[Paulj]

I understand that raspberries are fairly hardy, but wondered how they cope with winters such as the last two we have with the minus temperatures we have had (-15 here)?

We are on our firt plot and our firt planting has been a couple of Glen Coe raspberry plants, which we bought from a good locks nursery where they advised us not to cut them down as they are ready to fruit next year.  The canes are anything up to nearly 6th at tallest, and are leafy.  Is there anything I should do to protect them ove the winter?

[Salmo]

Raspberries are pretty tough. Just make sure that you have the canes well supported so that the wind does not rock them.

Next Summer they will grow some new canes from the base which will produce the fruit the following year. After the fruit are finished next Summer cut all the old canes to the ground and tie the new ones to the supports.

[sunshineband]

Can I add to Salmo's sound advuce, that they would beneift from a good mulch of old leaves, about 4 ins or so thick, once the soil is good and damp. It'll help them next year, as they like being on the dampish side 

[Paulj]

Salmo, sunshineband - thanks.

So they tend to be hardy enough even through the harsh winters we have had the last couple of years and I don't really need to do anything to protect them?  I like the sound of that!  Easy.

Sunshineband - any leaves?  or would wood chippings do?  Our allotment site has a pretty big pile that gets topped up so that is easier for me - as silly as it sounds, I don't come across too many leaves!  No trees in our garden, few on our road and I don't particularly want to start foraging the local streets - people will think I'm a nutter, as well as having the campest dog in the village...

[noshed]

I would be inclined to lay off the wood chips in case they leach the nitrogen out but well-rotted manure, compost etc would do fine. Mine sat happily through the snow last year and it didn't seem to have any effect on them.