[wasthiswise]

Last November I planted out several rows of various different raspberry canes on my new allotment. Some were bare rooted, others had been supplied in individual pots.

9 months on I find that the bare rooted ones have generally fared much better with only a couple of losses. But many of those that were supplied in pots have died. They've all gone into the same prepared soil so its not that.

Will be replacing them later in the year. My question: if the replacements are also supplied to me in potted form, would I get more success by washing off all the soil/compost first so they go in bare root?

TIA

[mumofstig]

Could it have been the variety supplied in pots, that didn't cope with the winter weather - rather than the fact they were in pots?

[sunshineband]

My original canes came as a 'bundle' potted up. I separated them before planting and they have been absolutely fine.

I am wondering if yours were like this or not?

[New shoot]

As Sunshine says the potted ones are often a bundle of canes that have been lifted bare root, then stuck in a pot of compost so they have better shelf life for transport and on the garden centre bench. 

Most of the soil falls off the multiple cane pots as you separate and plant them, but they are generally pretty sturdy canes with some decent roots that take well.  If they were a single cane rooted into a pot, these can be pretty spindly just-rooted cuttings, that might have struggled more over the winter 

[wasthiswise]

Thanks for your replies. They werent 'bundled' and potted, these were in separate pots, and I had the same problem with several varieties from different suppliers. In one case I bought 12 canes - which came as 12 separate potted plants each 1 cane - and of those 7 were lost. So, dont think this is specific to a particular variety. I just wonder whether the plants would prefer to be 'directly' planted into the soil thats to be their new home as it were and I could do that by washing off all they were supplied in and then planting as if bare root in the first place.

[Kristen]

If they have been grown in pots then they will be better planted as such - without root disturbance.

But personally I would choose to buy bare-rooted plants during the dormant season.  Cheaper, plus they will (should!) have been lifted shortly before despatch to me, whereas anything potted has been hanging around and possibly not watered often enough, or two much, particularly if its been at one of the local "Sheds" for some unknown length of time

[Yorkie]

I think pots have the risk of restricting root growth from which plants do not happily thrive.

I'd go for bare rooted in autumn.

[wasthiswise]

Agree about getting bare rooted where possible, I have generally done this but some varieties I have only been able to get potted. Such as the purple rasp glencoe. Given that bare rooted ones have simply had whatever soil they were in removed prior to despatch, strikes me that I ought to be able to do the same with those that arrive in pots.

[Kristen]

Given that bare rooted ones have simply had whatever soil they were in removed prior to despatch, strikes me that I ought to be able to do the same with those that arrive in pots.

If the potted ones you buy have been lifted from open ground, plonked in a pot, and then soil/compost chucked around the roots then I agree - removing the soil makes no difference - in fact it will probably all fall off anyway, once you tip it out of the pot

If the plant has been raised, and grown on, as "pot-grown" then you are comparing apples-and-oranges:

A plant raised commercially and sold as pot-grown has been specifically reared to be planted out without root disturbance. You can plant at any time of the year, and the plants will grow away without check.  However, plants that have become root bound in the pots may not grow on well, and it doesn't suit certain types of plants (for example Eucalyptus are very prone to never become stable in the soil if they have been pot grown to any significant size)

Bare-root plants have been grown specifically to be transplanted. For example, in the case of trees, they are often dug up and replanted several times before sale, or have their roots under-cut to force them to root shallow such that transplanting them will be successful.

Thus if you buy a pot-grown pot I would recommend that you plant it as such, and not disturb the roots.  If the plant's roots are just surrounded by compost, and the roots don't fill the pot, then it is in effect a bare root plant with soil around its roots for transport and/or to increase its shelf life whilst it sits around in a garden centre - personally I would avoid those as no telling how long they have been hanging around, and I would buy freshly lifted bare-root plants instead

[JayG]

A few years ago my 5 new Autumn Bliss plants were clearly 5 bare-rooted canes stuffed in a pot of compost (the label didn't say that of course, but they just don't grow like that naturally!)

Nothing wrong with that if it prolongs their shelf life, and they all took - there are usually other variables coming into play but there does seem to be a question as to whether genuinely pot grown rasps can become set back in some way (possibly pot bound but due to lack of horizontal space rather than sheer mass of roots?)

Given the extra cost it's hard to see the advantage of buying them that way.

(As ever, mine are 6-7' high again this year - I have to blame the nearby hedge blocking some of the light because other forum members have repeatedly advised that autumn raspberries only grow to around 5' - the crop is great so far though.  )

[Kristen]

I think even if rootbound and "impoverished" in a pot, they grow b y suckers so within a year, or two, of being planted out they will be doing-their-thing.

But as you say JayG no point paying extra for pot-grown.  However, I can see the attraction if that is the only format that some special desirable varieties are available in (and if the target market for that variety is small I can see the grower raising pot-grown plants for the benefit of year-round shipping & planting ability)

[wasthiswise]

Think I will experiment, with planting some as the potted rootball, and others I will bareroot-ise first then replant. And see what happens.

[Sparkyrog]

A few years ago my 5 new Autumn Bliss plants were clearly 5 bare-rooted canes stuffed in a pot of compost (the label didn't say that of course, but they just don't grow like that naturally!)

Nothing wrong with that if it prolongs their shelf life, and they all took - there are usually other variables coming into play but there does seem to be a question as to whether genuinely pot grown rasps can become set back in some way (possibly pot bound but due to lack of horizontal space rather than sheer mass of roots?)

Given the extra cost it's hard to see the advantage of buying them that way.

(As ever, mine are 6-7' high again this year - I have to blame the nearby hedge blocking some of the light because other forum members have repeatedly advised that autumn raspberries only grow to around 5' - the crop is great so far though.  )

interesting ! mine are well fed but never make more than 4' maybe it's the soil ?