[Hitman]

Hello all,

I planted some Summer fruiting raspberries "Glen Ample" earlier this year, and have had lots of growth with fruit on the new growth.  I thought Summer fruiting raspberries bore fruit on last year's growth so I don't really understand why I've had fruit on the growth from this year.  I was expecting growth with no fruit.  So now I am confused as to what to prune.

Firstly, can I prune out the original cane?  It has produced no growth and is just an old stick in the middle if the new growth.

Secondly, should I prune out any of this year's growth to get more fruit next year or will I be taking out the growth on which next year's fruit will appear?

Lastly, whatever I should do, when should I do it?

Thanks in advance.

HM

[BobE]

Ive managed to find this on the BBC and RHS also there is a video link at the end will help with pruning.



'Glen Ample' produces masses of large, tasty, deep red raspberries from July to August. The fruit freeze well so any excess can be used later. They also make excellent jam and jellies, as well being delicious fresh fruit for desserts. The canes are vigorous and spine-free, making picking the fruit trouble-free. As with all summer fruiting raspberries, the canes that have fruited should be cut back to ground level as soon as all the fruit has been picked. For the biggest crops, mulch around the plants each year with well-rotted manure and tie the canes onto horizontal support wires. Propogate by seed or cuttings in Summer or Winter. The Royal Horticultural Society have given it their prestigious Award of Garden Merit.


Plant raspberry canes in a row against the wire supports, allowing a distance of 60cm (24") between plants. Water well. Canes should be pruned to 15cm (6") above ground level immediately after planting to encourage more shoots to be produced.


Water summer fruiting raspberries well for the first year until plants are fully established. Loosely tie the stems in to their support wires as they grow. When berries begin to develop, place a net over the plants to protect the crop from birds. In autumn, prune the canes which have fruited over summer to ground level. Canes which have not fruited should be 'tied in' to their supports. Aim to have 6 to 8 fruiting canes per plant. Apply a mulch of well rotted manure or garden compost to the base of the canes in spring. This will help to retain moisture throughout the summer.


Floricane - produces fruit on second year wood.


How To Prune Raspberries (Video)
An instructional video by Stephen on how to prune raspberries. Includes advice on pruning Summer fruiting (floricane)


http://www.victoriananursery.co.uk/How_To_Prune_Raspberries_Video/

[dugless]

I am strugling to understand as far as I am aware new canes come up in the late summer/autumm

you cut out the old canes when they have finnished fruiting.

So yours should have sent up a new set of canes.

late raspberries do come up in the spring fruit in the same year and you cut them down in Febuary

so I wonder if you have the  late fruiting type.


 

[syks grower]

My summer fruiting did produce a small crop the first year so
Re prunning If you are not sure which type you have got I would only cut out the old sticks and leave the rest of the growth.
Next year if you get two crops one from the old canes and one from the new it must be a autumm type.
If it is glen ample then it should only crop on the old canes.

Prunning this way you are sure to get a crop.

[seaside]

There's so much comment online and on here re Summer and Autumn raspberries, so why are so many plant intelligent people, including me, still not sure which plants they have 3, 4, or 5 years in to growing raspberries ? In fact, are many of these raspberries as confused as we are with the changing seasons ?

I have got fed up with distinguishing which raspberries I inherited, and in all truth they are probably a dog's dinner of a mixture. So, to me, there is only one way to find out this Winter. Come December, prune back to ground ANY shoot that has fruited ... full stop .. no messing.
Is there any logic that says that's a bad idea ?

[allotmentann]

Seaside your logic is fine, that is exactly what I do. A cane that has fruited w ill not fruit again, just cut those back every year and you will be fine whatever type of raspberries  you have. It all gets far too complicated otherwise!

[Hitman]

Thank you so much for all the replies.  This site is brilliant.

I love it.

HM

[BobE]

We think so too, glad your in.

[Hitman]

Hello,

I have replied to this old topic as it still causes "a healthy discussion" between myself and my wife.

I think I understand that I need to keep any shoots that have not fruited this year and prune the rest down.  As the fruit will appear on that wood next year.

However, now that the plants are a couple of years old, it is obvious to me that the canes that grow this year and do not fruit, are already taller than me - I'm not that tall but still 5'6".  So when the bear fruit next year I need at least a garden chair, or for some near the centre of the bed, a ladder, to harvest them.

I know this is correct as it's what I am having to do to pick this year's crop on last year's wood.

So my question is, is there any way I can partially prune back this year's growth to keep next year's crop at a reasonable height. 

Sorry if I have missed the answer elsewhere.

Regards

Hitman

[Aunt Sally]

It might help you to understand how to grow the different types of raspberry if you read John's advice:

http://www.allotment-garden.org/grow-your-own/raspberry.php

[crh75]

You can cut the tops off of the taller canes, I trim canes to a few inches above the top training wire.  I find it is best to do this in winter/early spring as they will just throw up new stems from the buds just below the cut if you do it now.