[londongardener]

What varieties would people suggest?  Do they need protection from birds?

[mumofstig]

I grow Joan J unprotected and the birds don't touch them.

[WeavingGryphon]

I grow Joan J unprotected and the birds don't touch them.

I agree with Mum of Stig. These are supposed to be amazingly nice (upgrade from Autumn Bliss), amazing taste, great crops and come out of the freezer as nice as they went in. Their on our to get list along with Polka.

We grow Fall Gold and get massive tasty yellow fruit from it twice a year. But I believe there is a newer strain.

Yes they need protection from the birds, ours never get Raspberry Beetle.

[jaydig]

I grow JoanJ, too, and sometimes the birds might have a little peck, but I've noticed as soon as the blackberries are showing they leave the raspberries alone.
JoanJ has massive fruits, very tasty, which do tend to get smaller as the season goes on.  I only cut some of my canes down to about 2.5 feet high when pruning in the winter. This means that you get some earlier fruit on these, and  then where the rest canes were cut down to the ground new canes come in which fruit from the normal time onwards.  I usually have fruit from July until October when I do this, so they follow on from just when the strawberries are finishing.

[londongardener]

I wonder if there is a difference in bird behaviour between different places - as I noticed
WeavingGryphon lives in Aberdenshire whilst mumofstig lives in Ashford.

[Growster...]

Joan J here too!

It's their first full year, and next year will need a bit of thinning out, as they're crowding each other...

Plenty of feed makes a huge difference, as does plenty of water when it matters. I had a few Glen Moy left over, and just chucked them in as well, and they'll need a haircut as well, but they're finished just about.

... Forgot to agree with Mum, the birds don't seem to worry about them at this time of year, presumably because there's too much else to peck!

[londongardener]

Thank you, I forgot to mention that they will be between a blackberry hedge (thinning it now) and strawberries - any possible problems with doing that?

[JayG]

Raspberries form quite large clumps compared with the single stems they are usually bought and planted as, and also can throw up suckers some distance away from the parent plants.
Although you can pull the suckers up, they will come back from time to time, which is something you might need to bear in mind if you've got a strawberry patch nearby.

Mine are Autumn Bliss, and have had an exceptionally good year this year, but I suspect from the comments here (and elsewhere) that Joan J might be both bigger and better flavoured, which is something I might well be thinking about in the spring. 

Bird numbers in my garden vary a lot from month to month, but my raspberries have never been touched by them in the last 20 years I've been growing them here.

[andreadon]

I have autumn bliss in my garden and all I get is horrid chickens jumping up to eat them!   

[londongardener]

Raspberries form quite large clumps compared with the single stems they are usually bought and planted as, and also can throw up suckers some distance away from the parent plants.
Although you can pull the suckers up, they will come back from time to time, which is something you might need to bear in mind if you've got a strawberry patch nearby.

Mine are Autumn Bliss, and have had an exceptionally good year this year, but I suspect from the comments here (and elsewhere) that Joan J might be both bigger and better flavoured, which is something I might well be thinking about in the spring. 

Bird numbers in my garden vary a lot from month to month, but my raspberries have never been touched by them in the last 20 years I've been growing them here.

I should be ok for the first year, shouldn't I?  I can move the strawberries next year if needed.

[JayG]

Yes, possibly even a few years (you can never really predict what they're going to do - I've had them pop up in my hedge which is about 5' away from the row with an 18" slab path in between!)

[WeavingGryphon]

I wonder if there is a difference in bird behaviour between different places - as I noticed
WeavingGryphon lives in Aberdenshire whilst mumofstig lives in Ashford.

The earlier crop especially the plants near the currants gets bothered, now, not so much since there is Rowan berries to eat.
The ones near the currants suffer more as the stronger branches allow the black birds to sit in comfort and peck the raspberries. They prefer the currants more so they do more damage to the raspberries than anything. We get sparrows in both the currants and raspberries but I've never found what their after. Spiders probably.

[londongardener]

RV Roger supplies different varieties
Autumn Bliss £18 for 10, Joan J 26.50 for, Himbo £30 for 10.
Are they worth the extra compared to Autumn Bliss?

[Tenhens]

I took on a plot not long ago that has quite a large raspberry patch , not sure as to variety , have decided to clear most of it , as the suckers have spread and I intend planting veg .

[WeavingGryphon]

RV Roger supplies different varieties
Autumn Bliss £18 for 10, Joan J 26.50 for, Himbo £30 for 10.
Are they worth the extra compared to Autumn Bliss?

I am sure there are cheaper places to buy.
Quick internet search says  if you buy 10 canes ScotPlants direct has Joan J for £1.19 per cane. Autumn Bliss for £1 per cane. Postage is a thing. £5.99 up to 1KG, 7.99 up to 20Kg.
NOTE I've never bought from them so I can't say if they or their plants are any good.