spines, and resistance to grey mould, available from Waitrose Garden.
- 'Zeva': Ideal for growing in cooler, more northerly climates and produces a large crop, available from Ashwood Nurseries.
- 'All Gold': A golden sport of 'Autumn Bliss' with delicious yellow fruit, available from Waitrose Garden.
- 'Autumn Bliss': A reliable cropper producing large, well-flavoured fruits on self-supporting canes, available from Primrose.
- 'Glen Ample': A heavy cropper with spine-free canes and disease resistance, available from Waitrose Garden.
- 'Glen Rosa': Produces small, aromatic fruits on spine-free stems and is disease resistant.
- 'Joan J': Known for high yields of large, juicy, sweet fruits, available from Suttons.
- 'Glen Moy': Offers large, firm berries, good disease resistance, and spine-free stems, available from Van Meuwen.
- 'Glen Magna': Bears large berries that freeze well and has good disease resistance, available from Primrose.
When planting, ensure a sturdy support frame is in place, and plant raspberry canes 45cm apart, with 1.8m between rows, in moist but free-draining, fertile soil. With the right care, raspberries can be an easy and cheap way to enjoy fresh, home-grown fruit throughout the summer and autumn.
- Caring for floricane raspberries involves pruning the spent canes after harvest, and thinning out new canes in early spring to promote air circulation and new growth, making it a suitable addition to your home-and-garden lifestyle and gardening efforts.
- To produce a single crop of autumn-fruiting raspberries in the next fall, or for more frequent harvesting, prune the canes to ground level in late autumn or winter, or practice selective pruning, respectively. This ensures a continuous supply of fresh raspberries for your lifestyle, enhancing your home-and-garden experience with these delightful plants.
