Kitchen Garden Forum

I would like to have a go at growing raspberries next year. I have a border next to my garage and was wondering what tips people have for preparing the ground.

Dear Marge, my advice would be to dig it deep, and incorporate as much organic matter [compost or well rotted manure] as possible, and maybe some bonemeal for good measure.

Hi Marge,
May I just add a rider to what OH has said. When preparing the bed it is essential that you get rid of any perennial weeds that are there. Once you have got Raspberries growing there it is one hell of a job getting rid of them. If you see seedlings of perennial weeds growing among the plants take them out as soon as you possibly can and mulching is a very good method of keeping them at bay.
Yesterday I picked a load of Raspberries and am looking forward to a crumble over the weekend.
I recon that R crumble and custard is among the best ways of eating Raspberries. Takes a lot of beating!!
JB.

Sorry to hijack!
I planted alternate canes of autumn bliss and all gold last Nov, but only 1 all gold cane grew and it bears no fruit So I have several gaps....
I want to add in more canes this Nov to fill gaps and possibly extend,(and I assume dig up and chuck the ones that didnt grow? )Can I only apply mulch to the surface? I'm abit worried about damaging the roots of the canes that are growing well.

Also wondering if the canes will bear more fruit next season as been abit disappointed with the amount so far. certainly no glut..

The last two summers have been like chalk and cheese for raspberries, they hated the dry spell in 2006 and people who'd planted new canes fared badly. This year with all the wet we've got autumn raspberries both red and gold coming out of our ears. The autumn varieties are greedy, you can see how hungry they are by how far they send out runners. If you're preparing a new bed dig plenty of bonemeal in quite deeply under them to encourage them to root down rather than literally run amok in search of grub. If you're too impatient to be entirely organic use a dose of superphosphate too, which also encourages rapid root development.

Thanks for all the tips everyone. Here's hoping I get to enjoy raspberry crumble myself

Hi Giulia,
I agree with the use of fertilizer as you describe but fertilizer will not change the physical properties of the plant which is to send out shallow rhizomatic type roots. The wandering shoots will occur irrespective of the manuring. I feel that it is just possible that the stronger the roots of the parent plant the worse the wandering shoots!
JB.

Crumbs! Are they likely to attack the lawn?

Dear Marge, they will try and shoot through the lawn, but if you cut with a lawn mower they won't be a problem.

Hi Marge,
Raspberry plants do send out these roots but they never need to be a problem to you. They are very easily contained. If they are very close to your lawn and they are in a bed with a wooden side one way to prevent them spreading is to put a vertical heavy duty polythene wall 12" deep at the edge of the bed and the roots hit the polythene which forces them upwards.
I scarce think that this measure will be necessary though.
JB.