How to Grow Raspberries: The Complete Guide (2024)

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How to Grow Raspberries: The Complete Guide (1)

Photo Credit

Pixabay

Botanical Name

Rubus spp.

Plant Type

Fruit

Sun Exposure

Full Sun

Soil pH

Slightly Acidic to Neutral

Bloom Time

Summer

Fall

Flower Color

White

Hardiness Zone

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

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Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Raspberries

Catherine Boeckmann

How to Grow Raspberries: The Complete Guide (2)

Raspberries are among the easiest fruits to grow and, for the space they occupy, produce even more fruit than strawberries. Isn’t it time you gave them a go? Learn about planting and growing raspberries, one of the most popular berries in North America. One raspberry bush can produce several hundred berries perseason!

AboutRaspberries

Raspberries are shrubs belonging to the Rosaceae family in the genus Rubus.Not only are raspberries perfect for picking and eating straight off the stem, but they’re also wonderful in jams, pies and tarts, or smoothies and drinks. Plus, fresh raspberries are an excellent source of vitamin C to supportthe immune system and help fightinfections.

There are two types of raspberries, both with their own specific requirements for growing:

  1. Summer-fruiting raspberries are more common. They develop their fruit on last year’s growth and bear one crop per season in summertime (often June orJuly).
  2. Ever-bearingraspberries(also called fall-bearing or autumn-bearing)produce berries on new canes. They bear a fall crop and can alsoproduce fruit the followingsummer.

A mix of both types of berries would be an ideal way to maximize the harvestperiod.

All raspberries are self-fertile, so you only need one bush to produce fruit. They’re best pollinated by bees and will start producing fruit a year afterplanting.

Though raspberry bushes are naturally inclined togrow in cooler climates, the plantsnow come in manyvarieties suited to a range of planting zones.

The Importance of PruningRaspberries

All raspberries will need pruning annually!Raspberries are perennials. However, it’s important to realize that the branches (or canes) that bear the fruit live for only two summers. During the first year, the new green cane (primocane) grows vegetatively. The cane develops a brown bark, is dormant in winter, and during the second growing season is called a floricane. It produces fruit in early to mid-summer and then dies. New primocanes are produced each year, so fruit production continues year after year. It’s your job to prune out those dead canes eachyear.

See more pruning advicebelow.

Read Next

  • How to Grow Berries: Easy for Beginners

  • Blueberries: The Easiest Fruit to Grow Is Also One of the Healthiest

  • Unusual Fruit and Fruit Trees to Grow

Planting

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 Grow Raspberries: The Complete Guide (3)

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.

Growing

  • 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.

Types

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!

Harvesting

  • 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 Grow Raspberries: The Complete Guide (5)

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!

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Wit and Wisdom

  • Raspberries are a great source of dietary fiber and Vitamin C, andmay help to protect against disease. Check outRaspberries: Health Benefitsto learn how healthy raspberries reallyare!

Pests/Diseases

Raspberries are one of the few fruits that are hardly bothered by pests and diseases. (Black raspberries are more susceptible to this type of damage than red orpurple.)

  • Keep an eye out for spider mites and Japanese beetles from June through August. Raspberries are a favorite of Japanese beetles inparticular.
  • Rabbits love to eat the canes in winter. A chicken wire fence will help prevent rabbitdamage.
  • PowderyMildew
  • CaneBorers

Recipes

Raspberry-Rhubarb Pie

Raspberry Honey Cake With Raspberry Sauce

Raspberry Shortbread

Raspberry Roasted Beets and Chèvre Over Shallot, Walnut, and Beet Greens Couscous

Peach-Raspberry Crunch

Cooking Notes

Fresh raspberries are wonderful in cereals or paired with a dollop of Greek-style yogurt or cream and an indulgent drizzle of maplesyrup.

Freeze excess berries to use in smoothies and desserts, or make them into raspberryjam.

If the fruit is to be made into preserves, it should be done with fruit that’s as fresh aspossible.

Fruit

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann

How to Grow Raspberries: The Complete Guide (7)

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Comments

Add a Comment

I just planted raspberries for the first time last year and got about 6 berries off it. They seem to be in a bush form and not many canes and they have little thorny spikes all up and down them. We have to wear gloves to touch them. The plants are spreading very fast and we have them on a fence line. They seem a little out of control as their are no tall canes to tie up. We are in Texas about 35 miles east of Dallas.

  • Reply

I am trying to propagate more raspberries with the ones I have. Is it possible to cut some of the canes with beginning of buds to root?

  • Reply

What mulch would you suggest for raspberries in a very alkaline soil?

  • Reply

Hi, Buz. We would suggest that you use straw or sawdust to mulch yourraspberries.

  • Reply

I live at 7000 ft elevation ion SW Colorado, grow raspberries, and have clayey soil with a pH of 7.5. What mulch would you suggest, to help prevent dying and to correct for the basic nature of soil here?

  • Reply

i planted 15 everbearing type in the spring and they are doing reasonably well. growth has been from 1-3 feet on the plants. even though they will not fruit till next year, should they still be pruned back this winter? thanks

  • Reply

Hi Doug, Thanks for the question. So, it depends on if you want your everbearing raspberry bushes to produce two crops each year (summer and fall) or just one (fall). In order to get that smaller summer crop next year before the bountiful one in the fall, the fruit will grow on the bottom of this year’s canes. If that is the case, leave this year’s growth to see what raspberries will appear early in next year’s growing season. You can then prune those canes out after harvest. If you just want a single fall crop next fall, the fruit will grow on next year’s cane growth, so you can prune out this year’s canes between fall and late winter. Hope thishelps!

  • Reply

How long have they been wondering?? :-) "Not only are raspberries perfect for picking and eating straight off the stem, but they’re also wondering in jams, pies and tarts, or smoothies and drinks. "

  • Reply

Ha ha ha! 😁

  • Reply

Ha, ha, ha!

  • Reply
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