How to Grow Raspberries: A Juicy Guide to Planting, Harvesting & Pruning

Ha ha ha! 😁

Hi, Anna, We understand your disappointment. There is no easy solution; we found a few trusted cooperative extension services that offer several reasons why your canes may not be fruiting. If none of this applies to your circumstances, you might consult your local cooperative extension or a good plant nursery. Best wishes!

 https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/fruits/1219-diagno...

Short plants that fail to thrive and produce poorly can be from several causes [edit note: do not know what is meant by “short plants]:.

·       Raspberries perform poorly in heavy soils with poor drainage. They produce best when grown in raised beds in soil you amend before you plant.

Raspberries perform poorly in a xeric environment. When you water them irregularly or inadequately, you might get short plants. Water raspberries an inch of water per week for good production.

·       Raspberries will not thrive under crowded conditions. Thin canes to 8 inches apart in spring as early growth starts.

·       Raspberries require fertile soil to thrive. Apply a general nitrogen fertilizer.

·       Raspberries produce poorly with inadequate light. Plant raspberries in an area with at least 6 hours of direct sun daily if part of the day is shaded, it’s best in late afternoon.

·       Spider mite infestation causes yellow spots that turn into bronzed foliage. Mites are more of a problem in hot locations and during hot summers. To control spider mites, provide adequate water and spray the undersides of leaves as needed.

·       The raspberry cane borer causes wilted and drooping tops of canes. To prevent the white larvae from tunneling down further into the cane, prune off the cane tops at the earliest sign of the insect. Destroy pruned branches containing the insect. Insecticides such as carbaryl (Sevin®) are registered for this pest.

·       Sunscald and heat are the cause for white druplet disorder on the fruit. A few of the druplets or perhaps an entire sun-exposed side of a berry turns white. The rest of the fruit colors normally. This does not harm the edibility of the fruit, just the appearance. It is an environmental disorder and not one caused by a fungus or bacteria so no sprays are needed. Good leaf cover will be helpful so put efforts into adequate watering and fertilizing.

 https://ask2.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=158488">https://ask2.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=158488

When did you cut back the canes? Only everbearing raspberries are cut back completely in early spring before new growth begins. See following pruning information for early summer bearing raspberries; just in case:

Red or Yellow Raspberries (Summer Fruiting)
Pruning During the Growing Season
Do not pinch back (reduce the height) the current season’s growth. If the canes are too tall to support themselves, it is better to construct a trellis than to reduce the height. Remove floricanes after harvesting the fruit. This is usually in late June through early July, depending on the cultivar and weather. Removing canes allows better light penetration into the hedgerow for the newly developing shoots (primocanes) and will significantly reduce disease problems.

Dormant Season Pruning
Prune in late winter or early spring after the danger of severe weather has passed and before bud swell. Pinch back (remove) the winter-killed portion of the canes. Usually, this will be 1 to 3 inches of the cane tip. However, after severe winters or if you have attempted to grow non-hardy cultivars, 3 to 4 feet of the cane may have been killed. If the plants are grown in hedgerows, keep the width of the rows to 18 inches or less and remove all plants outside the row areas. Remove small spindly canes, leaving those that are one-half inch or more in diameter. Summer red raspberries should be pruned twice a year, first in the spring and immediately after harvest. The spring
pruning, in late March or early April, consists of removing all weak canes. The second pruning, right after harvest removes canes that produced fruits. The new shoots or suckers should be reduced in number (thinned) immediately after fruit harvest. Leave four or five strong canes, one-half inch in diameter or greater, per foot of hedgerow. If no such canes are present, leave the two largest canes per foot of row.

Only prune dead canes. You can remove some of the leaves from the new shoots to aid in seeing the berries. I've done this for years & doesn't harm the new plants. Use 6-7 ft. tall plant stakes & twine to tie up your tall plants. This will give you control of them & keep them from breaking. Tie several canes together to each stake. This works really well. Keep the rabbits out during the winter or they will prune everything to the ground or chew the cane off near the ground. Good luck!!!

Raspberries can be propagated from "root cuttings" taken when the plant is dormant (winter). You can try your neighbor's plant but it's normally advised to aquire a cutting from a nursery which will come as one-year-old dormant plant because it will mature easlier, grow faster, and tolerate drier soil.

Basically, suckers come up from the roots. You'll need some of the parents' roots to foster the most vigorous new plant. The root divisions can be cut through with a sharp spade and separated. The root cuttings should be 2 to 6 inches long. Tie the cuttings in bundles with all the same type ends together. It is important to maintain the correct polarity of the cuttings. Store for 3 weeks in moist sawdust, peat moss, or sand at 40°F. Remove from storage after frost in the spring. Space the cuttings about 2 to 3 inches apart in well-prepared garden soil. The tops of the cuttings (proximal ends) should be 2 to 3 inches below the soil surface. Keep the new raspberry propagation moist.

You could be dealing with spotted wing drosophila (SWD), a type of invasive fruit fly. The tiny worms are the flies' larvae.

Unfortunately, because they are so small, numerous, and reproduce quickly, they can be difficult to manage without resorting to chemicals. To read more about chemical control of SWD, please see https://www.canr.msu.edu/ipm/invasive_species/spotted_win...">this page from Michigan State University. 

The main way to reduce the numbers of SWD without the use of chemicals is to essentially keep your berry patch tidy. This means regularly removing plant debris, rotted berries, etc., and disposing of it in the trash (not compost, as the flies will just keep developing). 

Without knowing exactly what you mean, you could have

--sunscald, if the berries themselves are white in any way. This is caused by the Sun under hot, dry conditions. The fruit is safe to eat.

--stinkbugs or red mites can also cause white coloration as they eat on the berries. This is more random discoloration.

--graymold is a fungus due largely to excess moisture on the plants/berries, without opportunity to dry. Don't eat these berries.

We hope this helps!

There are lots of reasons for this:

-heavy soil, with poor drainage

-irregular moisture/rain

-infertile soil; apply a general nitrogen fertilizer

-inadequate light; have trees, buildings, or other things encroached on your sunlight?

-aphids that introduced viruses.

Fifteen years is a pretty good run; 10 years is considered replacement time in some circles, so it is one solution. Yes, you should plant a new crop in a new/different place.

It's difficult to know exactly from here but some common causes are inadequate sunlight, pruning (June-bearers produce on old wood—the prior year's canes, so if you pruned them the new canes will not be mature enough to fruit), poor drainage and/or inconsistent watering, infertile soil, and, some say, crowding—canes too close together (8 inches distance is suggested).

We could never list all of the varieties in any of our recommendation lists; there are just too many!

And we are not familiar with 'Pink Lemonade' raspberry. There is a so-named BLUEberry bush but we can find no pink lemonade raspberry. Thanks for sharing!

Netting should not affect fruiting as long as it does not block the sunlight.

We don't have any conclusive reasons. Is the soil draining well? And are they getting water (not drought)? Any signs of cane borer: two rows of small punctures about an inch apart at the cane tip? Dose air circulate well around the canes? Brambles are subject to fungi and virus. Maybe take a couple to a local nursery and see if they can identify the problem. 

