Kitchen Garden Forum

Only 3 of the bunch of 5 bare rooted Autumn Bliss canes I planted in February just before the snow seem to have taken and be putting out shoots from the base or the cut-down canes. Rather than look for replacements, will I be able generate cuttings from these later in the year to replace the two dead ones? If so, can somebody explain where I would take the cuttings from and how I do it? I'm not sure whether it would involve digging up the respective canes and separating out the roots as one would do in dividing other perennials. Have not grown raspberries before so am in the dark. Thanks.

Primrose

Before anybody gives you an answer to all your questions, I would say: leave them alone for now. It's still early enough for the two "failures" to put out shoots - if/when they do you'll wonder why you worried.

I'll second that. I was a bit worried about a couple of my withered looking canes that were also planted in Feb and had failed to sprout. Today I was sprinkling my wood ashes and noticed some very vigorous shouts sprouting a little away from the cane

So maybe be patient a little while longer....saying that a bit of advice on how to take a good raspberry cutting wouldn't go amiss!

I agree they are pretty hardy, and will soon be putting out more runners than you can use

CoMpO

To answer the original question.

You do not take cuttings of raspberries.
Once planted you wait until you find a new raspberry shoot coming up where you do not want it to grow. These originate from lateral roots or runners and can be any where from six inches to feet away from the original plant. You dig these up, either in the Autumn (having identified them when leaves were present), or in the Spring as the leaves emerge, ensuring you have sufficient root attached and replant them where you actually want them.

He's right,

Hello Primrose
Give them quite a bit more time to come through as the others have said. I planted 10 bare rooted 'Glen Ample' last November and as yet only two are showing any sign of life. In the past I've found that often nothing happens to the main stick but strong growths emerge from the buried root bit later on.

John

Thanks. I'll try and be patient. Not my best quality at this time of year when I'm so anxious to see everything come up and get growing!