[Elcie]

When we first got our plot it was completely overgrown.  One of the neighbours came and had a look and told us how lucky we were as we had a raspberry bush already at the back.  About half an hour later my son's friend was very pleased with himself as he had dug up the 'weed' at the back of the plot - yes, the raspberry!

Anyway, it has miraculously survived and is growing well.  It now has fruit on it but it is light pink.  When I take one and eat it, it tastes like a raspberry, it just looks very strange.  Is this a special variety or am I just not leaving them long enough to go red?

[tode]

Raspberries do have quite a wide range of colours, but when they're ripe they sould almost fall off when you touch them. Try to be a little more patient. 
Perhaps with some TLC, it will develop a better colour next year. 

[janette]

sounds like automn fruiting raspberries if they are ripe now. they should be a nice ruby red for best flavor. they will need to be cut right down when they have finished fruiting to get a good crop next automn

[Paul Plots]

sounds like automn fruiting raspberries if they are ripe now. they should be a nice ruby red for best flavor. they will need to be cut right down when they have finished fruiting to get a good crop next automn

Autumn fruiting..... thanks, Janette. I have a whole long row of raspberries - mixed types and season. Some frutied early (delicious) and now I have the Autumn ones doing their thing....g r a d u a l l y. They seem to be slower ripening but, as has been said, with patience they turn deep red and drop into your hand as you pick them.

I knew that one lot should be cut down to the ground as they fruit on new growth while the others fruit on last year's canes. Trouble is I couldn't remember which was which.

Floracane / primacane... If only I had started from scratch and planted them in two different positions instead of adding new plants in dribs and drabs as I was given them / bought special offers through the newspaper!!  :blink:

[Elcie]

Ah, so I have just been picking them too early, typical of me!  Thanks for the advice, I will cut them down to ground level once they have finished fruiting.  They are right at the back of my plot so might consider putting a fence there so they don't go over to the neighbours next year.

[tode]

Elcie: wait for the leaves to drop off before cutting down: your canes will be stronger next year 

[Paul Plots]

Elcie: wait for the leaves to drop off before cutting down: your canes will be stronger next year 

On Autumn fruiting  raspberries do you cut the whole lot of canes down or should you only cut out the canes that have flowered / fruited this year?

[DD.]

Cut the lot down, saves a lot of work. They will fruit on next year's new canes.

[Paul Plots]

Cut the lot down, saves a lot of work. They will fruit on next year's new canes.

Thanks DD.... I need; "saves a lot of work" as time is short what with my parent's garden, our own garden and work. Retirement sometimes looks good despite the huge drop in income!

All I need to do now is work out what to do with the early summer fruiting raspberries and I've cracked it.. 

[DD.]

Summer fruiting - cut out any that have fruited and leave this year's shoots to fruit next year.

[Paul Plots]

Thanks, DD. You're a star!! 

[janette]

To tell the difference between summer and winter is a bit of a job when you've got them all mixed up I know I have !! if you look at each cane for old flower heads that's the ones that have to go , so good luck . Raspberries make lovely wine if you ever get excess.

[Paul Plots]

To tell the difference between summer and winter is a bit of a job when you've got them all mixed up I know I have !! if you look at each cane for old flower heads that's the ones that have to go , so good luck . Raspberries make lovely wine if you ever get excess.

I think I have it sorted .... Autumn varieties fruiting now so I must label them somehow... maybe with a coloured cane in the middle then chop the lot down after the leaves have fallen. (I hope I've got that bit right now  )

Summer fruiting... those without the coloured canes and then I'll need to hunt for signs of where the fruit was...  That'll be interesting  then I just cut out the canes that fruited in the summer.....

I suppose the answer would be to buy another lot of summer fruiting and to make a new row... and move the summer ones I've already got to complete the new row. The following year I could buy some more late / Autumn raspberries and end up with two rows one of each type.... well there's the theory.   

If only I had been a bit more knowledgeable and decisive when I first began to find them on the plot and buy the odd few more from various places 

Many thanks for everyones patient help.... this has been more than useful - the books just confused me