Raspberry Planting & Care
Raspberries are low-maintenance and produce delicious berries that are great for fresh-eating, jam, pie, and freezing. Plant a whole row and have enough for the entire year! They grow vigorously and spread readily, so can make a nice hedge, screen or living fence. A truly versatile plant for every yard or garden!
Size, Spacing, and Bearing Age: Red raspberries should be spaced 1-2’ apart and black raspberries should be spaced 3-4’ apart. Fall-bearing raspberries fruit on one year old canes, and summer-bearing raspberries fruit on one and two year old canes. You may get some fruit in the first year or two after planting, but it will likely take 3-4 years before they are fully productive.
Pollination: Raspberries are self-fertile.
Soil & Site Selection: Wild Rubus species are often found growing and fruiting in recently cleared areas along the woods edge. They can grow in shade, but will not produce much fruit. For best production plant in full sun and fertile, well-drained, and slightly acidic soil. Many raspberry varieties require a simple trellis to keep them off the ground, thus allowing for ease of harvest, uniform ripening, and the prevention of diseases. Raspberries do not like weed competition, so it is best to prepare the bed ahead of time and mulch annually after that. They like a lot of fertility, so add a generous amount of compost or other organic matter to the bed.
Planting: See Planting Guide and Bare Root Planting for instructions.
Pruning: After bearing, raspberry canes will die back and new ones will sprout from the crown. To encourage this renewal growth, as well as increase sunlight to bearing canes, remove any “spent” canes during the dormant season, from late fall to early spring. Because they bear on one year old canes, fall raspberries can be cut completely to the ground each year. For summer-bearing varieties, remove any canes that bore fruit. Both types can be thinned to encourage adequate airflow and sunlight throughout the planting.
Pests & Diseases: If kept well-pruned (see above) raspberries are relatively disease-free. Birds, chipmunks and other wildlife may compete for the berries, but there is usually plenty else for them to eat during harvest season so you should get your share. Rabbits like to eat the canes during the winter months. This is not a problem for fall-bearing raspberries, since they will be cut all the way back anyway, but summer-bearing raspberries may require a chicken wire fence to protect them. Japanese beetles are particularly fond of raspberries. Depending on the size of the patch, hand picking can quickly become tedious. If they’re especially prolific, neem oil may be an effective spray. Spotted Wing Drosophila is a fruit fly that lays its eggs in the berries as they ripen, causing them to soften from the inside out. They are present throughout the summer months, but their populations peak during mid- to late summer, so planting early-ripening varieties can help avoid this pest. Where SWD is present, harvest daily and refrigerate or freeze (or consume) the berries immediately. Post-harvest, destroy any remaining berries or drops.