How to Grow Raspberries: The Complete Guide (2024)

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Raspberries grow best in a sunny location, but unlike many fruits, they will also grow successfully in a partially shaded spot. However, the more sun, the morefruit!

The plantingsite should have rich andwell-drained soil,great air circulation, and shelter from the wind.Avoid a wet and windy area, as raspberries do not like to stand in water or totally dryout.

Every year, feed your raspberry plants with acouple of inches of compost or aged manure; dig it into the soil a couple of weeks before planting (A good rate is about 3 1/2 cubic feet of compost per 100 squarefeet).

Plant your berries far from wild-growing berries. Otherwise, you risk spreading wildpests and diseases to your cultivated berryplants.

When to PlantRaspberries

• Start with one-year-old raspberry canes from a reputablenursery. Plantthe early spring once the ground thaws out and can be worked(See your local frost dates).
• In mild areas, you could also plant in late autumn to give the plants a headstart.
• Plant potted transplants in the spring after the threat of frost haspassed.

How to PlantRaspberries

• Before planting, soak the roots for an hour ortwo.
• Dig a hole that is roomy enough for the roots to spread. If you’re planting multiple bushes, it’s easiest to dig atrench.
• Whether you’re planting bare-root or potted plants, keep the crown of the plant 1 or 2 inches above theground.
• Canes should be spaced 18 inches apart, with about four feet betweenrows.
• Fill the soil back in, and tamp it down with yourfoot.
• Once the canes are planted, cut them down to 9 inches tall to encourage new growth. (Yes, it will look like a broken branch sticking out of theground!)
• Depending on your plant variety, you may need to fashion a support to hold up canes. Many grow to headheight.
• A trellis or a fence are good options. If you have a row, drive in two six-foot posts at the end of the row and stretch galvanized wire between the posts. Summer-fruiting raspberries need three horizontal wires, and the fall types could do with twowires.

Check out this video to learn how to plantraspberries.

• Mulching is important throughout the season to conserve moisture and suffocate weeds. Keep a thick layer of mulch surrounding plants at alltimes.
• Water one inch per weekfrom spring until after harvest. Regular watering is better than infrequent deepsoaking.
• Keep your raspberry bushes tidy by digging up any “suckers” or canes that grow well away from the rows; if you don’t dig them up, they’ll draw nutrients away, and you’ll have fewer berries nextyear.
• If you wish, you can replant the suckers, and you’ll have new plants! Dig them up, set them in a fresh area of prepared ground, and water them afterplanting.

How to PruneRaspberries

Prune summer-fruiting raspberries immediately after you’re done picking! Cut only the canes that produced berries back down to theground.

(Remember, this plant producesberries on two-year-old canes while one-year-old canes grow right beside them. You shouldn’t have trouble telling which is which: the older canes have brown stems, and the young ones are still green. Prune only the older ones, the ones that have finished their fruitfulyear.)

Tie the remaining canes to the supporting wires with garden string.There should not be any more than one cane every four inches of wire, so cut down additionalcanes.

Ever-bearingorfall-bearingraspberries

• This is easy. Justcut all canes back to the ground in late winter before growth begins in the spring.They give fruit on canes that are in their first year of growth, after which there is no reason to keep them.Mow them to the ground or use pruning shears for a smallpatch.
• Clean up all debris—diseases and pestsoverwinter.
• Pruning is only required during the growing season if you want to keep a uniform order. Dig or pull up new canes that grow well away from the rows. If your raspberry canes are disease-free you can transplant them to raise moreplants.

Note: The aboveassumes you are harvesting a fall crop.To getbothfall and following summer crop, do not remove theprimocanes that produced the fall crop. Prune them back in spring to about 12 inches above the support, or to the last visible node that had fruit, cutting off the deadtips.

There are many, many raspberry varieties available today—and each one is unique! Ask your local garden center or cooperative extension service which raspberry varieties are best suited for your area. Here are a few to get youstarted:

• ‘Canby’:red berries; summer-bearing; nearly thornless; recommended for New England, Upper Great Lakes, andNorthwest
• ‘Heritage’: red berries; ever-bearing; recommended for the Mid-Atlantic and OhioValley
• ‘Plainsman’:red berries; ever-bearing; does well in higher altitudes (the Rockies and HighPlains)
• ‘Fallgold’: yellow berries; ever-bearing; recommended for the Upper Midwest andCanada
• ‘Double Gold’: yellow berries tinged with peach; ever-bearing; better for warmer areas, as the fall crop can be quitelate
• ‘Royalty’: purple berries; summer-bearing; better for warmerareas
• ‘Jewel’: black berries; summer-bearing; disease-resistant, and great for warmerareas
• ‘Black Hawk’: black berries; summer-bearing; heat and droughttolerant

Tired of raspberries? Try your hand at growing blackberries, blueberries, or strawberriesinstead!

• All varieties will begin to produce fruit in their second season. In some cases, ever-bearers may bear small berries in their firstautumn.
• In early summer, berries will ripen over about 2 weeks. You will need to pick berries every couple ofdays!
• Try to harvest berries on a sunny day when they aredry.
• Gently pull raspberries away from their central plug once they’re richly colored all over. They should come away easily. Don’t tug too hard on your raspberries when picking. A ripe raspberry will leave the vinewillingly.

How to StoreRaspberries

• Raspberries won’t keep for long, so enjoy them soon after pickingthem!
• They can be kept refrigerated for about five days.Don’t wash the berries after picking unless you’re going to eat them straight away. They will grow moldy and mushyif not kept dry in storage.If you do need to wash them, let them air dry completely before storingthem.
• Raspberries can be frozen!As with freezing blueberries, make a single layer of berries on a cookie sheet. When frozen, place into airtight bags. Use on waffles, in cereal, or whenever you need a refreshing, healthysnack!

Catherine Boeckmann