Raspberries

[Colin Miles]

Our rabbit died last Friday, so the 18' x 6' Fruit Cage which served as an excellent rabbit run can now be used for fruit!

I intend to have 2 rows of Strawberries about 10' long either side of a path down the middle. Beyond that I reckon I have enough room for 2 rows of Raspberries with a gap of 3' between them - enough for 5 canes in each row. As 3' is rather less than the recommended gap between rows (5' - 6'), I am wondering which varieties to grow. I don't think there is going to be too much of a problem with one row shading the other - the orientation lengthwise is about East-SouthEast, but any comments welcome.

Looking at Ken Muir's catalogue I am currently favouring Glen Ample (which I have grow before and it is spine-free) plus possibly Autumn Bliss which is short growing and would therefore not shade Glen Ample too much. However, I am also intrigued by Allgold and the other late summer varieties like Tullameen look tempting, though it is supposedly tall-growing. Suggestions please.

[taralastair]

We grew Joan J last year and had an excellent crop on it's first year. Can recommend them for flavour and easy to freeze. However, I am wondering if Autumn varieties might be a waste of you nice cage as the birds didn't really bother mine. I think I read somewhere that they don't tend to bother much with Autumn varieties as they don't have as many young ones to feed then as they do in summer. So maybe consider summer fruiting for your cage and autumn fruiting elsewhere if you have the space? Or blueberries - I'm trying those this year.
Tara

[sally wright]

Dear Colin,
I have to agree with Taralistair, the birds don't bother my Autumn Bliss in the Autumn. But, they do take the fruit off the summer ones and off the AB when they are left to fruit on last years wood like the summer ones.
Regards Sally Wright.

[Colin Miles]

Thanks for the comments. I have to say that the birds didn't actually bother too much with the summer Glen Ample or other raspberries on my allotment in Hemel Hempstead, but I've no idea what Welsh blackbirds fancy. The 6' width is actually rather limiting and I could grow the Strawberries in a separate bed as they are easier to protect but for the moment I thought it easier to use it for the 2 fruits we most eat - and I eat a lot of raspberry jam. I do have space so I may well move the fruit cage around as I gradually develop a soft fruit section. Blueberries - yes, have been thinking about them but they need more acid soil so more preparation, and I would need to be careful in the choice of variety for space in the cage.

[John]

Hello Colin
Glen Ample is an excellent variety. Mine are very productive with loads of large sweet berries. If you are mainly keen on jam making I would concentrate on the summer fruiting varieties. You'll get a good picking off these each time - enough to make it worth while for jam. I have Autumn Bliss and it produces less fruit over a longer period. Often you would be hard pressed to pick enough for a jam making session. Joan J is said to be a lot better though than AB.

John

PS When you're planting up your fruit cage do allow plenty of room to get around the rows and bushes for picking. A fully established row of raspberries at fruiting time takes up a surprising amount of space.

[Allan]

Birds often go for summer fruit in order to quench their thirst in the hot weather so it usually helps to limit the damage if you make water freely available.
Allan

[Ian F]

I have found Autumn Bliss to be a bit of a thug, with plants shooting up everywhere, as well as in the row. I did not find the crop worth the Hassle (fruits got mouldy, was not a heavy cropper so there was never enough for a decent portion etc), so dug it up. I agree that birds were not a problem.

I have had Glen Moy for 10 years, and have just planted Glen Ample to replace them, so it is good to hear the positive reports on that variety.

[LakeView]

Now here's a question for you all: My neighbour has recently planted a bunch of raspberry plants next to her new fence that separates our properties. I now have more than a dozen suckers(?) coming up on my side of the fence. I've asked, and they're summer fruiting and the prickly stems first appeared late summer 05. I pulled up a few, but kept the ones closest to the fence. Is this a good idea? will I get my own crop of raspberries? what else to I do, or what should I ask my neighbor?

Thanks in advance for all the help you'll give me!

[Colin Miles]

Yes - you will get your own crop of Raspberries - probably need to feed them though to make it worthwhile.

Sally - what did you think of Autumn Bliss - flavour and yield? I am thinking of Glen Ample for the mid-summer - possibly jam-making, followed by either Allgold (supposed to be better-flavoured version of AB) or Galante, the idea being that we have some fruit to eat later on though with Galante there would also be a crop in June.

[lizzie]

Hi all

When pruning at the end of the season I got a bit over enthusiastic and cut all the raspberry canes down to soil level. Will I get fruit this year and which canes should I cut down at the end of the season? I ask this because all the canes will be new wood, not old, if you catch my drift.

[pigletwillie]

oh Lizzie,

if they are Autumn bliss there is no problem as they fruit on current years wood. If they are summer fruiting ones then you will not get any fruit this year.

The canes you get this year, tie in and leave well alone. Next year they will fruit and at the same time you will get more new canes growing. After fruiting, cut down all of the last years tied in canes down, leaving just the new growth to fruit the next year which you can then tie in.

If you are desparate for some fruit this year run out and buy some Autumn bliss or similar.

Sorry if I am the bearer of bad news

Piglet

[lizzie]

Thanks Piglet. I don't mind, i'll pinch the Grocks when she's not looking

[The Grock in the Frock]

nothing new there then