[rugbymad40]

Okay. I'm going to give some soft fruit a crack this year as swapping for salad veg did not get us as much as we would have liked last year.

Strawberries have been very successful for us over the past few years, but bushed fruit is a little scary.

Question 1: If I buy canes this year will I get fruit this year as well?

Question 2: Should I put some well rotted manure in the growned prior to planting?

Question 3: Can they be grown in adjacent rows?

Question 4: Can they be grown with Black Currents (which I am being given next month as transplants from another plot)?

As usual any advice or assistance offered will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks you

Rugbymad40

[paintedlady]

You will get some fruit off the raspberries but they usually take a year to get established and start producing a decent crop.  Yes to the manure, also mulch them well.  Raspberries need water during hot dry weather when fruit is forming.

Raspberry canes spread by sending shoots up from the roots, whereas blackcurrants are more a twiggy "bush".  I wouldn't grow them too close together but no reason to keep them separated other than the way they each grow. Or did you mean blackberry (as in like a cultivated bramble?)

When growing in rows, think about how you are going to pick the fruit.  You will need to get good access.  Also remember about how raspberries send new shoots - you might start off in a straight line but they might have other ideas

PS  Gooseberries are thorny bushes - don't plant your raspberries too close to them otherwise you'll be saying "oh, ouch, ow, ouch" and cursing all the time

[wellingtons]

... but gooseberries are normally grown as bushes rather than canes, so you need to make sure you give them enough space, about 5ft seems to ring a bell.  They fruit successfully for years.

You should ideally plant them into ground that was manured last autumn, because if you're not careful you'll get too much sappy green growth early on ... gooseberries that is.  

I think gooseberries set buds in the autumn that will be next year's fruit, so I doubt you'll get fruit in the first year.

Raspberries you can work in as much well rotted manure as you like when you plant them (preferably before March).  It depends on which type of raspberry you have as to whether you get fruit this year.   Summer ones fruit on new shoots on last years stems, autumn ones fruit on this years stems.  So if you've got summer ones, maybe no fruit this year.  They need to be planted 3ft apart.

Summer rasps need support, autumn ones don't.  They need different pruning techniques too, so you really need to know which ones you've got.

And yes they can all be grown near each other.

Hope that helps a bit ... but someone who knows more'n me will be along shortly!

[Trillium]

The others covered the topics pretty well. I can only add that pruning the various currants and gooseberries require different times. Even I can't remember what gets cut where and when, so I got a good reference book and made myself a simple chart that I keep posted in the laundry room where I store my seeds and gardening equipment. This way, a quick look and I know what needs some work at the right time.

[gobs]

Pretty much covered as Trill says but hurry up a bit, as goosegogs start very early , depending on variety, also consider they will all appreciate a bit of shade some hours of the day.

[londongardener]

I planted a Tayberry last year in March and got 2-3 + punnet
Definetly worth going for.
I also got some autumn raspberries from stuff planted in January but the Tayberry was better yield.

[sweet nasturtium]

On the subject of rasps, I now realise that I should have pruned mine last year after fruiting.  Should I do it now (they're just starting to show signs of regrowth.

Sorry to hijack thread a little.

[gobs]

On the subject of rasps, I now realise that I should have pruned mine last year after fruiting.  Should I do it now (they're just starting to show signs of regrowth.

Sorry to hijack thread a little.

Summer ones: lose last years woody canes, will easily break these.

Autumn: cut down all stuff very quick. :shock:

[sweet nasturtium]

Thanx gobby