[mark.carline]

I placed an order for 25x bare root raspberry plants (Autumn Bliss) and they have just turned up at home.

Can anyone give me any advice as to how to plant them ?

I am planning on putting them in an 8'x8' raised bed that the potatoes came out of about a month ago.

Currently my plan is to use 3 rows of (about so each one is spaced 1 foot apart in the row and then have about 2 foot between each row.  Each plant will get a good few spades of council compost (been sat on our site for about 6 months) along with a handfull of organic fruit feed (from B&Q).

I have also read that they should be planted as deep as the soil level mark on the stem (ie as per existing when they where taken out).

Anything else I should consider ??

Is adding some blood fish and bone something else i should consider ?

[DD.]

In my opinion you have twice as many canes as you need. Planting like that, the bed would quickly become one solid block.

You need at least 18" between plants and 6' between rows.

This means two rows of 6 plants fairly close to the edge of the bed and will need tying up, unless you have the space for a large overhang.

My 32 foot "hedge" of Autumn Bliss started life a just 10 or so twigs planted in a line.

It begs the question " do they have to be in a raised bed?

[simond9383]

I hope that you have a large freezer or a large family!  I started with 12 which is more than enough to keep the two of us in raspberries from August to early October.

I left about 5 feet between my Autumn Bliss and a row of trained Summer raspberries and they lean over and block the path.  Ignore the books that say they dont need support - assuming that you want to plant anything nearby!  One of my Winter jobs is to put in a parallel wire on either side of the row about 2 feet up to hold them back.

[Kristen]

"You need at least 18" between plants and 6' between rows."

I would plant a double row .... and then 6' between the rows

I planted 100 canes, 10 of each variety from blinking early to way-too-late (the way-too-late are just ready now, which in most years would be way-too-late).

We have a nice steady stream of Raspberries from July (I think, maybe a bit earlier) to now!

[DD.]

I would plant a double row .... and then 6' between the rows

Is that not what I said?

I planted 100 canes

 

[Kristen]

Is that not what I said?

Yeah, I reckon it is, but it aint how I read it. Sorry!

"This means two rows of 6 plants fairly close to the edge of the bed"

I took that to be a row at each edge of the bed ... with 8' inbetween ...

A double row on each edge of the bed .... yeah, that makes sense now.

You've quoted me out of context on the 100 canes.  Shocking. Where's that nice Mr Moderator? ....

I'll get my coat ...

[mark.carline]

thanks for all your replies.

I might stick with my 8 x 3 planting (8 plants in 3 rows) in my 8 foot by 8 foot bed for now (to get them going) and then move them into one long hedge at the edge of my plot next year (when the ground is ready).

Bit gutted I never managed to get the fruit bed dug over this year.

Has anyone had any luck in moving Autumn Bliss? is there a good / bad time to do it? (i am guessing that this next next year would be best).

[JayG]

They are best moved when dormant (any time from now until [just] before they start shooting again in spring, although having said that mine are still fruiting at the moment)

They won't appreciate being moved once growth has started but then again looks like you can afford to lose a few!

[tode]

And keep them really well mulched    (I use 10 inches of straw).

[Leedsniner]

Why such a deep mulch?

[tode]

Cos rasps have really shallow roots: they like to run almost on the surface.  Also cuts down watering tremendously,  and there are very few weeds that come through that (the ones that do are very easy to pull).

Keeps the roots nice and cool as well.

I'm slowly applying it to nearly all the garden.

[savbo]

anyone got any alternatives to straw they'd recommend?

M

[tode]

You can use any decent much: compost, leaf mold, dead leaves etc

I'm not very keen on bark chippings: expensive !

I tried using grass mowings, but found that it didn't last long, and seemed to give me more weeds rather than less.       

[savbo]

I've just been given a dozen Autumn Bliss suckers and I'm going to heel them into a trench while I spend a few weeks making sure I've got out every bit of weed root I can out of the new location, and also dig in some compost....

M

[tode]

Right          I was in such a hurry to plant my rasps (many, many years ago ) that I skimped on the weeding.     

Just getting the last traces of ground elder out now.