Hello - and the first of many stupid questions

[Smint]

Hi, I've just signed up to the magazine and the forums so thought I'd say hello and apologise in advance for posting some VERY basic questions

I'm very new to this gardening lark, but after managing to successfully grow some strawberries last year, and the sad demise of a huge walnut tree in the garden, we find ourselves with a lot more useable garden and a bit of a "grow your own" bug

We now have 4 small low raised beds, and a 2 meter long raised vegetable trug as well as several pots and planters, and a small plastic covered greenhouse

Stupid Question Number 1

I ordered these raspberry canes http://www.jparkers.co.uk/plant-1004862-cf-1/30-raspberry-collection/ which are now planted in large planter bags so they will form little teepees. Will I actually get any raspberries this year, or will I have to wait until next year before they fruit?

[Primrose]

Welcome to the forum - I'm sure you'll find a lot of useful advice on here.

I'm not a raspberry expert but I've always been under the impression that raspberries don't grow well in planters because they need open ground for their roots to spread. Autumn fruiting raspberries are cut to the ground after fruiting, or in early spring before the new shoots grow up, and some of them can be quite a distance from the mother plant.

You probably won't get much of a crop this year and I fear that if the roots are restricted in planters permanently your plants may never reach their full cropping potential. However, somebody on here may come up with some contrary advice.

[Smint]

Thanks for that, Primrose. I got the idea for growing them in planters as they were advertised on TV. If they don't grow so well, I can always move them into one of the beds, I suppose. It's very much a year of experimentation!

[Ian in Cumbria]

Hi

The collection you've bought is Glen Cova, Malling Jewel and Tulameen from the link you gave us. I think these are Summer (rather than Autumn)fruiting varieties. If I'm right you shouldn't get fruit this year. In fact if they do flower, my advice would be to nip off the buds as they appear. Maybe you could confirm the varieties.

Regards

Ian

[Smint]

Ian, yes, those are the three varieties

Some of them are just starting to shoot so should I leave them until they flower?

[alan refail]

Hi Smint

Welcome to the forum.

When you plant summer raspberries, cut down to about a foot high. Then you will get fruit on new canes next year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/t ... ies1.shtml

[Smint]

Thanks Alan

I shall just have to visit the PYO this year!

[thetangoman]

Since being a member on this forum I have a wealth of knowledge passed to me ..there are some gardening legends on here for sure .
I have also found most people helpfull with most willing to reply to posts or questions.....some via PMs as well.

[Catherine]

I must agree with you thetangoman50 there is a wealth of information on here from lots of people. It really is the only gardening website I post on to find information. Would miss it if it wasn't here.

[Smint]

Thanks tangoman and Catherine - I shall certainly need a lot of hand holding and will no doubt make lots of rookie mistakes (I already have a list building up), but the advice of a good forum is invaluable

[Primrose]

Smint - the first mistake which all of us probably made when we started out growing our own vegetables is "Don't sow too early, especially for tender plants like beans, tomatoes, courgettes, which can't be planted outside until early June".

I've lost count of the number of times I've been over-enthusiastic about sowing my outdoor tomatoes or beans indoors in March and then had to cope with leggy seedlings that I've had to plant outdoors and cover with cloches, fleece, etc. It makies for a load of extra hassle, and disappointment that you never get a decent crop that way. Mid April is quite early enough, especially in northern parts of the country.

[Smint]

Alreay ticked that one on the list, Primrose!

I shall plant them out anyway and see what happens. Trouble is, magazine arrives and I get all enthusiastic and then realise that I need to wait at least another month before I can actually do what it says

Steep learning curve!

[Rubykitchen]

Hi - I found there was lot of conflicting info on raspberries - I got confused between autumn and summer fruiting one's. To be honest we weren't sure whether or not to cut them down when we first planted them, so we opted to leave them to it. Having tried them in a tub - first of all, definitely say you'd be better growing them in the ground. we can't spare room in our veg beds, but we just found a spare piece of land, bought two fence posts and put wire across the posts in 3 places to support the canes as they grew.

Despite again advice saying we wouldn't get fruit in 1st year - we did. only a little but if definitely worth it...not cutting them back certainly didn't reduce the crop for the following year. we had lots last year. Just planted some free canes against a shed last year too...once you get your first lovely raspberry...you'll be looking for where you can expand...better than strawberries in my opinion. Good luck with the rest of the plot.

[Johnboy]

The three varieties of Raspberry Glen Cova is an early variety Malling Jewel is a mid-season variety and Tulameen is an Autumn variety so the pruning is the same on the two summer varieties but the Tulameen requires a different pruning regime.
JB.

[pongeroon]

Hello Smint and welcome

I am no fund of gardening knowledge, but I am a bit sceptical. My advice is to be take catalogue photos, TV advertising, etc with a pinch of salt. The old ways are usually the best (but not always). But I'm sure you know that already.