How To Grow Raspberries / RHS Gardening

Once established, raspberry plants are a fairly easy to crop to look after. Canes need to be supported and occasionally thinned out, and they benefit from annual mulching Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings. . These tasks, along with correct pruning (see Pruning and training below), will help keep plants cropping well for up to ten years.

Watering

Water well immediately after planting and during any prolonged dry spells during the first growing season. Well- established plants Established plants have been in their current location for two or three years and so have well-developed root systems able to support strong growth with healthy foliage and flowers. shouldn’t need extra watering. However, raspberry plants have shallow root systems, so during exceptionally long dry spells, some additional water may be necessary when the fruits are developing.

When growing raspberries in a container, water throughout the growing season The period of time when an individual plant is in active growth. This will depend on the local climate and light levels, and can vary between different plants, although it is broadly from spring to autumn. to keep the compost Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. consistently moist. Use rainwater from a butt whenever possible, particularly in hard water areas when watering containers, and water at cooler times of the day, ideally in the morning.

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WateringCollecting rainwaterWatering containers

Mulching

Apply a 5-7.5cm (2-3in) layer of organic matter as a mulch Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings. around raspberry plants in late winter or early spring. Leave a slight gap around the base of the stems to prevent rotting. Mulching Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings. will improve your soil, help to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Avoid using organic matter with a high pH This describes how acid or alkaline soil is, and is expressed as a number between 0 and 14. Soil with a pH of 7 is neutral, an acid soil has a lower value, and an alkaline soil has a higher one. Most plants grow best in soil that’s within a specific pH range, so it’s useful to know your soil’s pH. Testing kits are easy to use and widely available in garden centres and online. level, such as spent mushroom compost Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. .

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Mulches and mulchingHow to mulchOrganic matter

Feeding

Raspberries growing in regularly mulched soil shouldn't need any additional feeding. However, if harvests are particularly poor, or your plants are showing signs of nutrient deficiency, apply a granular fertiliser to the soil in early spring. Use our page on nutrient deficiencies to work out what is lacking and apply the recommended feed, following instructions on the packet.When growing raspberries in a container, feed with a liquid general-purpose fertiliser on a monthly basis throughout the growing season.

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How to feed plantsFertilisers

Supporting plants

Raspberries are usually planted in rows and supported by a system of posts and horizontal wires. If you don’t have room for a row, you can just grow a couple of plants supported by a single post (see below), or one compact plant in a container supported by bamboo canes.

Single fence

Thissystem of posts and horizontal wires is ideal for summer-fruiting raspberries.

• Install a tall, sturdy post at each end of the row, plus extra posts at 3.6m (12ft) intervals if necessary. They should stand about 1.8m (6ft) tall
• Attach three lengths of strong galvanized wire horizontally between the posts, at 60cm (2ft) intervals
• Plant the summer-fruiting raspberries and tie in the stems along one side of the wires
• Keep all the fruiting stems on one side, and the young new stems for next year’s crop on the other side as the season progresses. This way, the fruited canes can easily be pruned out and the young canes will be separate along the other side of the wire

Single or double fence with parallel wires

This systemis ideal for autumn-fruiting raspberries, and for summer raspberries in a small space. Tying in individual canes isn’t necessary, as they are fenced in by parallel wires either side. However, harvesting is a little more tricky, and there is a greater chance of fungal problems due to more crowded conditions.

• Install a sturdy post at each end of the row – they should stand about 60cm (2ft) tall for autumn raspberries and 1.8m (6ft) for summer raspberries. Add extra posts at 3.6m (12ft) intervals if necessary
• Attach short lengths of timber horizontally to the top of each post, plus another 60cm (2ft) below on the taller posts for summer-fruiting raspberries
• Attach strong galvanized wire to the ends of the horizontal timbers to create parallel wires along each side
• You can also add thinner wire or twine Twine is a soft, fine loosely woven string treated with preservatives for outdoor use. Used for tying in climbers and other plants to supports. between the parallel wires as cross ties, every 60cm (2ft) along the row
• Plant the raspberries in a row between the posts. The stems don’t need tying in, as they will be supported by the parallel wires and cross ties

For a double fence, insert posts (as above) along each side of the row rather than in the middle, then fix horizontal wires to the posts at the spacings described above. You can also add cross ties if you wish.

Single posts

This method isideal for small spaces where only a few plants are being grown.

• Install a sturdy post that stands about 60cm (2ft) tall for autumn raspberries and 1.8m (6ft) for summer raspberries
• Plant two or three raspberry plants around the base of the post and tie the stems to it with twine

Propagating

It’s easy to make new plants from existing raspberries, to extend your row or start new ones. Simply dig up any healthy suckers that appear outside the row and replant in the new location. You can also lift and divide large clumps.Only propagate from recently bought plants that are certified virus-free, as raspberries are prone to a number of diseases and viruses as they age, which would infect the new plants too, reducing their vigour and cropping potential.

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Propagating using suckersDividing plants