Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Chatting => Design and Construction => Topic started by: Sheena on March 07, 2007, 11:45

Title: Post and wire for Rasps?
Post by: Sheena on March 07, 2007, 11:45

I was looking for some advice on planting some newly aquired rasps, one Tayberry plant, blackeberries and a a few currant plants.

We have also about 12 rasp canes in our allotment that we put in last year, they never got particularly tall and we didn't provide any supports for them. They didn't make any fruit really, I'm wondering now if that's because I didn't manure the soil, we just stuck 'em in.

Anyway, I digress! We thought that we would make a fence type thing this year as we have loads more canes. A book I read suggested it might be a good idea to construct a post and wires system to support them.

I was looking for advice on what kind of wood and wires to get (length, dimensions etc) and any advice about constructing it. oh, and where to buy the stuff.

Thanks!

Title: Post and wire for Rasps?
Post by: noshed on March 07, 2007, 14:18

Last year I built a double wire thing, with T shaped posts at each end so the wire forms parallel lines about 1ft apart. I got the wire from B&Q or Homebase (but it's cheaper in Wilkos) and I had some treated wood left over from my shed.
One wire is about 18" high and one about 3'. I tie the rasberries in with garden twine from the 99p shop.
It has been OK, even though it got struck by a flying greenhouse a few weeks ago and I have strengthened it with some pallet wood.
I made a one-wire strand thing for the loganberries and tayberries, a bit taller and I used some bits of old pipe I found on my plot. That has stayed up well apart from when I was pruning and cut the wire. Fortunately I had left a bit of slack at the end so I could join it again.
So bodgery does work - you should see what my plot neighbours build stuff out of. Bits of old bunk beds seem to be popular.

Title: Post and wire for Rasps?
Post by: Trillium on March 07, 2007, 16:29

I highly recommend the T bar and wire support for rasps and tays as well Sheena. A cropping stem gets quite heavy and it's better upright and out of your face as you try to pick (and far less painful!). And leave some slack wire at ends as suggested so you can tighten it up or repair over the years. It also makes the rows walkable and keeps berries clean. Keep the blackberry at the oppsite end of lotty from the raspberries as you might not like the resulting flavour. The currants don't need support, just enough space between plants, about 2-3ft either side. Seems excessive now but you'll be thankful later. I mulch them with old manure and get good crops. They're shallow rooted so cultivate carefully. Fan currants are too much bother for too little.
As for getting crops, depends on the raspberry variety how soon it yields. It takes at least 3 yrs for new canes to start giving decent crops, 5 yrs for full production. 2 years ago I bought a new ultra hybrid to try and it gave me berries the first year of planting the canes. 2nd year I had full crop. Only catch is: just how long will this variety live or will it kill itself producing quickly in a few years? All rasps are heavy feeders or cropping is mediocre. The more you give (manure, compost, water) the more you get. I mulch mine heavily with straw to maintain moisture better and control weeds. Not too late to carefully dig up last year's canes, feed the soil and replant.  :wink:

Title: Post and wire for Rasps?
Post by: Sheena on March 07, 2007, 16:35

Thanks all,

that was really helpful.
I think I will replant the canes  this year, it was a bit of a rush job last year I'm afraid.

Title: Post and wire for Rasps?
Post by: slow_worm on March 13, 2007, 14:05

I use 2 inch posts in metposts in the ground - I run some decent thick wire - galvanised between them just to tie my TAYBERRY canes into and run them along.

TAYBERRY gets my vote over Raspingberries everytime!

Title: Post and wire for Rasps?
Post by: muntjac on March 13, 2007, 14:53

i just use posts n wire .. t bars are great if your short of space for runners u can get 6 plants up a single post using string for the vines depending on how long the top bar is

Title: Tayberries Vs Raspberries
Post by: jmx on March 14, 2007, 19:38

I've never has tayberries, what are the main differences compared to raspberrries?

Title: Re: Tayberries Vs Raspberries
Post by: Trillium on March 15, 2007, 14:15

Quote from: "jmx"

I've never has tayberries, what are the main differences compared to raspberrries?

Personally, I'm not as fond of tayberries as raspberries, but to each his own taste.  Tayberries are simply a new loganberry (cross between raspberry and blackberry) variety with a longer sweeter fruit. It does better in light shade than full sun and doesn't mind the cold. The varieties can get very large and recommended spacing is 6-8 ft per bush. The variety we get here has very long, sharp claws along its stem as well so use care.  :wink: