[greenbean]

Hi need some advice as cannot find idiot guide to raspberrys in my books, I have some canes on my lottie but they are looking deadish! am i meant to be cutting them back? if so please can i have some basic guide to how, where and when. Thank- you very much.

[noshed]

Personally I would cut them all back to the ground now and mulch them all with some compost or rotted manure. The chances are they will grow OK and fruit this summer. After fruiting cut the fruited canes back to the ground and tie the new ones in to wires. If they're autumn fruiting ones you prune them differently but I can't remember offhand what it is.
Hope this sheds a chink of light.

[Mysteryjimbo]

Cut them all down.

Berries grow on fresh canes (summer fruiting) or year old canes (autumn fruiting).  So it you cut them right down you stand a 50/50 chance of getting them.

You supposed to cut the autumn canes after their fruiting year.

[beansticks]

I think mysteryjimbo has got it around the wrong way,summer varieties fruit on canes produced last year,autumn varieties fruit on canes produced this year,so cutting them all down will obviously spoil this years crop if they are summer varieties.Normally summer canes will look fresher than autumn canes which will be  brittle and can be cut to ground level,hope this helps

[Mysteryjimbo]

I think mysteryjimbo has got it around the wrong way,

Quite possibly!  

That makes more sense.  An established cane would be able fruit earlier.

[Stevens706]

Why don’t you play it safe and cut half of the canes down from each plant this way you will get a crop and know which type you have.

[beansticks]

You will soon know if they are autumn varieties new canes will start appearing shortly,and will produce fruit this autumn

[charliesmum]

Hi,

Try checking this website

www.gardenaction.co.uk

[DD.]

I think mysteryjimbo has got it around the wrong way,

Agreed!!!!

If they are dead they need to come out no matter whether they are summer ot autumn varieties.

[muntjac]

knock em back  now n watch em grow you can then put some posts n wire in n train them along it

[richyrich7]

Ok just to put a spanner in the works    you could leave them all and if the new shoots fruit in autumn, you know next year to  clear them all out after fruiting and if the old ones fruit well this year in the summer then remove them after fruiting, leaving just this years canes for next.
Either way as Muntjac says they will benefit from staking, give em a good weed and then a good layer of mulch around, but not touching the canes. Be careful when weeding as they have shallow root sysytems.

[shaun]

dig em out and plant some spuds  

[richyrich7]

dig em out and plant some spuds  

Rhubarb  

[greenbean]

Hi there all you lovely kind fellow lotties, thank-you all for your help and advice, I will be cutting them back on Sunday :shock:  So fingers crossed all goes well, I have some rhubarb poking through and will be digging the trenches for the potatoes also on Sun but prob wont plant until end of month.

Please all give yourselfs a big pat on the back as I find you all so helpful (and funny) keep up the good work, you entertain me loads  thanks.

[noshed]

Nothing better than 57 conflicting bits of advice - now you're an expert you can join in!