[hunlom]

hi all, want to put some raspberry canes in this year, not done much with fruit.any help?  been recommended autumn bliss but would like something easy maintainence and supply from early summer onwards..am i too late now for this year ? what conditions are right for planting them.. many thanks...

[DD.]

Summer fruiting ones fruit next year on the canes that will grow this year. So don't expect a lot!

[Christine]

From experience I've found that raspberries are a hungry crop in that to do well I've had to feed them once a month (chicken pellets in my case but I suppose growmore will do) with some seaweed extract thrown in for trace elements a couple of times in the season. They also need watering regularly as the roots are near the surface.  They seem to like a sunny corner sheltered from the wind.

Works for us on our site anyway - oh and we start with a fertile clay which helps. So long as you add plenty of compost as an improver.

Not sure if that's all by the book by it's what works where we are.

[SG6]

For ease of maintenence Autumn fruiting are probably the easiest as the grew, fruit then you cut them down in the winter and start the same routine the next year. So it is Grow, Eat, Chop.

Several autumn fruiting varieties around, have a look at the Ken Muir web site for the more modern varieties. It is the only site I know that lists a few varieties and give details, there will be others.

Summer fruiting varieties need you to maintain 2 years of growth so a little more on the maintenence side. You have to know which ones to cut out or no raspberries.

If you order some Autumn one's and get them in when it thaws, feed a bit and mulch them then you may get a few this year. More the years after as they mature.

Raspberry roots tend to be near the surface so they don't like to dry out, hence the mulch.

Edit:
Just read on another post that someone has the variety Joan J and says they are a heavy cropper and crop from July to October.

[mumofstig]

I planted Autumn Bliss in spring 2009, with lots of compost at the roots.
They started to fruit in August and didn't stop till the cold weather started. theywere Yummy!
If you also plant a few summer ones they will fruit next year, unless you buy the long cane ones (quite expensive!) which will fruit this year

here is an example

[Shadrak]

Hey all,
           Could anyone give me an idea how much fruit l would be likely to see from 10 Autumm Blisscane's need to keep a 4 year old happy grazing.

[mumofstig]

I had a good handful a day from 5 canes, once they started fruiting

[DD.]

In a couple of years - you'll feed the street as they spread like wild fire.

This year 10 canes - next year 60, year after 360...... if you get my drift.

I started with about 10 that were given to me. I now have a 32' x 6- hedge of them.