which raspberry support?

[bigpepperplant]

I've just bought two summer-fruiting raspberries (in pots) - Tulameen and Glen Ample and would like to grow them in my garden erecting a post and wire system since a) I'm lazy and b) I think they look a little utilitarian. Does anyone think it would work if I simply tied the canes to a willow wigwam instead?

[mandylew]

You would eventually have more canes than wigwam supports, and it might get crowded at the top. How about you put each one inside an obelisk?
Mandy

[alan refail]

Sometimes "utilitarian" is best. Raspberries themselves are fairly "utilitarian" and need to be supported on something horizontal - i.e wires. Otherwise it is going to be difficult to pick the fruit, prune the old canes and tie in the new canes.
Even with only a couple of plants you will be looking at suppporting 4 to 6 canes per plant if you want a measurable crop.
A wigwam or obelisk is the wrong shape entirely as it will bring the fruit at the top of the canes too close - they need as much air between them as possible, especially in wet summers like this. When you tie in new canes you should fan them out as far as possible.

Alan

[Mole]

A simpler way, is to put a post (3-4" x 8') in, and plant around it. Treat the area as a round bed say 3' diameter. To support the canes, just loop string around the lot as it grows. This method should last 5 years or more as long as you are ruthless at thinning out to leave just the best canes.

I have seen a photograph of this method used commercially by one grower in UK back in the 1940's - posts at regular intervals on a grid system with a deep straw mulch throughout the area. I guess it was easy for management, but not so productive per acre as rows.

I too think wigwams or obelisks would be a pain to manage - you want the support on the inside of your clump for obvious reasons.

Mole

[bigpepperplant]

thanks everyone, very helpful advice. Grouping them around a single stake sounds like the best solution for me I reckon.

[WigBag]

Bigpepperplant hi, I planted 5 Glen Ample plants and 5 Tulameen plants last year and although I only had a total of 8 Tulameen canes from the 5 plants that made it to 5ft in a 10 ft row, I used poles and stretched wire between.
This year they have gone daft! They extended and bent over the top wire as well as throwing out loads of side shoots covered in leaves and berries. Goodness knows what the weight is but it has been a very effective wind break!!
The Glen Ample was and is more restrained.
I will be taking the tying in more serious this year and cutting the top to try and have a more manageable row next season.
My point is that I dont know if the post and hoop system could have coped with such thuggish behaviour.
On the bright side, the flavour was very much appreciated by M'lady.

[bigpepperplant]

mmm, my current plan, having been to Hampton Court yesterday and become inspired by Twister plant supports, is to place one raspberry plant inside each 7ft spiral and just see what happens. They should be sturdy since they're secured to the ground with a stake and a bamboo and one plant surely can't be too thuggish. Anyway, let's see what happens...

[madasafish]

My Tulameen are like WigWag's. It is a plant characteristic I believe.. LOTS of growth...