Fruits are easy to grow and good to eat.

Caring for Raspberry Plants

Raspberry plants are easy enough to grow and care

for, but you must understand how the plant works in

order to care for them properly.

When first planted Raspberries will not produce any

fruit the first year. They do not produce fruit on new

growth, only two year old wood. But the raspberry

canes only live two years. So each fall or late summer

the canes that produced fruit should be removed.

The remaining canes should be topped at about 36"

so they don't fall over the following year with a fruit

load.

Some Raspberries are summer bearing and some are

ever bearing, so make sure you know what yours are

so you don't prune them to early and lose out on the that second flush of fruit. If you are not sure wait until fall to

prune them. Ever bearing varieties can actually produce

fruit on new growth. This happens in late fall.

When pruning it should be easy to distinguish the newest

growth from the two year old growth. Do not remove the

new growth unless the plant is just too full. All parts of

the plant need good air circulation and sunlight. Keep

that in mind as you prune.

Not thinning raspberries is a huge mistake. Make sure

you thin yours each fall for good fruit production.

They like good rich soil that drains well. Don't plant them

in an area that stays wet. The roots need to breath. It's

best to plant them in early spring, and cut the canes back

to 6" at the time of planting. Each spring apply a SMALL

amount of 12-12-12 garden fertilizer spread over the root

zone.

They're good with ice cream!