Training raspberries on wires makes them easier to manage. Raspberry canes grow up to head height and beyond, so they’ll need a support system. Drive in two upright posts at each end of the row, then stretch strong galvanized wire between them. The posts should be about six feet tall with three horizontal wires for summer-fruiting raspberries, or two wires for less-tall autumn-fruiting types. The posts should be about six feet tall with three horizontal wires for summer-fruiting raspberries, or two wires for less-tall autumn-fruiting types.

After you've finished picking raspberries, cut all the canes that produced berries back down to the ground. Use garden string to tie the strongest canes that remain to the wire supports. There shouldn’t be any more than one cane every four inches of wire, so cut down additional canes. (Fall-bearing raspberries are even easier to prune – simply cut all the canes back to the ground in late winter.)

How tragic! Such a heartbreak! Wind seldom takes down raspberry canes in the way that you describe but it's possible that if the wire is sharp and the canes struck it hard or multiple times, it could act like a blade and make the cuts—especially if it's clearly a break and not a wilt. We hope the canes—and you—can recover.

It may be that your plants have leaf curl virus, which is transmitted by aphids. Raspberries need full sun; generally shaded conditions will weaken them. It's not clear what you mean by "very rich potting soil," but they do best in good old aged manure (organic matter) and compost. If you can get them more sun and replant with more organic matter, they might have a chance—for a while. Raspberries won't last more than a season or two in a container because they spread by sending out roots and the wall of the container will inhibit that.

Neither place is particularly good. The berries would be competing with the tree roots and the groundcover (pachysandra). The berries do best in well composted ground that they have to themselves.

Depending on variety, mature berries could be dark red, dark purple, or an amber color. In any case, they should easily come off the plant when gently picked. 

Tiny, white worms are probably a type of fruit fly larvae. Unfortunately, this is a non-native invasive pest. There can be several larvae in each berry. They affect soft fruits and overripe fruits. Unfortunately, they are serious. You have a couple of options:

1. Promptly harvest ripe fruit now.  Sanitation is very important. Remove and dispose of over-ripe, damaged, or rotting fruit.  Dispose of berries in a manner that prevents flies from emerging and reinfesting sound fruit. Controlling weeds around the raspberry planting can also help.

2. Insecticides are a possible control option if you are open to it. Speak to your local cooperative extension or garden center experts. Note: many garden insecticides have preharvest waiting periods of several days, making their application to ripening fruit impractical. If you decide to use an insecticide, select one with a short preharvest waiting period (such as one day) and carefully read and follow label directions.  According to Purdue University entomologists, there are a number of insecticide products labeled for use on raspberries, including spinosad, pyrethroids and malathion, to combat this pest. Only use products that are labeled for use on raspberries, and be sure to look at the days-to-harvest limits listed on the label (likely 1 to 3 days). NEVER apply any insecticides while the plants are in bloom.

You would need to spray immediately to try to knock down the population. You will probably need to make a second application a few days later to kill new adults that emerge after the initial application. Depending on how long your fruit harvest continues, you may need to reapply weekly.

You can leave the core on the plant. It will naturally take care of itself. I couldn't find research on how much nutrients the plant devotes to it, but my guess is that once the fruits (the drupelets that contain the seeds) have been harvested, the plant won't devote much energy to the core (aka receptacle) itself, and it will wither on its own.

The information above is intended for gardeners in North America and for species of raspberries grown in North America, but the general growing advice should still apply. You will likely have to adjust it to your local conditions and the raspberry species available to you.

Hi Di, It depends on the type of plant. Raspberry and blackberry plants are self-fertile and do not require a pollinator.

Highbush blueberries which grow where winters are generally cold (USDA Zone 6 and colder) do not need a pollinator, however, you'll get more fruit if you plant two different highbush selections for cross-pollination.  The rabbiteye blueberry bush (USDA Zone 7 and warmer) definitely need two plants.

Dry, crumbly berries can result from a number of things, including disease, pests, soil nutrition, poor pollination, and water-related issues.

Since you say the leaves look healthy otherwise, it's likely a problem with pollination or water. Has it been particularly dry in your area? Once raspberries start producing, they need consistent water to produce healthy, full berries—dry conditions will cause the berries to shrivel. On the other hand, if the raspberry plant is kept too wet, it can cause root rot, which also results in poor berries. Make sure your plants are in a place that gets consistent water during the berry season, but where the soil drains well, too. 

As for pollination, keep an eye out for bees and their kin to make sure that the plant is getting enough attention. Perhaps add a https://www.almanac.com/content/bee-houses-solitary-bees">native bee house to encourage to move into the neighborhood?

That sounds like powdery mildew, a common hazard with raspberries. See here https://www.almanac.com/pest/powdery-mildew

It's hard to tell, actually. But try this: After fruiting, remove all canes that produced fruit, be it a summer, or fall bearing variety. For summer-bearing varieties you will do it late in the summer, for fall bearing the best time to do it is in the late winter or in very early spring before the buds start swelling. Or just do this: cut down all canes late in the winter or very early in the spring, then wait to see what happens next year. If you have a summer-bearing variety you will not have fruit next year at all, but at least you will know what you have.

I lifted raspberry autumn fruiting raspberries from another area in our garden and cut them down to two inches above ground in early spring. the canes have multiplied 10-fold but are bearing no fruit at all. They had a very good mulching after pruning too. What have I done wrong?

Most raspberries produce fruit on second-year canes (called "floricanes") rather than first-year canes (called "primocanes"). The new canes that you see around your plant right now are primocanes, but next year they will have matured to floricanes and will produce fruit, so they should be left alone.

I would try another type; one which emphasizes sweeter taste;;

Hi, Jane. If you live in an area where winter is harsh you can move the raspberry pots to an unheated garage. Water the raspberries just enough to keep them alive. If you leave the pot outside, add mulch for protection over the winter.

It's not uncommon for raspberries to lose their leaves after being transplanted—they're just in shock from the move. Just keep them from drying out during the summer months and they should come back without issue next spring. They'll spend this year putting down roots and getting established.

Spring is the best time to transplant raspberries, but transplanting can also be done in the fall to a lesser degree of success, depending on your climate. Know that plants that are transplanted in the fall may take longer to become established and bear fruit. Leave as much dirt on the roots as possible to avoid shocking the plant. After transplanting, cut the canes down to a length of approximately 8 to 10 inches. You may want to put down a layer (1–2 inches) of mulch around the plants to give them some extra winter protection, too. 

Your other option is to store them bare-root for the winter, though we can't say for certain how much success you would see using this method. You will want to dig them up, brush off any dirt from the roots, and place them in a slightly moist, loose material, such as mulch or sawdust. Store them in a cool place, like a cellar, where it won't get below freezing nor above 50°F. Try not to let them dry out completely during winter. In early spring, they can be planted outside. 

If you have a large number of plants, you may wish to try both methods. Let us know how it goes!

