HELP Unpruned autumn raspberries

[Daveswife]

It is the end of May and for various reasons I didn't prune all the autumn raspberries. These have started setting fruit on the gangly old canes but the stems and leaves look rather tatty and dried, and the fruit is very small and not yet ripened. On the plus side, at each location there are some healthy shoots coming up from ground level.

I am inclined to cut out the old wood and give those new shoots a chance. But might it be better to dig the lot out and start afresh with new canes?

What would you advise?
Thanks for your help.

[Geoff]

I think it was Johnboy used to say there was no harm in letting a few of the old shoots fruit but I've never tried it myself. If they are producing new shoots I wouldn't think about scrapping them. I'd cut out most of the old growth just leaving a few that have the bigger fruit on to enjoy an early crop, if you've got Summer ones as well you could perhaps cut them all out. Give them a feed to help them along, perhaps tomato food to give them some moisture as well while it is so dry.

[oldherbaceous]

I always leave a few of the strongest stems, on Autumn Raspberries but, this year with the heat and early drought, they have also dried like yours….but the new shoots are growing well, so will try and keep them well watered and fed.