While you may need space to grow raspberries, you don't need much time. They're also one of the best low-maintenance fruit crops you can grow, with fruiting times ranging from high summer to late autumn.
Summer and autumn croppers
Summer-fruiting varieties crop in July on last year's growth, so when their season finishes cut down the fruiting stems. New shoots will soon emerge, and next year's fruit will be produced on these one-year-old, ripened canes. Autumn varieties fruit on this year's new growth, so cut these back in winter, and they'll generate new wood in spring.
Therefore, to enjoy fresh raspberries from summer right into autumn, grow at least one summer and one autumn variety.
Good summer-fruiting raspberries
'Malling Leo'
This variety produces small, flavoursome fruit in late summer. It has tall, highly productive canes and good disease resistance. The fruit freezes well, but is a bit pippy.
'Glen Ample'
Fruiting throughout July, this variety is twice the size of a normal raspberry, and produces good, firm berries that have a slight tartness. Highly productive, with good disease resistance.
'Glen Moy'
The first variety to crop in late June, it's a good all-rounder that produces fruit with a sweet flavour. However, it's susceptible to disease and needs replacing regularly if you want it to fruit well.
Great autumn-fruiting raspberries
'Autumn Bliss'
Produces fruit with a good flavour, and will crop continuously from August to mid- or late-September.
And if you like raspberries, try these...
Loganberries
Juicy berries with a pleasant tartness that are about twice the size of a standard raspberry. The canes should fruit well for 25 years or more. Good disease resistance.
Tayberries
Flavoursome fruit, without the sharpness and intensity of the loganberry. Tayberries produce twice the weight of fruit per plant than raspberries, and have good disease resistance.
When to plant your canes
Plant both summer- and autumn-fruiting canes in autumn, although you can delay planting the latter until as late as March.
Plant canes a sheltered spot in sun or light shade. It's crucial the soil is free draining. Dig a trench 45cm wide and 23cm deep. Enrich the soil with compost and fork back in. Leave for a month, then plant your raspberries, feeding them with a potash-rich fertiliser.
Space raspberry canes 35-45cm apart. Tayberries and loganberries need 2.5-3m between each plant. After planting, cut them back to a bud 25cm above the ground. With tayberries and loganberries, cut them to the same height, but wait until after harvesting to do so.
Find out more
- Catch up with Sarah's latest news at www.sarahraven.com.
Comments and rating
Overall rating (from 3 ratings):
I am growing raspberries for the first time so all this info is important and valuable.
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5 out of 5
I have bought some apple trees that grow on dwarf stock, i have never grown thase so has anyone any tips please I would be very grateful to anyone that can help . Thanks Roger
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In relation to the query from jrsniece, I have bought gooseberry bushes from a supermarket. I planted them up in compost bags with a mixture of top-soil and peat-free compost and already they are showing signs of producing gooseberries. I added in a handful of fruit and berry feed and all is working so far. Not sure of the variety though.
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5 out of 5
Just started growing raspberries so got some good tips here
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I planted raspberries last season and many of the berries were nabbed by the birds (Pigeon and Magpie). This year they were caged with netting and the crop was fantastic - well worth doing! The only 'pest' I have now is my two-year-old who eats all he can reach from the canes! One of nature's most colourful 'sweets', so can't really complain!
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jrsniece rated and commented on this article
07 February 2009
5 out of 5
I'd like to grow gooseberries but don't have enough room to plant them in the ground. Do they grow well in pots and if so what variety is best?
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