Is there any chance you can ask the former owner which type these are?? Read the advice about pruning above. We would not advise cutting/mowing the canes down because if they are summer bearers, they could be abundant with fruit next year (see above), and if they are ever- or fall-bearing, they may have been cut last year. We would wait until spring to see what happens.

Also read the other comments about fruiting/not fruiting below.

Our first best guess, Gladys, is the soil. Is if sufficiently organic, composted, and rich?? See specifics above. And did the canes get sufficient water? (How much? hard to measure—maybe an inch a week.) If the soil is properly prepared it will hold moisture better than poor soil, even it you do not water and it does not rain.

You say you see no bugs o your plants...that's good but if your canes are dried up and wilting, it could be verticillium wilt, caused by a soilborne fungus. You might have introduced the fungus into the soil with the plants... it's possible and difficult to confirm. If that's the case, it might be best—if possible—to start the patch elsewhere, with proper soil and disease-free stock.

Wish we had better news!

You must be doing everything right, Neil! You could certainly thin out your raspberry patch by giving some away. Raspberries spread by runners, so lift them with plenty of root. And remember, it would take while for one to be many, so maybe give friends a few person. 

What is best way to prep air my soil for raspberries.

Hi Tracy,

Congratulations on your new house! It wouldn't hurt to mound straw, mulch, or compost around the base of the plant. However, it may be going through it's natural life cycle: Raspberry plants are biennials. Raspberry plants grow in long canes, growing during the first year and producing fruit during the second. After the two years, they die, leaving their seeded fruit or runners to continue the cycle. Your plant may be in its second year of life. 

Unfortunately, your symptoms sound like a textbook case of Verticillium wilt—a soil-borne fungal infection that causes leaf drop, stem death, and sub-par fruiting in a great number of fruits and vegetables. Sadly, nothing can be done for an infected plant, and Verticillium wilt is capable of remaining in the soil for many years, so we would recommend planting any new raspberry plants as far as possible from the diseased patch.

When you remove the infected plant, consider replacing it with Verticillium-resistant plants, like irises, lilies, carrots, beans, or lettuce. A number of other common vegetables and flowers are also resistant.

Hi, Lee: Thank you for this question and your detailed description, including history. It seems as though one of two things is happening here, or perhaps both. We don't know the condition of your canes, but your description of the leaves can indicate a disease or infestation of some sort. Assuming that you're not noticing any insect pests, this would leave fungi and all manner of soilborne afflictions, of which there are many. Perhaps--by coincidence--your straw left something behind. More likely, though--and here's #2--your canes simply became too wet, a condition that itself encourages fungi and that is encouraged by the wood chips, which act like a sponge. If it were us, we would do three things: (1) pull out and dispose of the wood chips, to get rid of both the sponge and any bad things in them; (2) try to find an organic fungicide that is safe for edible produce; and (3) contact your local USDA county extension service to see if they have more localized advice. We would also add a fourth--making sure that your soil drainage is OK--but your previous success with these plants would seem to indicate that this is not a problem. Just for the record, we have had two large and prolific patches at some distance from each other for decades and have never used mulch on them. Thanks again, and good luck!

Lucky you! Freeze them this way: Put a single layer on a sheet pan. Put that into the freezer. When the raspberries are frozen transfer them to an airtight container or bag and return them to the freezer until you're ready to use them. Repeat as needed with each harvest. They may clump a bit over time but they should not get mushy until thawed but even then some will retain some shape. Frozen or fresh, you can cook them up; here are are few recipes (including one with a sauce you can make and freeze): http://www.almanac.com/search/site/raspberries

If none of these ideas catch your fancy, call us and we'll take bushels of those berries off your hands!

Small berries can be a result of unsatisfactory growing conditions, like too little sunlight, too little water, or too much nitrogen in the soil, as well as other factors, like too little pollination or infection by damaging insects and viruses. It could also be the case that your raspberry plants need more pruning (see above for tips). Make sure they're getting enough water, sun, and low-nitrogen fertilizer. If that doesn't help in future seasons, you may need to get some new plants.

Hi Eileen,

It is not necessary to remove the old canes; they will not prevent new shoots from sprouting. If you prefer a cleaner garden look, you may wish to remove the old growth, but there is no reason to otherwise.

'Heritage' raspberries are the everbearing, or fall-bearing, type, meaning that they will produce berries on the old canes (called floricanes) in early summer, and you will get a second crop, this time from the new canes (called primocanes), in late summer/fall. So, a cane of this variety will produce fruit in late summer/fall of its first year, and then again in early summer of its second year. However, the second year crop is not as good in quality as the fall crop from the previous year, and produces less; it also is more prone to certain raspberry pests. Therefore, many gardeners simply prune out the second-year canes during the dormant season in winter/early spring, in order to have a better quality, larger yield in fall. If, however, you choose to harvest that second year, then leave those canes to produce your early summer crop. (Some gardeners trim the laterals of the second-year canes back a few inches.) New canes will also be developing in spring; select about 5 or so of the best ones and remove the others: these will produce your fall crop.

Note that the first year, the canes will fruit on the upper half, while the next year, they will fruit on the lower part; the upper part of the cane that has fruited will die back. Therefore, some gardeners trim back the deadened tips of those canes during the winter, before the second crop is produced the next growing season. Also note that plants should not be pruned the first year you place them in the garden, except to take out dead or damaged wood, so that they can focus on establishing themselves.

As to how far down to prune a cane once it has done fruiting, cut back to as close to the ground as possible, so that any buds that break will be from below the soil line. Otherwise, if buds break from the portion above the soil, the canes that result are usually weak and unproductive.

Before planting, working lots of organic matter into the soil, such as composted manure. Then each year in early spring before growth starts, apply fertilizer again. What you need will depend somewhat on your soil, as well as your crop. It helps to test your soil first to see if there are any deficiencies. In general for raspberries, you can apply 50 to 100 pounds well-rotted cow or horse manure or something like 4 to 5 pounds 10-10-10 per 100 foot row.

Hope this helps!

Hi, Ray: You don't say how old this growth was, but sometimes new growth can be killed by cold. More likely than not, though, your canes became diseased last year and died for that reason. Thanks for asking and sorry for your loss.

That is odd. Could some animal be nibbling the shoots as they appear? Herbicides applied? Cultivation around the raspberries that may have chopped the roots underground? Check the health of your bushes--perhaps they are under stress. Has the winter been challenging for the plants, or has the weather been cold than warm than cold, for example, that might be confusing them? If so, perhaps they might recover and their roots start to explore soon.

Good question! We meant that it's best to leave 6 canes per per hill (per foot of row). You can prune anytime between the end of harvest and the start of new growth in the spring. We've revised the pruning information above to add more detail.

