[Baldy]

I grow (or try to grow) a lot of soft fruit on my plot - probably about 1/3 given over to rasps/strawbs/gooseberry etc.
I'm contemplating reducing the amount given over to raspberries because of space/weeding/their determination to spread. It seems to me that my autumn ones are easier to manage - they don't appear to spread as readily and are easier to cut back and so on. So, removing most of my summer canes is likely what I'll do - but am I right about how they spread? I inherited the autumn canes a yeare and a bit ago so don't know the variety nor whether they will suddenly turn triffid...

Cheers,
Balders

[pigguns]

I'm not an expert here, but I found loads of runners popping up around my gooseberries today, I thought I'd taken them all out last season and they are deffo Autumn ones. 

I dug all my Autumn ones out (and left the Summer ones in) in winter from the plot and took them home because I found I couldn't get to the plot quickly enough in Autumn damp weather to harvest and they got mildew really quickly.  I hardly had a crop although there was loads of fruit, whereas my garden I can dash down everyday to pick (IF I can get there before the kids do!)

[mumofstig]

I'm not an expert here, but I found loads of runners popping up around my gooseberries today, I thought I'd taken them all out last season and they are deffo Autumn ones. 

I dug all my Autumn ones out (and left the Summer ones in) in winter from the plot and took them home because I found I couldn't get to the plot quickly enough in Autumn damp weather to harvest and they got mildew really quickly.  I hardly had a crop although there was loads of fruit, whereas my garden I can dash down everyday to pick (IF I can get there before the kids do!)

gooseberries?   

[solway cropper]

I only grow autumn rasps as there's plenty of other soft fruit during the summer and if the autumn is mild I can still be picking rasps in early November!

As for them not suckering as much as summer ones...could you please tell that to mine as they seem determined to cover the entire garden!

[Paul Plots]

I had both... one lot was on the /2 plot when I took it over and the Autumn lot were given to me by a neighbour at home... he decided it was too much work to dig a patch for the ones he had ordered through a newspaper so gave them to me.

Having summer and autumn varieties extends the season but... my summer fruiting lot produce far more fruit and grow very healthily. My autumn ones seem less robust.

Summer = loads of new plants springing up (easy enough to dig out if caught early)
Autumn = mine seem to need more attention to produce a good quantity of fruit - compact - no trouble with spreading

In the next day or two I'm off to the Lottie to dig up a few rooted canes in the hope that I can establish a new raspberry patch at home. I wonder if I'm trying this at completely the wrong time of year. 

[JayG]

Only grow autumn rasps, partly due to space limitations, but also because here at least summer rasps tend to get eaten by birds whereas autumn ones, rather surprisingly, don't.

They are invasive, but a vertical barrier of plastic sheeting, or in my case spare pond liner, buried to a depth of about 18" in the soil and 18" away from the row does more or less control that (although in my case I only did it on the plot side so I have had suckers coming up in the nearby hedge and also in my delphinium border.  )

[Paul Plots]

That's interesting about which ones the birds choose to eat JayG. I hadn't really noticed that on the allotment maybe because there were quite a few canes.

In the past I haven't attempted to net any of my raspberries - I'm sure the birds have a few but there's always been plenty left for us. On the new home plot I'm expecting trouble not just from birds but from the squad of squirrels that watch my every move from next-door's little copse at the far end of the garden.

Lovely things squirrels until they decided to "help" with the gardening. Great to watch but no idea about what to dig up or plant! Apples really won't grow well if planted in place of spring bulbs in the tubs under the kitchen window out front. 

PS
Do you think I stand a chance of successfully transplanting raspberries at this time of year?

[pigguns]

gooseberries?   

erm... I know I'm dyslexic but yes (I had to check I'd spelled it rite  ), my rasps are by my goosey gogs and runners pop up under my bushes.

Paul- I'd say give it a go and make sure they are kept damp/shady for a bit, they are in full 'grow' so should take ok, it's not ideal but sometimes  you just gotta do what you gotta do. I've potted up suckers around now before and they've been fine.  Good luck.

[JayG]

That's interesting about which ones the birds choose to eat JayG. I hadn't really noticed that on the allotment maybe because there were quite a few canes.

I think it's probably because the likely suspects, mainly sparrows and blackbirds, tend to have moved on elsewhere by late summer/autumn Paul, although that may well not apply everywhere (might not even apply here this year!!    )

[Paul Plots]

That's interesting about which ones the birds choose to eat JayG. I hadn't really noticed that on the allotment maybe because there were quite a few canes.

I think it's probably because the likely suspects, mainly sparrows and blackbirds, tend to have moved on elsewhere by late summer/autumn Paul, although that may well not apply everywhere (might not even apply here this year!!    )

I think the word "squirrels" will become far too common in my vocabulary... "He's not on about squirrels again is he!!" First they liked the shallots and now.... watch out raspberry canes.     

[Ma Lowe]

I had autumn and summer fruiting raspberries in our garden, got rid of the autumn ones because they weren't that good and stuck with the summer ones which are Tulameen. I have a long line of summer fruiting raspberries (don't know the variety) on our plot it runs the full length of the plot (30mt) serving as a hedge between us and the next plot. We are slowly starting to take them out though as the amount of runners popping up in our plot as well as next doors plot is unbelievable. We have them popping up about 5ft away from the original plants too. I prefer the summer ones and always get a huge crop of them which I give a quick wash and then freeze. They freeze week and can be used in jellies for jam or as I often did, in cakes with fresh cream mmmmm 

[Debz]

I have Autumn raspberries mostly but have started getting some summer ones now too.  My autumn ones don't fruit heavily but there is something nice about being able to pick fresh raspberries off the plants in the weak winter sun.  They still taste better than shop bought so I'll keep some autumn but expand my summer collection.