[Glosterboy]

Now here in the south we have just experienced our first frost. Is it now time to prune (back to 9 inches-ish) the autumn fruiting raspberry plants please? There is still unripe fruit on the plants. Is it too late for these now? Thanks.

[mumofstig]

If it stays wet the last fruit won't ripen, thry just go mouldy,but given a few dry days you may get a few more
The plants can be pruned down to the ground any time between now and about February.

[LilacSandy]

I have some Autumn Bliss that were still fruiting yesterday and have given me a good late crop, however I was disappointed by the flavour, the Polka that I have at the bottom of the plot is much better flavoured but slowed up at the end of September.

Does anyone know of a good flavoured raspberry that I could plant instead of Autumn Bliss that will give me a late crop?

[wbmkk]

Does anyone know of a good flavoured raspberry that I could plant instead of Autumn Bliss that will give me a late crop?

I look forward to seeing any reply ... as I was about to buy Autumn Bliss

I was speaking to a chap on the allotment today, who was saying some of the old fashioned varieties of fruit taste far better than modern ones. He mentioned blackberries. He took over a plot many years ago, which had 2 blackberries ... each looking a bit old and run down. He planted two new 'thornless ones' but eventually took them out ... the old ones sprung back onto life and the taste was far better.

Sadly he didn't know the variety.

So, does anybody know what the best tasting blackberries are, as well as the best rasps, as per LilacSandy's question.

What about gooseberries too please

I'm about to order fruit now, so I may as well get something that tastes good

[sunshineband]

I grow Polka and it is delicious, with large berries and a long cropping period. The final berries were frosted last night.

It does like a bit of water  from time to time, and I wonder if that might be why yours started to give up in September, Sandy? A decent feed and a mulch in the Spring helps them along too  Just a thought

[moose]

We have Joan J which we like and I read that they were a replacement for Autumn Bliss but have now been succeeded by Polka.

[mumofstig]

I grow Joan J which carried on in all the rain we've had - they started to go mouldy and all the water seems to dilute the taste.
Before that they were amazing - my plot neighbour pinched a few while I was talking to him and he said they were better than his 

[MrsPea]

Hi Lilacsandy, I've grown a very late Raspberry called Tulameen were still getting a bowl full at the moment, the fruits are a good size. we've been really pleased with them I have a feeling they came from T/M 

[solway cropper]

I picked just over a pound of Autumn Bliss today but the flavour is very disappointing. Still, a spoonful of sugar....

I don't normally cut back the canes till February.

[heloise]

Another vote here for Joan J - gorgeous flavour. Still have a few raspberries to pick, they go on for ages, at least in my experience.

[LilacSandy]

I grow Polka and it is delicious, with large berries and a long cropping period. The final berries were frosted last night.

It does like a bit of water  from time to time, and I wonder if that might be why yours started to give up in September, Sandy? A decent feed and a mulch in the Spring helps them along too  Just a thought

I may give them a good mulch with my compost as I have quite a lot still.  They started early Sunny, just before the Summer raspberries finished, and I had a huge crop over about a six week period.  The Autumn Bliss started cropping late in the season and still had a mass of blossom when the frost stopped them yesterday.  I may try moving some Polka to the top of the lotty where the Autumn Bliss are, and may also try a couple of canes of Joan J and Tulameen as well.  Should be getting my third plot soon so will have enough room to experiment, and I can never have enough raspberries.

[LilacSandy]

 Try a red gooseberry if you like a good sweet berry WBMKK,  I have a  Hinnomaki Red bush which is now three years old.  It gave me enough berries for a gallon of wine, loads of pies and as long as you cover with netting to stop the birds you can leave the berries on to become sweet and ripe and eat them straight from the bush.