If the roots are tightly wound around the rootball (where they were touching the pot's edges), then it is a good idea to help straighten them out a bit, although you'd probably want to keep as much original soil as possible. If a plant is severely potbound (aka rootbound), first soak the soil for several minutes to dampen it, so that it is not a hard ball and becomes more workable. Then with your fingers, tease open some of the outer roots to that they don't circle the ball, but instead lie vertical (don't worry if some roots break, but try to keep them intact. Work on several, but not all of the roots visible on the outside). Some gardeners then make a vertical shallow cut with a knife through any still-circling roots about halfway down the rootball, doing this along several sites (maybe in about 3 or 4 places) around the ball. If the bottom of the ball has lots of roots, too, tease them apart as you can; then at the bottom of the ball, in the center, push your thumbs up into the rootball until you reach almost halfway up and then pull the rootball apart sideways slightly (not drastically). Then, when planting, spread out the rootball so that the two semi-separated halves surround a small mound of soil placed in the center of the planting hole. After planting, water thoroughly, and give the plant a lot of TLC to help it recover from this treatment. Good luck!

Rather than fool the roots by putting them into soil, Jim, moisten them, wrap them in newspaper (it holds the moisture), then put them into a plastic bag and keep them in a cool place. Before you plant them, separate the roots and soak them in a bucket of water for about an hour. The last frost day is based on averages; it's not guaranteed or absolute. As noted above, you can plant when soil temps are above 45°F. If a heavy frost is forecast, cover the plants.

Since you missed the fall, Susan, better to prune in the spring than not at all. Do it at your earliest convenience. Treat the canes to a compost blanket and water well after. Water the plants if drought conditions develop. You may or may not get a harvest this year, yet if so, it might come in late summer (not mid). Nonetheless, it's worth the effort: your TLC could return these plants to regular production. Good luck!

You are right to wonder about the fruiting performance of newly transplanted canes. It is likely they will put most of their energy into getting established (root production). You may see a bit of fruiting, but be prepared for that not being the case. Perhaps you could transplant the older canes this spring, leaving the two-year canes to fruit, then move then next spring . . . just a thought!

Hmm. Good question! I'm not a botanist, but here are my thoughts. Raspberries do not ripen once picked. If the berries were still attached on a branch, but that branch did not have access to nutrients etc. from the main plant, it is unclear whether they would indeed continue to ripen. Would the branch have enough of what the berries needed to mature? It would be a good experiment! You might try a few branches, but otherwise, you can try covering your bushes with garden frost blankets overnight, and perhaps protect the base with a thick layer of straw. Good luck!

Hi Brian,

If you want to have two crops (a light crop in early June and an heavier crop in September), leave 1st-year canes unpruned. For a fall crop only, mow all canes down to 2 to 3 inches after the fall harvest.

It sounds like you are in a USDA Plant Hardiness Zone that is more southern. To learn about USDA hardiness zones, see: http://www.almanac.com/content/plant-hardiness-zones

Although in general raspberries do best in cooler climes, their growth slowing in high summer heat, there are some that offer heat tolerance and have a less of a chilling requirement in winter. Check with your local nursery about cultivars appropriate for your area. Heat-tolerant cultivars include 'Bababerry', 'Dorman Red', and 'Oregon 1030'.

Most sources say that early spring (when the plants are still dormant), is the best time to plant raspberries. However, you can plant them in fall (again, when plants are dormant) before the ground freezes, or in the South, in late winter.
 

Sometimes farmers do not harvest berries because they missed the market timing or because weather (such as hail) badly affected their crops and it costs too much to hire laborers for a poor crop. There are a various reasons but it is very difficult to see crop waste, isn't it? 

Hi Kathryn,

Yes, go ahead and cut the undesirable fruit off. You have the right idea--the plant will use that energy in another capacity, to the betterment of its overall health.

Hi Nicole,

They could bounce back. I suggest maintaining a consistent watering schedule, and giving them until the end of the season to recover from all that activity. You might end up with some new growth, which will fruit the following year, if healthy. I would like to note that raspberries have a sprawling root system that a five-gallon bucket won't likely accommodate over time.

Hi Susan,

You are wise to want to know which variety you are dealing with, as that will tell you what to expect from your shrub. I suggest taking a few photos to share with a horticulturist at a local nursery (known for its knowledgeable staff). Get a good shot of whatever fruit it might have, the size of the leaves, and its overall growing habit. You might also consider getting onto a fertilizing schedule--that might help speed things along!

Hi Kathryn,

If I understand you correctly, you have small hard berries and are wondering if removing them will enable the plant to produce bigger fruit. (Bramble is a term for the entire group of plants in the Rhus genus, which is why I am a bit unclear.) If it is small fruit you are dealing with, the best thing to do is wait to prune your canes at the right time. Two-year-old canes produce fruit, then die off to be replaced with new canes, which will fruit in two years. So, after a fruiting cane starts to die back, cut it to the ground. Taking the fruit that you have off now will not result in new fruit. Hope that helps!

It's doubtful your plants are dying, as raspberries are very vigorous and can thrive in pretty tough conditions. If you have just recently planted them, they may be experiencing transplant shock. It could be the heat that is causing leaf curl. Try watering a bit more than usual. New growth is a good sign. If a single cane dies, prune it out. Chances are good another will take its place in no time!

Kevin, we're thinking you should than your lucky stars: Yellow (aka gold) raspberries are rare and desirable. There are several varieties, and it's difficult to impossible for us to know what you've got. (Fallgold is one.)  But taste them! They are used like red raspberries, usually in sweet dishes—or out of hand. That they are "wild" on your property should not deter you from keeping them. And 30 years is a pretty good run!. Consider that something right there is working for them—the soil, the sun, the water that may fall (and, we're thinking, pool a bit, keeping the roots moist—is this a lot spot?? Thinking this because you're considering a pond there...). So you might not have the same success elsewhere. Just a thought. And, per chance we misunderstand: You know that to transplant them you should dig up/lift the root, right?? 

This web site has a lot on raspberries, including the yellow/gold ones. (It's from Michigan Coop Ext; Ohio's services were not as indepth): http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/fruit/ras...

Hope this helps. And, ah, send over any extras, pullease!

Plant the raspberry now. It will have time to grow new roots before winter. Keep the plant watered and add mulch around it. This will keep the soil moist and will also protect the plant during the winter months. 

Your raspberries will probably benefit from the coffee grounds as well, as the grounds add nitrogen to the soil and are a natural fertilizer. You don't need to do it, but feel free to give it a shot! It can't hurt.

The pests are different. You say snails but here in northeast Ohio we have their homeless cousins...slugs. I've had raspberries for years and the slugs don't bother them too much but they loved my strawberries. Raspberries seem to attract ants around here. The birds don't bother them too much because a nearby mulberry tree gets ripe just before my raspberries do. Ocassionally I'll have to chase a robin out of the berries but not often. For you my biggest concern would be the limited space. You'll have to stay on top of things because they love to spread. I planted a few black and red raspberries and before I knew it I had a berry patch half the size of my house. As far as production I can't answer you there. My berries start getting ripe in June and continue for about a month (maybe). I've never tried to estimate the amount. I don't eat them (or strawberries) I just grow them for my wife. Good luck!

Hi Anne, I'm also a raspberry farmer in Kenya and was doing strawberries earlier! Maybe we can exchange some ideas?

