[andyf75]

Hi all,
I planted these a couple of years ago, the first year got hardly any fruit, which I put down to the plants establishing themselves. I cut the canes back to the ground this winter and they look much healthier very lush and green and a metre or more high.
But there is hardly any fruit developing. One cane has some, but the rest almost nothing. Is it too early? Or should there be buds at least by now?
I thought this variety was prolific, but I'm thinking if nothing much happens this year I'll rip them out and start again.
Any thoughts?

[mumofstig]

Only a few flowers buds, so far, on my Joan J.

Maybe a bit of patience, plus watering if you managed to miss the recent rain.

[andyf75]

They've had a good soaking in the last couple of weeks, but I probably didn't water them enough before that...

Happy to be patient! and I'll water them if summer decides to return...

[Scottish Mike]

I got All Gold, Polka and Joan J from T&M at the start of the year. I moved the All Gold about 2 months ago from a pot to the ground, stressing that I'd disturb them too much, but with a mulch of manure they're currently fruiting away happily. The plants are a good height and there's a lot of fruit and it's a decent size which is encouraging.

Neither the Polka or the Joan J are looking anywhere near as happy though.

[sunshineband]

I grow polka too and am not all that further south than you. Mine are just over a metre tall and developing flower buds, some at the top of the plants and some on growth from lower leaf axils.

If yours do not do well this year, a good feed of Sulphate of Potash around February will help imho

[andyf75]

OK an update.

Still no fruit.

Presumably this years crop is a write off, which is fine, but I want to avoid the same happening next year? Its possible that the soil is not well draining enough or that I didn't water enough during the dry spell earlier in the summer or that I didn't feed the soil enough. Which is most likely? The plants look very healthy. Is it worth digging them up when I cut them back and adding gravel/sand underneath and putting manure on?

I realise its been a very poor summer, but surely you'd expect a few fruits? They haven't even produced flowers.

Thanks for any advice!

[Goosegirl]

Could it be that there's too much nitrogen in the soil?

[Headgardener22]

My Polka have been harvesting extremely well. The plants are two year old 10 plants and about 6lbs every two days since the middle of August.

Last year I cut them down and covered them with Real Earth soil improver. The freezer is full and we've been eating Raspberries most evenings.

I have no suggestions as to why yours are a problem.

[andyf75]

Could it be that there's too much nitrogen in the soil?

I would say unlikely, if anything the soil is likely to be too poor in nutrients. I didn't really prepare the bed properly when I planted them and to be honest I've basically just left them to it other than cutting the canes back in Feb

Do you think its worth persevering or shall I dig them up and replant? They've been in two years now and produced next to nothing.

[andyf75]

One thing that has just occurred to me is that they may have been wrongly labelled as autumn fruiting so by cutting them back fully, I've never let the canes mature enough to fruit? Possible?

[Goosegirl]

I'd dig them up and see what the soil is like beneath, i.e. if it's compacted or feels very "thin."Get some compost or whatever and dig it in with added bonemeal, then replant but not too deeply. They like a mopisture-retentive soil and/or a good mulch in spring along with a good feed. Re- your last post, I did wonder if they were actually summer ones, so maybe worth investigating next year if they don't produce berries as they should.

[Headgardener22]

Autumn fruiting raspberries will fruit again on last years growth in the summer so you might still have a problem working out what they are.

What does the small amount of fruit you've got look like? My Polka are about one inch long and deep purple. The summer fruited variety I grow (don't know what it is) are less conical and don't go as dark.

[andyf75]

Autumn fruiting raspberries will fruit again on last years growth in the summer so you might still have a problem working out what they are.

What does the small amount of fruit you've got look like? My Polka are about one inch long and deep purple. The summer fruited variety I grow (don't know what it is) are less conical and don't go as dark.

They look like the raspberries you buy in the shops, reddish rather than purple and small.

Its a real mystery, I'm not a serious grower who tends the crop meticulously so I don't expect a fantastic crop, but there is clearly something drastically wrong. Am very tempted to just start again with some new plants.

[andyf75]

Sorry just reviving this thread again as I have researched everywhere and still not come up with an answer.

still no fruit - and no flowers. No buds no nothing.

I'm thinking the only possiblility is that they are summer fruiting and that by cutting them down to the ground in winter, I've never let them mature enough to fruit. Is that possible? Should I leave them this winter? Or just cut half down?

Thanks!

[TheWhiteRabbit]

It does sound very likely. The Polka that I planted early this year are fruiting really well. The summer rasps that I planted are very tall and healthy looking but no flowers or buds, so my guess is that you do indeed have summer rasps and not Polka.

I would leave them this year and see what happens next year. Alternatively you could sort of cut your losses and dig out half and replace with Polka, that way you'll be picking some fruit next year for sure.