Question by Terrence A.
Last year, I planted a dozen or so raspberry canes (unsupported without wire or a trellis) in an above ground garden but didn't get much fruit. They were planted close together as the garden isn't all that big and I'm just an amateur. I've heard they've got to be pruned. Should I do it now? If not, when? Also, can I cut some canes and plant them in another above ground garden of the same size next to the original plantings?
Sarah's answer
Hi Terrence,
Being able to grow raspberries is such a pleasure as they are such a delicious berry to eat. Pruning raspberries can seem quite daunting, but once you understand what needs to be done, then it becomes easy. The first important thing to know is which variety you have – Summer fruiting, autumn fruiting or a variety that fruits in both summer and autumn as the pruning for each type is different.
Autumn fruiting is the easiest as it fruits on fresh canes so in the winter, chop everything back to ground level. Summer fruiting fruit on year old canes and so in the winter you remove the canes that fruited in the previous year and leave the new ones. The duel fruiting varieties are a lot more complicated and you need to leave the new canes, and trim the canes that have just fruited to a healthy bud and remove any from the previous season.
If you are not sure which you have, the easiest way to find out is prune as if it is a summer variety and make a note of when the fruits come – in the summer or on new canes in the autumn. Raspberries are particularly good at creating suckers so you will see new raspberry shoots popping up in the spring and it is easy enough to transplant these to make new plants. Just gently dig around the shoot and with sharp secateurs cut the rhizome they have grown from and replant. All the best with your raspberries. I hope you get a bumper crop next season.
Cheers Sarah