Birds are highly intelligent problem solvers. If they want something bad enough, they will do whatever they can to get to it. However, wind-chimes, especially the reflective kind, disturb them, cats also disturb them. And I'm thinking these garden decorative balls that are highly reflective will also disturb them. (Because if they see movement, but don't recognize what it is, it will trigger their flight response.) Also, putting feeders strategically away from crops will attract more birds to your property, and more birds will draw in more birds of prey. But if you put this activity outside line of site of the crops you want to contract, and more on a street, or barren driveway, and so on, they will feast on bugs exposed on pavement, and the seed from your feeders. A lot of bird-species seems to be territorial even if they aren't birds of prey, and so if you attract birds that really love specific seeds, they'll end up fighting for roosting space with black birds like crows that will eat everything they possibly can. Ideally you combine these strategies, if you can afford them all, because then you're making some feeding opportunities riskier than others, and birds will quite happily be gluttons for the easier meal. (Between the cats I have, and the wild berry and muskdine vines growing in my treeline/hedge acreage, they don't bother with the more groomed crops I care more about. They seem to prefer wild-growth, and I don't blame them because some of muskydine vines shoot all the way up to the canopy of trees, and blackberry vines grow as large and tall as hedges, if left to grow wild. If you work against nature, fighting it will be a full-time job, but if you sacrifice a little property in order to roll with it, you can still generate a good harvest. So, the real key is understanding the wildlife around you. (whatever that may be)

In another comment I mentioned to Anne that I don't have a problem with birds because a nearby mulberry tree gets ripe about a week or two before my berries do. The birds just flock to that tree and only rarely do I see a robin in my berry patch. So....you may want to invest in a mulberry tree and hope it produces soon. Or maybe a birdfeeder to attract them to it instead of the berries. Those are just some thoughts but I think one thing that really does help is picking berries often. I try to get to them early in the morning before the birds do and then I may do a light picking again in the evening. They're like us, they want a ripe berry and tend to leave the unripe ones alone.

Hi, Sara: This really depends on a number of factors, including the exact types of raspberries that you will start with. It sounds to us like there will be some inevitable cross-pollination, but what results may not be bad and all, and also may be varied. Good luck!

Plan to plant bare root raspberries (dormant) in early spring, when soil temperatures are above 45F and air temperatures remain above at least 20F.  If you bought container-grown plants, plant them after the last expected spring frost. To find your frost dates, go to: http://www.almanac.com/gardening/frostdates

Most raspberries need as much sun as possible. But if you live in a region that gets intense sun most of the day it is  better to plant them in part shade and give them morning sun. Water is very important and especially during hot weather. Good luck!

It's important to have good air circulation and direct sun on your bushes. The 6 feet between the rows will allow for this. You can maybe plant the raspberries 5 feet apart if that lets you get between the rows to mow and weed.

For a good guide to raspberry varities in the Northeastern region, Google "Cornell Guide to Growing Fruit at Home."  However, this doesn't cover wild berries. From what you're describing, this may be a wineberries. See this page: http://extension.psu.edu/cumberland/news/2011/wineberries">http://extension.psu.edu/cumberland/news/2011/wineberries

Early spring is the best time to transplant to a new spot in your garden. Add some mulch around the plant this fall to protect the roots from the winter chill. See our planting and care information on this page.

It sounds like they put all their energy into growing healthy plants - a good thing for the first year. If you want 2 harvests then cut the tall canes back to 4-5 feet high in early spring and after that harvest cut out any canes that bore fruit. They will bear again later in the season.

If you just want one late harvest, mow them all to the ground in the fall. They will produce one flush of fruit later in the season.

Wait until spring. Cut them back to about a foot and plant in containers. Make sure to water the tranplanted canes so that they don't dry out.

Usually a raspberry planting is productive for about ten years and produces best in the first five years after planting. Viruses can accumulate in the plants overtime. Remove the plants when they begin to yield poorly and start new plants in new soil if possible.

Since your container-grown plants are thriving and healthy you can transplant them to their permanent location now or wait until they have gone dormant in the fall.

Ever-bearers produce two crops from each fruiting cane. If you cut a fruiting cane open, it will be green inside. The canes of summer-bearers die once they have produced berries so if you cut one of them open it will be brown inside. I hope this answers your question!

Hi, Jaaaason: Without knowing where you are, what kind of rasperries you have, how much water and sun they have been getting, etc., it is tough to tell, but more likely than not, because raspberries are a biennial, they won't bloom until next year. You should cut back those canes to 5 feet or so, though. So, is this normal? Yeah, probably, or at least it doesn't appear to be terminal. Thanks for asking!

Drought conditions are tough on raspberries. They need a good amount of water to produce good berries. You will need to keep watering the plants to keep the root system healthy for next year. To conserve on water, cut back the canes that have already fruited so the young canes won't have to compete with them for moisture. Be sure to water them well in late fall to lessen chances of winter drought damage.

The worms are larvae from a type of fruit fly, Spotted Wing Drosophila, that lays eggs in the ripening berries. There are a few preventative measures. Keep plants picked of ripe fruit. Set apple cider vinegar traps. Cover the bushes with thin row covers in early summer so that the flies can't lay the eggs. Keep the ground around the bushes clean and prune the bushes so that there is plenty of air circulation. A couple of organic insecticides are available, Entrust and Pyganic.

Time of pruning depends on what type of raspberries you have. Please see our pruning advice above for some guidelines.

Although it might be a nutrition problem, or due to inadequate pollination, it might also be caused by the tarnished plant bug, or diseases, including crumbly berry/tomato ringspot virus. For more information, see:
 
http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/tfabp/Dom/may11.htm
 
http://extension.psu.edu/plants/gardening/fphg/brambles/d...
 
http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcollege/plantpathology/ext_files...

Hi, Green (t)horn: Nope. And fear not: There's no such thing as a "dumb" question! Thanks for asking!

Although it might be a nutrition problem, or due to inadequate pollination, it might also be caused by the tarnished plant bug, or diseases, including crumbly berry/tomato ringspot virus. For more information, see:
 
http://extension.psu.edu/plants/gardening/fphg/brambles/d...
 
http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/tfabp/Dom/may11.htm
 
http://extension.psu.edu/plants/gardening/fphg/brambles/d...
 
http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcollege/plantpathology/ext_files...

We are guessing that you're not removing the old canes each year. Raspberry plants produce biennial canes. The first year they do not produce fruit. The second year, they do produce buds, flowers, and fruit, and then they die.

So, the new plant that has not produced fruit will do so next year. And the plant that produced fruit last year and is no longer producing is dead. Remove the old canes. See this page for more information.  Hope this helps!
 

Hi, Karen: This can be a pretty complicated question to answer. Or rather, a simple question with a complicated answer. You do not say whether your raspberries have ever fruited. That can be a key issue sometimes, pertaining particularly to pollination and variety. Assuming that they have, and that you have eliminated all plant and animal pests as possibilities (inspect minutely), and that you understand that raspberries fruit only every other year, then there are four possibilities: Need more water. Need better soil (especially potassium). Need to be thinned out considerably both above and below ground once they go dormant in the fall. Need some combination of the above. Good luck, and please check in to let us know how you do! 

