[sclarke624]

I have a red raspberry on my Autmn Bliss, bit early methinks.  Only planted last November.  Loads more to come but still green.

[barney rubble]

nice one - my earlies are just ripening up!

[sclarke624]

oh and I meant to ask....the only raspberries I have ever seen have always been really dark red, how would I know when to pick the Autumn bliss.  At the mo' that one raspberry is a pretty shade of pink.  Yes I may of exaggerated saying it was red.

[barney rubble]

mine are still yellowy green - perhaps they are Autumn Bliss too (but you're much further south than me)! 

The berry is fine to pick when it just comes away from the stalk (don't know what the techi name for it is, but the soft pointy bit its growing round). It will fall off into your hand.  It tends to be quite a bright red - so not too dark - attempting to pick is your best guideline ....unless anyone advises differently...

[sclarke624]

Sounds about right and sensible.

[mumofstig]

What a bummer if you've got the cream and you're all ready to eat it and it's not ready to fall into your hand. have you got netting on? cos the nice Mr Alan T says that the birds always think raspberries are ready to eat before we think they are...wouldn't want you to loose out

[sclarke624]

I have the cream sitting here in a bowl as we speak.................oh well will just have to fill the bowl with my luscious home grown strawberries instead, its a hard, hard life but someones got to do it.

And no I'm not going to send them down the line to you they will get squashed.

Must put that netting on though you're right, wait for my next post saying you know that netting you said to put on and I was going to well.........................

[mumofstig]

And no I'm not going to send them down the line to you they will get squashed.

  still waiting for my strawbs to ripen, and the autumn raspberries i put in have a few little fruits and some new flowers, same as yours............and i've still got to get the netting from wilkos...hope they still got some...i'm going into town on wednesday so i'll have a look then

[sclarke624]

I was very naughty as I kept something that was delivered to me by mistake which included a roll of netting.  I had rung and complained about some of the fittings on the thing they sent me, so they sent some new parts out, and then this arrived as well, company must of got the labels mixed up.  That was 10 weeks ago so think I will be safe to use it now as no one has asked for it back. 

[mumofstig]

Dear Clarke624,
i think a company has delivered a roll of netting to your address by mistake. Please forward to the correct address:-
MumofStig,
 4.......................,
Ashford,
Kent.
Thanks for your help in this matter.
Yours sincerely

ME

[sclarke624]

HAHA

Don't think so missy.

[DD.]

When I got my first plot where I currently am, about 8 years ago, I was given about 10 straggly twigs of Autumn Bliss raspberries. I now have a 32' hedge of them.

The chap who gave them to me told me that for some reason the birds won't touch them.

He was right, no one on our sites nets autumn raspberries. Whether they won't touch them as there's plenty of other food around, I don't know.

[Faz]

I have twelve cheapo raspberry plants that I bought from Aldi. I stuck them in Morrison's flower buckets because I didn't have room to put them in and I am surprised how much fruit there is on them. I have no idea which one is which mind, as there were no labels, but I am sure they will taste nice just the same! I just wish they would hurry up 

[sclarke624]

Believe it or not I have never tasted Raspberries, except in smoothies so the wait is killing me.  If I don't like them and I am a fussy eater they will be fine in my smoothies which are a new found love.

Bit worried about the 32' hedge bit though DD.  Mine are in pots.  Think the field mice and birds prefer the strawberries anyway.  Although a fat (from nicking the little birds food) pigeon did land on a twiggy branch and break it of.