Raspberry
stats/requirements at a glance
Ease of Raising:
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2/5
|
Weekly
Check-ups (fruiting & ripening)
|
|
Water:
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4/5
|
Daily (they
don’t mind ‘wet feet’ in pots)
|
|
Sun:
|
4/5
|
Full sun,
shade tolerant (morning sun preferable)
|
|
Training:
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5/5
|
Absolutely, require stakes and pruning of already fruited
stems
|
|
Fertilise/Feeding:
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3-4/5
|
Moderate
(monthly when growing) to fortnightly (fruiting)
|
|
Time to Harvest:
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3/5
|
Moderate, 2-3 Months
|
|
Frost Hardiness:
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3/4
|
Very hardy, can’t cope with black frost. Frost hardiness
linked to dormancy.
|
|
Uses
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Culinary,
pollinator attractor (wasps)
|
||
Most Problematic Nemesis:
|
Diseases
carried by leafhoppers/aphids
|
||
Container Plant:
|
Do well in
large pots
|
||
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| Rubus idaeus Flora of Germany, Austria and Switzerland 1885 Kurt Stubers Online Library |
Quick intro
Cane and bush fruiting plants aren’t very popular in your
average garden, but are a valuable addition as they second strawberries in term
of their prolific fruit production (the amount of fruit per m2 of
soil occupied). I have had more success with my cane fruits that strawberries
and I find them a lot easier to grow. They produce a lot of berries at once and
many fruit two times a year (once in summer and again in autumn). They take up
minimal space due to their upright nature, which also complements their growth
in large pots, and are pruned to maximise fruit production.
History
The origin of raspberries is somewhat confounding and
several historians have different theories. Raspberries have been cultivated
for 500 years in Europe and western Asia from their wild counterparts and they
have been planted in England gardens since the 16th century.
Discovery of seeds at archaeological sites suggest that raspberry fruits have
been collected for consumption and perhaps medicinal use by pre-historical man
during the Neolithic period.
Wild raspberries from North America are classified as a
different species. Both the red and black wild raspberries were used and
domesticated by early settlers.
Presently there are three major commercial producers of raspberry;
(1) the former USSR, (2) Europe, specifically Russia, Poland, Serberia,
Germany, Scotland and Spain; (3) and the Pacific Coast region of North America.
Some production is also done in New Zealand, Chile and South Africa.
Science Stuff
The common raspberry is, Rubus
idaeus and belongs to the Rosaceae family (the rose family! You can see the
resemblance by looking at the ‘inner’ flower formation). Rubus idaeus fruit can be red or yellow (the later known historically
as the white raspberry).
 |
| Wild raspberries Red, black , purple and white Rubus species |
The wild red raspberry from North America is, Rubus strigosus and the black is, Rubus occidentalis. These two species
have also been hybridised to produce the purple raspberry.
Growing Raspberry
Dormant, disease-free, year-old raspberry canes are planted
during winter. Bare-rooted canes are soaked in liquid fertiliser about 30
minutes before planting to assist them with the transplant. They can be planted as part
of a berry soft-fruit garden directly in the soil and trained against a wire
system. There are several training systems for raspberries. Individual plant
spacing and amount of canes tied in will depend on the training system used and
the vigour of the cultivar.
 |
| Raspberries at various stages of development. Dark gummy raspberry is ready for eating. |
Raspberries have two varieties or fruiting patterns;
1)
Summer-bearing: Fruit forms on two year old
canes (previous season’s growth)
2)
Autumn/Fall-bearing: Fruit forms on one year old
canes
3)
Both: Some varieties are able to produce fruits
twice a year, once in summer and another lighter crop in autumn.
The general rule is that once a cane has fruited it is
removed by cutting it down to the soil level. Canes that have fruited will also
die-back. Suckers will emerge and will supply new fruit. Strong suckers are chosen
and tied down whereas any additional or spindly suckers are removed.
Generally horizontal wires are constructed between sturdy
posts at a height of about 1.5 m. Canes are tied to the horizontal wires with
thick twine to minimise damage to the canes
English Hedgerow System
Year One, Winter: Nursery stocks are planted and the
existing canes are cut back to 60cm and tied in.
Year One, Summer: Suckers that emerge between raspberry
plants are thinned and the strongest tied in.
Year Two, Winter: For summer-bearing, old stems are cut down
to ground level and the tips of the new canes are pulled over the wire and tied
in. For autumn-bearing, cut all canes to ground level, new ones will develop
next season and their tips are pulled over the wire and tied in as with
summer-bearing.
