[mrs_armitage]

My grandma is going to give me a few raspberry plants from her lottie, and i was wondering how i would go about planting these and if they would fruit this year?
Can anyone give me some tips on where they should be planted also, dont want it all to be a waste of her time!

[Trillium]

There are 2 different types of raspberries - summer fruiting and everbearing. Each requires different pruning techniques so ask what you're getting from granny. As for a site, raspberries need full sun or as much as they can get. And the better prepped and rich the soil, the better the yield. Cultivate the soil as deep as you can, add lots of old manure, some bonemeal and any compost you have as they'll be there a long time. Water the hole before planting so the roots have something to survive on, then water occasionally until you see the plants are responding with growth (when the weather warms up a bit)

[bonfire]

If they are summer fruiting don't let them fruit this year. What you want is a good year's growth and lots of new canes to fruit next year. Cut them back to 18 inches after planting and once they're on their way mulch them with as good stuff as you can get before the summer drought.

I like having mine in a strict line across the plot and when I planted them put really stout, braced posts in to train wire to keep them well tied in for wind protection and easier picking. They send out roots in all directions when doing well to spread into a wide patch if you let them so be prepared, if you like a line, to keep cutting these runners back to keep them in their bed.

The reward is well worth the wait. We stuffed ourselves and our neighbours for a couple of months and I still have pounds of frozen rasberries, each separate like fruit jewels in the freezer.

You may get fruit from Autumn fruiting canes this year. They are much better than no raspberries but the best summer fruiting are incomparable.

[DD.]

You may get fruit from Autumn fruiting canes this year. They are much better than no raspberries but the best summer fruiting are incomparable.

That is totally a matter of opinion and one I cannot agree with.