It might be due to the dryberry mite, which can feed on leaves, causing yellow patches, and feed on fruit, causing uneven ripening. Uneven ripening also can be a symptom of disease, such as anthracnose, or cultural conditions, such as inadequate pollination.

For more information, check out the following:

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/PESTS/dryberr...

http://hortsense.cahnrs.wsu.edu/Search/MainMenuWithFactSh...

http://insect.pnwhandbooks.org/small-fruit/cane-fruit/can...

http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/berry/ipm/ipmpdfs/Raspberry%...

Raspberries are best transplanted in early spring. Dig them out as completely as possible and replant them right away. Raspberries are like weeds and transplant fairly easily.

We feel for you. Please see our tips on the Japanese Beetle page here: http://www.almanac.com/content/japanese-beetles">www.almanac.com/content/japanese-beetles

Hi, there, Eph: Row covers and pollination are pretty much incompatible, as what prevents the beetles from reaching the plants also prevents the bees. You could try covering only at night, when bees aren't active, but that doesn't do anything for the days, when beetles are also active. Your best bet may be some sort of organic pesticide. If you have (or step out and buy) a 2015 Old Farmer's Almanac Bookstore Edition or OFA Garden Guide, you'll find a page in there titled "Plants That Repel Pests," which gives a number of flowers and herbs that can be planted to eventually deter beetles and others. Thanks for asking!

Hi Nicole,

Yes, you can grow raspberries in a pot. Select a big pot (a 24-inch pot can support 5 to 6 canes) with drainage holes. Add a soil/compost mix and plant your canes. Water to keep the soil moist.

Hi Murray,

We suggest that you contact the nursery and see if they will replace the canes. The raspberry plants should show new growth buy now.

If the plants are near your originals, these may be suckers--little plants that pop up from the roots of the mother plant; you can divide these and replant in a desired location. Suckers will draw energy from the mother plant, so if you do not wish to divide and replant them, remove them so that the parent plant will have more energy for fruit production. Too thick a patch of raspberries will encourage disease (reduced air circulation being one issue).

If these young plants came from seed from your yellow or red raspberries, any fruit produced from the new ones may not match those of the parents.

If you're applying netting to protect your berries from birds, then it's best to install two to three weeks before fruit matures -- as the fruit begins to color.

Pruning is a good idea, but that was early for pruning. The best time is late-winter (some also say Dec to Feb). It's still early in season; see if they come back before doing anything right away. Raspberries are generally pretty hearty.

I'm not sure where you are located and I don't want to give you bad information. Check your local agricultural extension they usually have growing guides online. One thing I did find was this that address you direct question :) "You can confine blackberries and raspberries to small garden beds by burying 14-inch-wide strips of aluminum or galvanized steel flashing (used in roofing) around the outsides of the beds." This was taken from university of Idaho guide. I use pot liners to put things like mint in my garden beds to prevent them from spreading the same idea might be a good comprise with the rules? Best of luck!!

Summer bearing raspberries should be pruned with a light hand in the spring. The top 1/3 of the canes produce most of the berries. It is suggested to just prune the very top of the growing canes and leave them at about 5-6 feet high. You should remove all the old canes and also thin the new fruiting canes so that they are about 4-6 inches apart.

When you harvest a berry the underneath is not a new berry it is the stem and will dry up. If it is every worrying. It will flower twice in a year and the fruit comes from the flowers. Don't move them to a green house just put mulch, such as bark or straw at the base of raspberries.

Hi Tom,

Raspberries prefer a slightly acid Ph (5.6-6.2). If your soil is already acidic and you add pine needles they will make the soil more acidic. You may want to test your soil.

Here a link discussing raspberries and Ph.
http://umaine.edu/publications/2066e/">http://umaine.edu/publications/2066e/
 

To be on the safe side remove as much of the soil from the raised bed as you can before adding new soil and compost, or grow the plants in big pots this year. It's not recommended to plant black raspberry plants close to red raspberries as they are susceptible to mosaic virus.

***Gurney's Nursery. Burpee's nursery. Just write in American seed catalogs.

The raspberry plants will do better if you plant them in the ground. They need to go dormant over the winter. Plant them as soon as possible so that they may have a chance to start growing some roots before the ground freezes. Add a layer of mulch around them for protection. Water well.

No one cares :)

Find out what type of raspberries you have (summer-bearing or ever-bearing) before pruning. See our pruning advice on this page. For best growing conditions it is recommended for rows to be 1½ to 2 feet wide and to have about 3 canes per linear foot. Wait until early spring to prune and to remove suckers. You probably don't need to do much pruning on your young plants next spring. Just make sure to remove any dead (brown) canes.

It's getting pretty late in the season to transplant raspberries. We suggest that you wait until spring. But you may want to contact the Michigan Extession Service to see if they can give you advice for transplanting. http://msue.anr.msu.edu

Wait to transplant until spring. Early spring planting is preferred over fall planting. Plant as soon as the soil can be properly prepared. You should also prune the plants in early spring for better growth.

Hi Ericka,

Plant the raspberry now. It will have time to grow new roots before the cold weather sets in. Keep the plant watered and add mulch around it. This will keep the soil moist and will also protect the plant during the winter months. Read our planting instructions on this page.

Although it might be a nutrition problem, or due to inadequate pollination, it might also be caused by the tarnished plant bug, or diseases, including crumbly berry/tomato ringspot virus. For more information, see:

http://extension.psu.edu/plants/gardening/fphg/brambles/d...

http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/tfabp/Dom/may11.htm

http://extension.psu.edu/plants/gardening/fphg/brambles/d...

http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcollege/plantpathology/ext_files...

This is a puzzle. I do remember seeing such berries at the market, though. I'm wondering if it might be due to a type of mite? There is a similar condition that occurs with blackberries, in that one or more drupelets (the individual small mounds on a blackberry or raspberry--actually, individual fruits) remain red and hard and do not develop further, due to the feeding of the redberry mite (Acalitus essigi), which is microscopic. From what I could find, it is not a widespread pest of raspberries (but is a problem for blackberries). If it is not this pest, perhaps it might be some other kind of insect damage that is interfering with proper fruit development of that one drupelet, or damaging it. (White or light druplets, on the other hand, are caused by sunscald--UV radiation.) You might ask your county's Cooperative Extension about your raspberry symptoms and ask what they think it might be (and if redberry mite would be a possibility). See:

http://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-serv...

For more information about redberry mite, see:

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r71400111.html

We're guessing that birds (or other animals) had dropped raspberry seeds in the area recently. Because the site now (we assume) is getting more sun, the raspberry seeds that the birds dropped sprouted. Or, if you have any raspberry bushes elsewhere on your property (within about 10 feet or so), it is possible that the bushes by the former tree appeared via underground shoots from the other bushes. We don't know how long a raspberry bush (or seed) would remain dormant--we suspect that they wouldn't remain so, though, as wild raspberries are often found growing under trees in partial shade (although they don't produce as much fruit).