Alternatively (I didn’t originally plan my garden to
accommodate raspberries in the plot), pots can be a space-saving consideration.
Several stakes are secured towards the outside of the canes and the stems are
tied to those. Depending on the size of the pot you can allow several canes to
develop (in my 30 cm pot, I only allow six canes at one time). Each cane can carry 2-5 clusters with 15-20 raspberries, which quickly adds up (on average, 3 plants x 3 clusters x 17 raspberries = 153 raspberries!).
Raspberries are a long-term investment and can produce
fruits for 6-10 years. When raspberry production decreases old plants are
removed and destroyed (not composted due to disease). New plants are planted on
a fresh site to prevent new stock succumbing to any disease in the old site.
Other Raspberry Tips
All gardening books make specific reference to raspberry
susceptibility to various plant viruses. Personally I have not had any virus
infections thus far. The most prominent of viruses are:
1)
Raspberry yellownet virus
2)
Raspberry leaf spot virus
3)
Raspberry leaf curl virus
4)
Raspberry mosaic virus
All of their symptoms are nondescript; yellowing of leaves,
margins or spot formation and stunted growth. The best remedy for this is to by
virus-resistant cultivars, since viruses are internal and very difficult to
treat or to eradicate. Another reason for planting your new raspberry stocks
away from the old site to prevent disease built-up. Also keep the viral vectors
at bay. Vectors are generally insect carriers that transmit viruses between
host plants. Aphids transmit all types of mosaic viruses (and not only to
raspberries, but to your other plants as well), whereas soil-living nematodes
can transmit Arabis mosaic virus. On the other hand, leafhoppers transmit a
plant bacterium, known as phytoplasma to raspberries, which causes the disease Rubus
stunt. These pests (disease vectors) can be controlled by organic means, please refer to my Pest Control page.
As with most fruiting canes and bushes, raspberries prefer
acidic soil, but will tolerate soil on the neutral range.
.JPG) |
| Raspberry flower buds Rubus idaeus |
Suckers can be problematic if the come up away from the
raspberry bed and need to be removed. To minimise unwanted suckers bury heavy
gauge plastic sheeting in the bed at a depth of 75cm.
Raspberries have very spiny stems that can cause dermatitis
(skin irritation or rash). So wear gloves when pruning the plants or harvesting
berries that might be within the thorny mess.
Birds can become a problem as they are attracted to the red colour and the especially like shiny red ripe fruits. Netting can be constructed over the raspberries to keep the birds at bay or simply chase them away with my simple DIY CD bird deterrent.
Birds can become a problem as they are attracted to the red colour and the especially like shiny red ripe fruits. Netting can be constructed over the raspberries to keep the birds at bay or simply chase them away with my simple DIY CD bird deterrent.
Harvesting &
Storing
Raspberries flowers are pollinated by insects, especially wasps like to visit them. After pollination the aggregate fruit develops. Raspberries are a breeze to harvest. The trick is to harvest
them when they are fully ripe (deep gummy translucent colour). If the
raspberries are fully ripe, they will easily separate from their receptacle
when pulled.
 |
| Raspberry receptacle after fruit removal Rubus idaeus |
A few plants are needed, about 3-5, to get a large bowl of
raspberries – which in my opinion takes up less space than enough plants for a
bowl of strawberries.
Raspberries will stay good in the fridge for about 3 days,
else they can be frozen. Frozen raspberries will go sour if not prepared
properly before storage. Also freezing breaks down the fruit cells and berries are
squishy as a result when thawed, but all the flavour will remain. Only perfect
raspberries are chosen for freezer storage by laying them out on a baking tray
and sprinkling them with a thick layer of caster sugar. These are placed into
the freezer as open-trays and when the fruit is frozen they are paced into
bags.
Non-perfect fruits (overripe or blemished) can be made into
jams, syrups and purées that
can also be frozen for long term storage.
Propagation
Remember those pesky suckers? They can be dug out, lifted and
replanted in a new site to give rise to another plant. Large raspberry plants
can also be divided and replanted.
.JPG) |
| Raspberry suckers Rubus idaeus |
Raspberries can also be propagated by taking softwood or
semi-ripe cuttings.
My Raspberries
I have three red raspberries that fruit two times a
year. Again, I have no idea the exact cultivar name, but I am thoroughly
enjoying their berries and no-nonsense upkeep. For raspberry suppliers in
Roodepoort (West Rand), see my Nurseries & Suppliers page.
 |
| Red raspberry Rubus idaeus |
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