[ianjmatt]

Wilkos have their fruit canes out on the shelf already. Is it safe to put them in the ground?

[Trillium]

As long as the canes have not put out leaves or shoots yet, you can plant them out. Otherwise, it will set them back in growing time if any shoots get frosted.

[galen]

As long as the canes have not put out leaves or shoots yet, you can plant them out. Otherwise, it will set them back in growing time if any shoots get frosted.

What happens to established canes which have already started to put shoots out ? I have an Autumn variety, this is its 2nd year, and for some reason they've already started to sprout. Will they be OK ?

[viettaclark]

If they're Autumn plants you should cut the canes right down to the ground and new canes grow from the roots ready for Autumn fruiting. If you haven't cut them down they will bud and shoot on the old canes and give you some (usually small) fruit this Summer as well.
Purists would recommend you stick to the method right for your particular canes but I get two crops a year with lots of feeding and watering.
When the Summer crop has finished cut the dead canes back to the ground and your Autumn canes will have more light and space.
You might like to experiment?

[galen]

Sorry, my fault, didn't make it clear. All the canes were cut back to ground level a couple of weeks ago but I can already see new shoots springing up "on the raspberry patch". Just wondering whether a frost (like last night) will harm them ?

Though suppose shouldn't really worry too much, planted 6 canes last year, those developed into 10 and already seeing at least 6 shoots this early in the year so I think I should be alright in the end 

[mumofstig]

sprouting plants in the ground will not be troubled, as they are used to outdoor conditions. It's going from warm inside the store to freezing cold outside that can harm the plants.

[galen]

sprouting plants in the ground will not be troubled, as they are used to outdoor conditions. It's going from warm inside the store to freezing cold outside that can harm the plants.

Thank you MOS, glad to hear it, another 2 shoots have appeared over the last few days, fortunatley there are loads of rasberry lovers in these parts, especially my daughter