Browning and yellowing leaves might be due to several factors, from pests and diseases to cultural problems, such as too much heat, or too little water, too much or too little fertilization. Research the specific symptoms of each to see if any fit what you are seeing on your plants. Or, show a sample to a local garden nursery in case a horticulturist there could identify the problem, or contact your county's Cooperative Extension. See: http://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-serv...

You might also be interested in this diagnostic tool from Cornell University:

http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/berrytool/raspberry/leavesst...

Hi, Helen: You've done a great job in trying to provide a description, but it's still too little. Whatever this is, get rid of it ... then focus on re-following (since you've had success before) the gardening tips and advice above ... diligently! Good luck to another one of our thousands of Canadian gardeners!

Raspberries are self-pollinating. In terms of not producing berries, here are just some thoughts: Remember that they are a biennial cane that produces fruit every other year. It also can take two years for a can to start the fruit production. If you happened to cut off the one-year-old canes your raspberries will not produce fruit because you have no 2-year old canes left in the patch.

Did the cane have any new growth on it when you planted it? You can test the cane by cutting a small piece off the top to see if it's green inside. If it is green it's still alive.

Did your bushes get enough water? Drought can cause leaves to turn brown. Raspberries can also suffer from both viral and fungal diseases, and the symptoms are usually similar.

Hard to say. Have you checked for insects on your plant? Winter injury or poor pollination can also cause berries to drop. A fungus or a virus is another possibility. Contact your local extension service office at https://utextension.tennessee.edu/ for more information.

Raspberries do need a lot of water when producing berries and they also need sun. Pruning is also important to keep the canes under control. Make sure to follow the pruning advise at the top of this page. If the bushes begin to consistently produce small berries, consider replacing it.

Both are late season cultivars. The Meeker, however, will ripen first, and it has long fruiting laterals.

For any raspberry, mulch between the rows helps reduce weeds, retain soil moisture, and add organic matter. The best mulch is wood chips, bark, pine needles, or rotted leaf mulch. Spread over the plant rows, and maintain it at a depth of 3 to 4 inches.
You'll still want to fertilize each year in early spring, a little extra if heavy mulch is used. 

We don't know if you have a bug or pest, or the conditions are inhibiting growth. (Leaf curl, roll, or crinkle are problems.) Review the advice above and below for ideal conditions. If there is no solution, you might ask a local extension service of nursery. Sorry...

It's hard to know exactly what this is.

It could be a fruit fly, the Spotted Wing Drosophila. It's a fairly new pest on raspberries and other fruits. You will need to spray with a raspberry-specific agent; these are numerous. A few include spinosad, pyrethroids, and malathion. Do not apply it when the plants are in bloom. To also avoid this pest, control the weeds around the plants.

If this is a cane borer, you would need to remove the affected canes and burn them, then spray with Sevin next spring before the blossoms open.

Since all of these are fairly drastic measure, if possible, bring a sample to a local extension agent or other expert and see what they advise.

Hi, Montana Ann,

We can't comment on your zone; it sounds like a micro/combination. We looked at Gurney's listings for these plants and there seems to be little difference between them: the spread varies a bit, the color is white or gold, and the form is two upright, one arching. Contact the source to be sure, but it would seem like they can live together. The question might be can you live with them: You might not be able to tell the difference (aside from the fruit color) after a few years as they spread.

Note that they would like room to roam from 4 to 6 feet, according to Gurney's description. The juniper being "immediately to the west" may be too close. You might ask Gurney's this question, too.

All require full sun to partial shade; that's 6 to 8 hours of sun per day.

The holes should be prepared with well-drained, loamy, sandy, high-organic matter. One to 2 inches of water per week, dripped as described, should be good (avoid wetting the leaves), depending on local rainfall. And avoid a windswept site, as that can have a drying effect.

Hi, Jeff,

The best time to prune raspberries is in the fall. Just get these planted where they have plenty of good organic soil, sunshine, and room to grow. (They are the kind of plants to sleep the first year, then creep, then leap.) You probably will not get berries this year; these canes will be settling in. But maybe next year!

Nothing like homegrown berries!

It's hard to tell exactly what this might be; anthracnose comes to mind. That's a fungus that is common to raspberries (it's nothing you did) and spreads to other canes. Are the canes also drying/turning brown? Perhaps you can take one to a local nursery. Infected plants should be cut out; removed. You could let up on the fertilizer; water the ground, not the leaves; and see how they go.

In future, to avoid it again, keep a good air circulation between plants.

And, with good organic soil with a pH of 5.6 to 6.2, fertilizer should not be necessary.

We hope this helps.

There are several varieties of raspberries that do well in Ontario. See this fact sheet for suggestions: 

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/99-033.htm

Shalena, You can find your zone here: http://www.almanac.com/content/plant-hardiness-zones. Philadelphia is in the pale greens to yellow zone—right about where zones 6 and 7 blend. 

Raspberries usually grow in the ground, and spread by sending out runners.

Container raspberries are new on the market. One appears in the 2014 Almanac, on page 14. It's called 'Raspberry Shortcake', and it's a thornless dwarf. Is that what you have?

If not, you should plant your raspberry in the ground, rather than a pot.

Save the moisture control for something else in the pot. How about tomatoes or peas or beans or a few of each—depending on the size of the pot. You can find growing information about all of those and more at http://www.almanac.com/gardening.

See this page for raspberry variety selection in South Carolina: http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/vegetables/s...

Unfortunately raspberries now have to be sprayed for drisophilla fruit fly maggots in MN and elsewhere. It was a hard decision after previously growing with no sprays for 35 years. Malathion is readily available and works well with one day harvest interval. I recommend staying away from organic pyrethrum spray as it kills bees and other beneficial insects and I have witnessed it killing black capped chickadees that eat dead flys both times I used it. Trapping and baiting can help with low infestation levels. Spinosad spray may be a better organic control, but I have no experience with it.

Correct. Moles eat grubs and worms in the ground, not plant material. Gophers, however, can decimate a large area quickly.

Raspberries prefer at least 6 to 8 hours of full sunlight.

For black raspberries: Top them at 36 inches, removing 3 to 4 inches of new growth, 2 to 3 times during the season. Topping encourages the development of lateral (fruiting) branches and increases the strength of the cane.
For dormant pruning, cut out all dead, damaged, and weak canes. Thin remaining canes to 5 to 10 canes per plant. Lateral branches of black raspberries should be headed back to 4 to 7 inches per plant.

In South Florida, consider Autumn Bliss, Heritage and Ruby varieties of raspberries. "Dorman Red" is a good variety for hot climates. Stark Brothers and other nurseries carry these plants. Just google online. 

Yes, the raspberry bushes should grow back again. Depending on the variety, they may not have berries for a year.

Gophers do eat plant material and the best solution is to learn how to trap them.  One way to avoid gophers is to use raised beds that are installed with ½”, galvanized hardware cloth stapled to the bottom of the bed. Gophers can eat through chicken wire but they won't eat through the cloth.

If your raspberry patch already exists, or raised beds are impractical, dig trenches around each raspberry row. Dig the trenches at least 2 feet deep. Put hardware cloth into the trenches, and leave at least 1 foot of this protective material above ground.

