Kitchen Garden Forum

I was little late in ordering Raspberry plants earlier this year as the fruit cage had unexpectedly become available owing to the death of our rabbit. Consequently the only supplier I could find who had the 2 plants I wanted in the quantity I wanted was Suttons. I ordered Glen Ample, which I had previously grown and liked and Joan J as an Autumn Fruiting variety. Unfortunately they were out of Joan J and substituted Joan Squires instead. Ok - I'm always willing to go with the flow.

Unfortunately Joan Squires is pretty tasteless - you can just about tell that it is a raspberry - and it is difficult to decore. So I think I am going to dig them up and start again. By contrast Glen Ample, despite being summer fruiting and in it's first year, has given me quite a few well-flavoured fruits.

Hi Colin,
It is not my intention to rub it in so to speak but I have got the most marvellous crop of Joan J but can only advise you to order now the Joan J and scrap anything that does not come up to your expectations.
Joan J out taste Autumn Bliss and out crop them as well. The berries are so sweet and my Autumn Bliss have sufficed for many moons but it was my intention to out them and then didn't have the heart. Now I have got far too many for my needs and I think that the Autumn Bliss will simply have to go.
JB.
PS. Don't forget to order Tomorrow Morning!!!

I have mostly Autumn Bliss raspberries and I didn't think this years crop, although prolific, was up to previous years in taste...rather bland in fact

I am disappointed especially as they had a good dose of manure over winter something that hasn't happened during my tenacy on the plot....four years

Thanks Johnboy. Settled me on digging up Joan Squires.

The raspberries I inherited on my little plot (still being cleared, 8 trips to the local dump now...)appear to be autumn fruiting, but they are very small, and the area is festooned with couch and dandelions. I am tempted to move them later on to a well prepared weed free bed, being loathe to scrap anything that hasn't been given a decent chance at growing well. I will certainly be getting some Joan J on JB's recommendation, but has anyone tried either the yellow fruiting raspberry, or the black variety? Worth a try?

Colin Miles wrote:Thanks Johnboy. Settled me on digging up Joan Squires.

You swine, that's my cousin.

I thought it was just me - my Autumn Bliss taste of very little, not even that sweet. Especially compared to the Malling Jewell summer fruiting ones which are absolutely divine. Can anyone defend Autumn Bliss or are they basically one to avoid?

H BPP,
It's strange because I have always been really partial to Autumn Bliss yet now Joan J have come on the scene AB seem so bland. I wonder if they have not appreciated the weather pattern this year or is it that Joan J taste so good.

JB

I have put my tasteless but abundant fruit this year down to the weather...in previous seasons they have tasted superb...like raspberries in fact

Isn't that interesting? I was all set to pull up our Autumn Bliss this winter, but this season's crop has been really tasty, so I'm thinking about giving them a reprieve.