Raspberries

[amo]

I grow raspberries for the first time this year, and I am very happy with them (Autumn Bliss)but I would like to grow more of them. I was thinking of Joan J (as from the catalogue is even better that Autumn Bliss).

But what do you think? is this true?

Or which other variety do you advise?

Thank you very much

amo

[Johnboy]

Hi Amo,
I have grown Autumn Bliss for years and also invested in some Joan J a couple of years ago. They have quite similar performances but Joan J just has the edge on Autumn Bliss. Both give really good results and decidedly more than I can eat and it turns into a feed your neighbours execise! The idea originally was to phase out AB but somehow I didn't have the heart to do the dirty deed so now I've got far too many.

[Weed]

How many is too many JB?

I moved most of my raspberries last year and didn't have a particlarly good crop this year.
I reckon I currently have approximately thirty plants and would like to think I could feed the neighbours too....As you will guess...I like raspberries

[richard p]

raspberry wine can be good

[arthur e]

Is there a cultured variety of Rasp that tastes as good as the wild Rasps I have been finding lately.The sweet perfumey taste is heavenly, the only problem is that they are so small.

[Chantal]

I didn't know you could find wild raspberries. We have a lot of "wild" ones round here but they are on the Great Central Walk, previously the railway, which runs at the bottom of my garden. The railwaymen used to cultivate the land and planted loads of raspberries which have done their own thing for 30 years. I don't know if they could be called wild though.

[Johnboy]

Hi Weed,
I should estimate around 60lbs. I weighed the first few and then had 6/8 punnets every day for days on end.

[Sue]

Our rasps are giving us a bumper crop this year, but I recommend this for using up a glut. It's a recipie called Raw Raspberry Jam - in truth there is minimal cooking. It is a bit runny and won't store as long as normal jam, but eating it up won't be an issue once you taste it. Made with Autumn Bliss it's fantastic.

For every 1lb rasps you need 1lb caster sugar.

Warm the sugar in a dish in a low oven
Put the rasps in a pan & heat over gentle heat until juice runs.
Stir in sugar and keep stirring until it is all dissolved.
Keep stirring over a low heat until jam comes to boil.
Take straight off heat and leave to cool for 5 mins before potting, so any whole fruits don't all rise to the top of the pot.

Sue

[amo]

Thank you very much

I think it is going to be Joan J then.
and I agree we never can have enough rasp.

Any hints for the planting?

Thanks
amo

[arthur e]

Chantal, the rasps I'm eating are in and around an old granite quarry which is part of a hillside where once upon a time there was the largest horse trading centre in Briton."Aikey Brae." There are masses of gorse and wild rasps, Bill Berries and Brambles and of course the rasps. There are lots of rabbits as well , that's why I go there to let my dogs have a good time running around after them. Whether the rasps are truly wild is another matter, but nobody has ever cultivated this land it's just wild scrub land basically. I have actually found a golden rasp in among the gorse and it too is fantastic.

[Allan]

Our raspberries are into the main cropping period at last. We eat all we can with melting ice cream. The rest sell very well or go straight into the freezer for later use. Autumn Bliss is excellent colour and flavour, it makes the best jam in both respects. I have Joan J stock in containers but nowhere to plant at home where it cannot mix with the Autumn Bliss. Maybe when I get time to make a special area at the farm it can go there.
Allan