[MyAchingBack]

I have just moved to a larger plot which has a large area full of raspberries. The bushes are very much overgrown and look out of control. I have never had much dealings with fruit before and I don’t know what to do with them. Can I cut then down to about 1 foot in height during autumn so that they will grow anew next year?

[sunshineband]

Look carefully at them stems.

If there is no fruit at all the chnaces are they are a summer fruiting variety, that fruit next year on stems growing now.

Some stems will look dark brown and dead . Cut these out

Some stems will be green. Thin these down so that you do not have a huge tangle. About 10 -20 com apart, with enogh space to get between them to pick fruit.

They might be up to 2m tall, and will neeed some sort of support. POsts and wires canhelp here, and if you train the canes in rows it makes this approach much easier.

Give them a good feed come February... mine like well rotted manure mixed with last autumn's leaves


If however they are fruiting they are (obvioulsy) autumn one so you can cut these right down, as they fruit on canes that will grow during next year.


Hope that helps

[MyAchingBack]

Thanks SSB. There is fruit but most of these appear to be dying off so I’m guessing I have a summer fruiting variety (?). When you say to thin down the green stems how far from the ground do I thin them? The stems are very long but have grown outwards more than upwards. There is some old wooded fencing around them but they have grown through this and are trailing everywhere.

[allotmentann]

Raspberries do usually need some sort of staking or support as they grow. It doesn't have to be anything complicated, a bamboo cane will do to tie them to. I can never remember which are autumn or summer fruiting varieties, however, neither fruit again on the same cane,so if you just remember to cut out any cane that has fruited you won't go wrong. You cut the old/unwanted canes right down to  the ground 

[MyAchingBack]

Thank you both. I think I will have to make some form of support for them so that at least I will be able to see which way they are growing!

[mumofstig]

Raspberries do usually need some sort of staking or support as they grow.

Autumn fruiting ones are usually grown without support, they don't grow as tall as the summer ones - that's why they're the ones I grow 

[MyAchingBack]

Mine are growing 12-15 feet outwards 

[allotmentann]

Raspberries do usually need some sort of staking or support as they grow.

Autumn fruiting ones are usually grown without support, they don't grow as tall as the summer ones - that's why they're the ones I grow 

I have both sorts and find my autumn ones do need the odd stake - more so on the older bushes. I wish that they would all just stay tidy and stay put! But I love raspberries, you can never have too many!

[MyAchingBack]

Grandchild number 9 is due in December. I NEED lots of respberries