[GardenShed]

When pruning back autumn raspberries it seems difficult to identify which canes are new - any advice on this?

Have been doing this recently and not sure if new canes have actually grown or not - there are brown canes and also ones which look like they have turned white.  Some canes seem smooth and others have bristles. Also tried seeing if they bend or snap, with the presumption that those that snap will be old and dead, but not sure even this is correct because there are a couple of canes which definitely are new because they appeared about half a metre away from the rest, and the top of one of them snapped off easily.

There are big clumps of cane stumps where I have cut down a lot of the canes, will they eventually rot away or do I have to dig them up?

Lastly, how would I go about transplanting these few new canes that have appeared away from the row?

[sunshineband]

Autumn raspberries can be cut right down to the ground, regardless of the colour of the stem. Their new canes have not really begin to grow yet, so a feed of sulphate of potash, or blood fish & bone will help them develop strong fruiting canes.

If you leave a few of the brown canes, which may even have tiny green shoots along them, you may get a small early crop from these. I never bother tbh, as the bounty in late summer is worth waiting for imho.

Hope that helps 

[Jackypam]

All my new shoots are less than 3 inches tall - easy to identify!

[mimilovell]

Sorry Im a complete newbie to gardening. I was wondering if I brought a raspberrie bush, how long would I need to wait until I get raspberries. Is it like growing strewberries? And would the roots be okay duing the winter, meaning I dont need to invest in a new plant next year?

[DD.]

Raspberries grow like weeds and there's no need to protect them over winter.

Autumn ones will fruit this year on the new canes they throw up. Summer ones will fruit next year on the new canes.

The amount of fruit you get first time around will be minimal, but will increase year on year as the plant throw up suckers.