Well, raspberry plants do not produce fruit the first year; they have "biennial canes" which means that they are vegetative the first year and then they flower and fruit in the second year, then they die and the old dead canes should be removed. Don’t cut back the canes in the first of the two years because they will be the ones producing for you next year.

I live in zone 9 is there a way to grow raspberries here?

It's fine to plant red and yellow raspberries in the same patch. Just don't plant nursery bought raspberries close to wild brambles as there may be a virus risk.

Willamette is a summer-bearing raspberry. In early spring prune all canes that produced fruit the previous season down to the ground (you can tell which ones are the old canes by looking at the end of the cane). Leave the new canes. Also remove any weak canes to thin the patch and keep it under control.

My summer raspberries are probably 20 years old and are now very small. Should I get rid of these and plant new canes in their place?

Sounds as if you should ask your daughter what her secrets to success are! 
First, we start with rich, well drained soil. We amended the soil with compost or well-tilled organic matter in the fall. You want fertile soil.
Then, we apply fertilizer in early spring when new growth begins. We use a rate of 4 to 6 pounds of 20-20-20 per 100 feet ofrow.
When new canes start to bloom, we spread 3 to 6 pounds of blood meal per 100 feet of row. You can also spread fertilizer over the surface of the soil in the row when growth is starting.
Hope this helps!

yes, you can get red raspberry plants at www.abonnaplants.com in India

For the best recommendations for your area, we'd recommend that you talk to a local nursery or farmer. If you live in the United States, you can also contact your county's Cooperative Extension (see: http://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-serv... Many raspberries have a chilling requirement over winter in order for them to produce a good crop next season; ask about those that don't need as much chilling (called low-chill types). Also ask about high-altitude options.

Some farmers in areas of California that have a long growing season have had success with Oregon 1030 or Bababerry, which tolerate heat well and are low-chill options.

Raspberries are easily crushed and highly perishable. Here are some tips to avoid this. 1. When it's time to harvest (when berries first become completely red), pick them often--every day or every other day. 2. Use wide, shallow containers no more than four layers of raspberries to prevent crushing. 3. Cool the raspberries as soon as possible to keep them firm; every hour counts. Commercial supplies have extra-cold storage with high humidity levels. 4.  Wrap your containers in plastic to prevent water loss
from the fruit and condensation on the berries when they are removed from the cooler. Do not remove the plastic until the berries are at room temperature.

See our pruning tips above. Prune according to what type (summer bearing or everbearing) plants you have. See our page about how to get rid of Japanese beetles at

almanac.com/content/japanese-beetles

We're not sure which zone you live in; usually, berries that grow to their full size but do not ripen aren't getting enough direct sun due to a low sun angle and shorter days.

Summer-bearing types bear one crop in summer for about 1 month on the floricanes (2nd-year canes, stems are usually brown)--there will be no fruit on the primocanes (1-year canes, stems are usually green). Although harvest time varies with variety and climate, many cultivars usually ripen in June into July. Everbearing types will first fruit in fall on the tip of the primocanes; fruit will then develop further down the cane (so, the riper fruit is toward the tip of the cane). In late spring/early summer, another fruit crop will appear at the point on the cane (now called a floricane) below where the last of the fall harvest took place. This second crop is usually not as productive as the first fall crop.

Fall is the best time to transplant. Cut the canes back to about a foot and dig up as much of the roots as possible. Add some compost to the hole in the new location and make sure to spread out the roots as much as possible when planting.

Did you prune the bushes? Or did you have a late frost this spring? These are the most comon reasons for no flowers. Drought, poor soil fertility and overcrowding can also cause problems.

Keep watering if the soil is dry. Add a layer of mulch to help keep the moisture in the ground.

Raspberries do tend to "sucker."  You should pull out the suckers during the season as they grow and control them. If you wish, you could transplant them.

This is called white drupelet disorder. The cause is most likely excessive sun or heat while the fruit was in formation. The berries can still be eaten.

Raspberries will not ripen after they are picked.

There could be several causes. If you have heavy soil with poor drainage you need to amend the soil with compost. Raspberries require about an inch of water per week to produce well. Canes should be thinned to about 8 inches apart in spring. Apply a nitrogen fertilizer a couple of times during the summer months. Also make sure that the raspberries get at least 6 hours of sun per day. Morning sun is preferred.

It's best to move the raspberry in the fall. Prune back any canes that produced fruit during the summer and carefully dig up the bush and any new suckers. Seperate the new shoots and try to leave soil around the root area. Plant immediately and water.

If you had gotten fruit last year but not this year, I'd say that's normal. Raspberries produce biennial canes, which means that the first year they are vegetative only but will bear fruit the next year. You do need to prune them back and get rid of the old canes. See more here: http://umaine.edu/publications/2066e/ If you still have problems and you have them in full sun, perhaps you have a variety that isn't a good fit for your zone.

If they're hard, they are about a few weeks from being ripe. At this point, they're good for pies and other cooked desserts. An early harvest could help thin the fruit, too, so that your berries will be larger when they are ripe.

If the raspberries fall apart, a common reason is tarnished plant bug damage. These insects feed on the fruit. They overwinter in crop residue so good clean up is key. In early spring, spray with Sevin to control.

Latham and Titan are two summer red raspberries planted in Tennessee. Consult your TN cooperative extension for more local advice.

Several varieties of raspberries can be grown successfully in Florida and Desert Southwest here in the United States. Here are a couple of tips. Plant the canes in an area that receives afternoon shade and water deeply every morning. Good luck!

Weather does affect fruit flavors and also how ripe or mature the berries are is important. Maybe your berries were perfectly ripe when you first picked them and the next day they were overripe.

Early spring is the best time--in order to get the plants established and maybe get berries the first summer. However, you should be able to plant in the summer, too, if the plants are healthy and strong starts.

If you are seed-saving: Most seed should be used within three years.

Raspberries and blackberries are primarily self-pollinating and do not cross-pollinate.

Yes, plant raspberries as either bare-root or potted plants in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked.

According to the Georgia cooperative extension: Only the trailing raspberry "Dormanred" has proven itself for all of Georgia. The erect raspberry variety "Heritage" is grown commercially in the Georgia mountains and has performed well in north Georgia. For this reason, it is recommended for planting in the mountain and upper Piedmont region.

Raspberries should be fertilized 10 to 40 days after planting with 10-10-10 (or organic equivalents). For the years after planting, raspberry plants need to be fertilized with 10-10-10 twice a year--once in the spring (before growth begins) and one more time in May.

Red raspberries varieties traditionally grown in the North do have difficulties in part so North Carolina (piedmont, coastal) due to a hot, humid summer climate. However, there are a few varieties that have been successful in your area. Try the "Dorman Red" variety for southern climates. Visit local nurseries.

Yes, the process is very similar to growing raspberries: they require full sun and careful attention to pruning. It may be tough to get plants this time of year--ideal planting time is early spring. One thing to keep in mind: Although they are similar to raspberries, they should not be planted near them. (Disease is more likely to build up and spread.) Plant in a new space that hasn't been worked for a couple years.