Learn how to grow and care for different types of raspberries in your garden or container.
Nothing compares to fresh raspberries plucked straight from the plant.
Any extras can beeasily frozen.
Credit: Scott Little
Raspberries are brambles, shrubby plants that grow on woody, arching stems called canes.
If they are well-maintained, raspberry plants will produce berries for a decade or more.
Where to Plant Raspberries
Raspberries are vigorous growers whose runners (suckers) fill up a bed.
Credit: John Granen
Be sure to give them sufficient room.
Choose a spot withfull sunwithwell-drained soilandmix in compostto give them a strong start.
How and When to Plant Raspberries
Plant bare-root raspberries in the spring.
Container-grown plants can be planted in the spring, summer, or fall.
Lay the raspberries horizontally in a trench about 2 inches deep.
Plant the canes 20 inches apart in rows 5 feet apart.
The canes will fill in all the available space.
Raspberries need consistent watering from spring through harvest since their roots are in the top two feet of soil.
Watering 1 to 1.5 inches weekly is preferred over an intermittent deep soak.
Temperature and Humidity
Raspberry plants are very hardy and survive even subzero winters.
Raspberry varieties with low chill requirements are available for gardeners in southern climates.
They are typically also more resistant to hot summer weather.
Fertilizer
The need for fertilizer depends on how the plants are doing.
Before you prune, know your berries.
Trellising is optional but recommended.
It prevents the canes from being knocked over by storms or weighed down when they are loaded with fruit.
It also makes picking easier.
Pollination
Raspberries are self-fertile, meaning you only need one plant of a variety to produce berries.
Encourage bumblebees, honeybees, and wild bees to visit with apollinator garden.
They are excellent pollinators of bramble and will yield a larger fruit harvest.
Potting and Repotting Raspberries
For raspberries in pots, select raspberries bred for container culture.
Potted plants need more frequent watering than plants in garden soil, so water accordingly.
Pests and Problems
Powdery mildewis a common disease for raspberries.
Raspberries are visited by theusual garden bugssuch as spider mites and Japanese beetles.
Do not use any broad-spectrum pesticides, as they killbeneficial insects.
To keep birds from eating the berries, install special lightweight bird netting.
How to Propagate Raspberries
Propagating raspberries is easy.
Replant them in a new location at the same depth as the original plant.
Keep them well-watered until they overcome the transplant shock and grow new foliage.
Thats the result of poor pollination, which could be due to a cold, wet spring.
Popular summer-bearing red raspberries are Latham.
Fall-bearing red raspberries include Autumn Bliss, Caroline, and Heritage.
They are the rarest of all raspberries and not as uniform in color as other raspberries.
Every yellow raspberry of cultivars such as Honey Gold, Fall Gold, and Anne has its unique color.
Purple Raspberries
Purple raspberries are a hybrid between red and black raspberries.
The conical-shaped berries are larger than red raspberries, and they ripen later.
The two popular varieties are Brandywine and Royalty.
Black Raspberries
Black raspberries(Rubus occidentalis)are native to eastern North America.
They only produce berries in the summer and should not be confused withblackberries.
Popular varieties are Bristol and Jewel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Summer-bearing raspberries produce fruit in the second year after planting.
If planted in the spring, fall-bearing raspberries may produce a light crop in the first year.
