Growing Your Own Raspberries Is Quite Simple

Cleaning up the raspberry patch can be quite the chore, and I have the scars to prove it. Ah, well, a few lashes from these thorny brambles is well worth the reward of delectable fruit later this summer. And, other than this annual adventurous cleanup, raspberries are quite simple to grow.

Soil: Though raspberries will tolerate most soil conditions, they thrive in rich, deep, loose earth. One condition that does doom raspberries is soggy soil.

Begin by working the soil as deeply as possible. Two feet deep is best, but this may be out of the question for some. If you’re dealing with bedrock or the rocky soil some in the valleys have, planting in raised beds may be the best solution. It will certainly save your tools — and your back.

This is also an excellent time to work in a few inches of compost, well-rotted manure and/or peat moss. If you wish, granulated fertilizer can also be added at this time.

Planting: Prior to planting, soak new canes (usually purchased as a bundle of sticks) in a bucket of water for a couple of hours. Plant canes 2 to 3 feet apart, keeping the crown of the plants just below ground level. Once planted, cut the canes back 2 to 3 inches from the ground. This severe pruning procedure will encourage new growth from the roots.

Pruning existing canes: This task depends on the type of raspberry you’re pruning — summer bearers or summer/fall bearers.

Summer bearers: The canes that bore fruit last year will be dead this year. Cut them to the ground. The live canes or new canes that developed last year — the ones that grew about 12 feet tall with no berries — need to be pruned to about 4 to 5 feet from the ground. Remove the very weakest of these, leaving four or five strong canes per plant.

Summer/fall bearers: These raspberries bear fruit on the top portion of the canes in the fall. At the end of the year, remove the top portion of the canes that produced berries; they will be dead. The bottom portion of these canes will produce a summer crop. Once they are finished producing berries, cut them to the ground.

Some summer/fall growers prefer to harvest fruit only once in the fall, after which they mow all the canes off at ground level.

Fertilizer: Raspberries are heavy nitrogen feeders. Once new growth begins to emerge, fertilize with one pound of ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) per 25-foot row, or four pounds of 10-10-10 or three pounds of organic fertilizer. Keep the fertilizer at least 6 inches from the plants.

Water: Raspberries must have plenty of moisture for strong, healthy leaves and fruit. Soaker hoses work like a charm. Once the soil is wet, apply a layer of mulch (straw, grass clippings, pine needles, compost, etc.) over the hose and the ground. The mulch will help retain moisture while the soaker hose continues to maintain adequate water.

Here are a few recommended summer-bearing varieties: Canby (huge berries, but susceptible to virus), Sumner (a little sour), Meeker (least-hardy, but delicious), Willamette (tart, but great when cooked), Skeena (very good fresh or cooked) and Goldenwest (golden fruit and sweet).

Summer/fall-bearing recommendations: Heritage (most popular, very nice berries) and Amity (large fruit ripens earlier than Heritage).

How about adding a few purple or black raspberries to the patch? Purple berries are usually quite large and seedy, but taste good. Look for Brandywine or Royalty.

Munger is about the best black raspberry.

Black raspberries are not to be confused with blackberries. Though blackberries are grown very much like raspberries, there are a couple of differences. Blackberries are either upright or trailing. They are also less hardy than raspberries, thus requiring a winter mulch for protection.

Here are a few cultivars suggested by the WSU Master Gardeners:

Thornless blackberries: Chester (large firm, mild-flavored fruit borne late in the season).

Thorny blackberries (ouch):

Cherokee have erect canes and are vigorous and productive. Canes can be injured when winter temperatures fluctuate.

Darrow is one of the most cold-hardy blackberries. Large fruit is borne on semi-erect plants. Some support is beneficial.

Illini is also very cold-hardy. Very good fruit flavor and quality.

I would suggest pruning blackberries every year. If you neglect this plant, pruning may require an armored suit and a chainsaw.

The most frequently diagnosed diseases are virus (often carried by aphid or leafhoppers) and botrytis (fruit becomes soft and gray).

Insects such as aphid, spidermites, raspberry cane borers and thrips find raspberries as tasty as we do.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Phyllis Stephens The Spokesman-Review