Kitchen Garden Forum

We took on another plot that had been planted with Raspberrys, but left unwanted and untouched.I think they are at least 4 years old and only 2ft tall at best. We fed and waterd them thru the spring and summer. They had a few leaves and a couple of fruits.

Not sure what to do now. Shall we leave them and see if they grow any better next year or prune or dig them up ?

If you've fed and watered them they should be better next year. I think I would give them a chance and see what they are like next year. If they taste good and grow into good sized plants then keep them, otherwise chuck them out and get a good variety like Glen Moy planted probably in a different bit of the plot with some compost or manure dug in first.

Thank you Plumbpudding, Guess I will give them another chance then !! Iv made a note of the ones you recomend in case they dont come good, thanx again.

If the canes are very close together I would thin them out to the strongest ones. Do you know if they are summer fruiting ones, because you cut out the fruited canes and leave the new ones that have grown and not fruited this year. If they are autumn ones you thin them out if they are too closely packed by digging out the weaker ones and cut them down to the ground in the winter, then they fruit on the new canes produced next spring.

SInce you've fed and watered them this year and they are still short, then something is awry. You may do well to replant with a known variety from a reputable source, but don't replant all at once in case they other canes improve with time and further care. So maybe replace half of them or, if you have space, start another row elsewhere.

Another very good variety of summer fruiting ones is Glen Ample, I think I prefer the flavour of this better than Glen Moy.

The Raspberry Joan J is a primocane autumn variety and from the second year onwards when pruning in February you can leave one or two risers on each clump and these will fruit early on in the season and then pruned when fruiting is finished and the main crop will follow later on towards the autumn on the new grown canes. So this is a two for one situation.
To a lesser degree you can do this with Autumn Bliss raspberries but not quite as prolific as Joan J on the early crop.
Hope this helps.
JB.

Thank you PLUMPUDDING, FelixLeitr and Johnboy for your advice. Iv got lots of info now so shall get them sorted. Thanx again every one