RASPBERRY CULTURE 

Cultural Requirements:  Raspberries prefer a deep, well drained, fertile soil.  Raspberries are deep rooted, and thus need excellent drainage.  Never plant them in clay soil!!  Incorporate a light compost into your soil. 

Fertility:  Raspberries benefit from high organic content in soils.  Organic matter promotes drainage in heavy soils and increases the moisture-holding capacity of sandy soil.  An organic fertilizer is recommended in early spring; about ½ cup per foot is usually ample.  Another application after harvest is also important. 

Spacing

 Low density - Plant your raspberries 3 feet apart in the row and 8 to 10 feet between the rows.

High density – solid hedge system call for 2 feet between the plants and 8 to 10 feet between rows. 

Pruning and Training

     All raspberries bear fruit on two year old, or in the everbearing raspberries they also fruit on first year growth.  Everbearing Raspberries are more accurately called Primocanes, or two crop raspberries because they bear a late Summer or Fall crop on the first year growth and a second crop the following spring on the two year old wood. 

     One-crop raspberries fruit on two year old wood.  After harvest, the two year old fruiting wood begins to die and can be removed.  The one year old canes that are left can then be thinned the following winter to remove the weaker canes, and those selected to remain for the next summers crop can be cut back to head height.

     Everbearing or two-crop raspberries are handled much the same except that they fruit in the fall on one year old canes.  The fruit will appear on the top foot or so of the cane, and it is a common practive to remove the portion of the cane that fruited after harvest, leaving the rest of the cane to produce next summer’s crop.  The everbearing raspberry thus produces a summer crop on two year old wood and a fall crop on one year old wood.  As with the one-crop raspberries, the two year old canes die and are removed after the harvest or during the following winter.

     Red raspberries can be supported either with tall stakes or ideally with a two wire trellis.  The wires of the trellis are usually placed about one foot below the height at which the canes have been pruned.  The wires are placed on each side of the post with large staples or nails.  Sometimes cross pieces are nailed to the posts so that the two wires are 12 to 15 inches apart.  A second set of wires may sometimes be placed a few feet below the top wires.  The canes can be tied to the top set of wires.  Certain varieties, like the everbearing raspberries, may be sturdy enough to hold themselves up, but the supports keep them upright while laden with berries.