[yorkiegal]

I want to put some gooseberry bushes and raspberry canes in soon, which will be barerooted. Do I need to protect these against frost?

[LosingThePlot]

I put my rasp canes in, over in Haxby, about a month ago with no protection and they're doing ok. Even showing small signs of growth. And we've had a few harsh frosts over that time.


.......watch them fall on their bum now 

[Yana]

I moved a load of raspberry plants a week or so ago and don't intend covering them. They are quite hardy aren't they??

[Kristen]

They are very hardy, so should be fine.  Should not be planted when the ground is actually frozen (they  will be happy for a few days in a shed, with roots wrapped to keep them moist, if the ground is frozen / water-logged), and don't prepare planting holes in advance (the soil within them will get cold, if the holes are left open - so "prepare planting hole/soil, backfill, re-open to actually plant" is better)

[yorkiegal]

thanks for that peeps

By the way, I have some fully rotted manure to mix in where I am going to plant the bushes but I also have a load of fresh horse manure thanks to a free delivery to our site. Would it be ok to use that as a mulch in the areas between bushes as long as I don't put it round the base or could it still burn them?

If not, I have a big bag of bark chips.

[sunshineband]

It 'twas me, I would stack the fresh manure and let it rot down well, and use the woodchip for mulching.