Fruit Cage cleanup advice

If you're just starting out in the world of kitchen garden growing, then this is the place to ask for help. Our experienced forum members may have the answer you need!

Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter, Chief Spud

Colin2016
KG Regular
Posts: 944
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2016 3:33 pm
Location: North Norfolk Coast
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 57 times

I have this fruit cage with raspberry plants but do not know if they are summer or autumn type.

As you can see they have been left to grow tall so that they are protruding through the top of the netting.

Is there a way of telling if they are summer or autumn type?

Failing that should I cut them all down to 6 inches?

Thanks

Cage pic 3.jpg
Cage pic 3.jpg (40.31 KiB) Viewed 11001 times


Cage pic 2.jpg
Cage pic 2.jpg (50.9 KiB) Viewed 11001 times


Cage pic 1.jpg
Cage pic 1.jpg (51.28 KiB) Viewed 11001 times
PLUMPUDDING
KG Regular
Posts: 3269
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:14 pm
Location: Stocksbridge, S. Yorks

I think they are summer fruiting ones from your photos. The ones that have dead flowers/fruit want cutting out completely. Then the new canes for next year are the fresh ones with new buds and no spent fruits etc. I would cut the weedy ones of these out too so you just have four or five strong new shoots to tie in to fruit next year. You can reduce their height a bit so they fit the cage by cutting the tops off or bending them over and tying them in.

If you're still not sure I quite often cut half of the autumn canes right down and cut the rest in half. So you get an early crop from the ones you've shortened and new canes from the ones you've cut right back which fruit later.
User avatar
Pa Snip
KG Regular
Posts: 3091
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2014 8:20 pm
Location: Near the big house on the hill Berkshire

I can't profess to be a expert on the subject but the way I would go about it is to try and establish if any of the canes are new wood , look for evidence of wood that has not fruited. Old wood is usually dark in colour and fresh wood much lighter
If you find any new wood I would leave those alone except for perhaps cutting the tall tips back slightly, not too far back though, and tying in.

If you can find no evidence of fresh unfruited wood and the vast majority have evidence of fruiting then Jan /Feb is the time to cut them back to ground level.

Looks like some could do with cutting back to ground level and thinning out anyway
Last edited by Pa Snip on Thu Dec 28, 2017 9:02 am, edited 1 time in total.

The danger when people start to believe their own publicity is that they often fall off their own ego.

At least travelling under the guise of the Pa Snip Enterprise gives me an excuse for appearing to be on another planet
Colin2016
KG Regular
Posts: 944
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2016 3:33 pm
Location: North Norfolk Coast
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 57 times

Thank you both for your very helpful reply.
User avatar
Pa Snip
KG Regular
Posts: 3091
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2014 8:20 pm
Location: Near the big house on the hill Berkshire

For future reference, if you are not already aware, summer fruiting canes which have fruited should be cut back as soon as they finish fruiting.
New wood should be left uncut for next years fruiting.

Autumn fruiting, which are usually shorter canes than summer fruiting ones should be cut back to ground level Jan /Feb time.

I agree with PP yours look like summer fruiting so they should have been pruned back ages ago. However all is not lost if you identify, and leave, the new wood which should fruit in 2018

The danger when people start to believe their own publicity is that they often fall off their own ego.

At least travelling under the guise of the Pa Snip Enterprise gives me an excuse for appearing to be on another planet
User avatar
Geoff
KG Regular
Posts: 5569
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:33 pm
Location: Forest of Bowland
Been thanked: 128 times

All the advice seems good to me. A secondary advantage besides support of tying them in is it makes the old growth even more obvious at pruning time. If I remember correctly you have just taken over this plot so they may have been neglected, when you have sorted them you could give them a feed of FBB (and possibly a little extra potash) and a mulch if you have anything suitable.
User avatar
Pa Snip
KG Regular
Posts: 3091
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2014 8:20 pm
Location: Near the big house on the hill Berkshire

Good advice with the BFB Geoff

The danger when people start to believe their own publicity is that they often fall off their own ego.

At least travelling under the guise of the Pa Snip Enterprise gives me an excuse for appearing to be on another planet
User avatar
Davison
KG Regular
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2018 10:39 am

Thanks for the advice!
That spanish grand prix this year schedule is really something! For the guys like me there are options to visit it daily. It's so great! I can always watch new races.
Colin2016
KG Regular
Posts: 944
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2016 3:33 pm
Location: North Norfolk Coast
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 57 times

Yes Geoff this has been neglected but I have cleared it up inside just need to replace tying in wire/posts. There is signs of rabbit bore holes from inside & outside which I need to fill in as well.

Your thoughts on adding manure around the base now and the FBB & potash spring time.

Thanks
User avatar
Geoff
KG Regular
Posts: 5569
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:33 pm
Location: Forest of Bowland
Been thanked: 128 times

You don't have that much rain in Norfolk that the food will leach away and I always think it seems more sensible to put fertiliser under mulch. One less job for the Spring if you get it done in the quiet of Winter.
Colin2016
KG Regular
Posts: 944
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2016 3:33 pm
Location: North Norfolk Coast
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 57 times

Thanks Geoff although your "don't have that much rain in Norfolk" does not apply at the moment. Be good to get all this done at the same time.
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic