[Touché Turtle]

Hello all,
I've been (quiet) member of the forum for some time, as a chicken keeper, but now I'm also an allotment holder.. hurrah!

My quick question relates to the rasperry bushes on my new plot. There are 5 tucked away at the end, but I don't know if they're summer or autumn varieties, so don't know whether I should cut them back or not.
I believe that cutting back summer ones stops them fruiting the following year, but will it hurt autumn ones to NOT be cut back? Should I just leave them be until they fruit?
Any advice gratefully received.
Thanks, TT

[mumofstig]

If you can see the remains of flowers/fruit on any of the stems then cut those ones out now - this applies to Summer and Autumn ones, so quite safe 

If you can't then you'll have to wait and see what happens. .....they'll look a bit scrappy next year without pruning, but you will get some fruit whatever type they are.

[Poolcue]

Ask an allotment neighbour when they flowered this year.

[Salmo]

If you can see the remains of flowers/fruit on any of the stems then cut those ones out now - this applies to Summer and Autumn ones, so quite safe 

Follow this advice and you cannot be wrong. If they are autumn raspberries that will be every stem.

As a rule Autumn varieties only usually grow to about 4 ft and need minimum support. Summer varieties grow to 5/6 ft and will usually have a support frame of some sort.

[JayG]

As a rule Autumn varieties only usually grow to about 4 ft and need minimum support. Summer varieties grow to 5/6 ft and will usually have a support frame of some sort.

Can only speak for Autumn Bliss but mine mostly grow taller than me (6')

[Touché Turtle]

Thank you for the advice folks. I shall look closely for remains of fruit when I pop down there tomorrow (rain allowing), although I would have thought any fruit would be well over by now?  I think they must be autumn ones anyway as they're quite short stems, hadn't realised summer ones were much taller.