[Allotment Jon]

Last year or the year before I planted about 8 Raspberry plants. All of a sudden this year they shot up to about 4 foot with not much to see at the lower level. I put in canes for support but I only had small canes so once in the ground are about 4 foot high.

Last weekend I went down the plot and because of the recent rain have shot up to about 6 foot in height.

My question is am I safe to cut down to the height of my support canes or just leave as they are.

[JayG]

Leave them alone!

If you cut down autumn raspberries now you will drastically reduce your crop, if summer you should do no more than a little judicious tidying to make sure they get through the winter without suffering too much damage.

[Allotment Jon]

Thanks, will try that. Lets just hope they do not reach 16ft with all the expected rain.

[JayG]

Thanks, will try that. Lets just hope they do not reach 16ft with all the expected rain.

If they do I think you should contact the Guinness Book of Records! 

As long as the stringing for your 6' canes is around 3' off the ground that should be enough to stop them getting damaged (they're not that delicate!) 

[sunshineband]

Check the tops of the plants as you might find they are budding now  if they are an autumn variety 

[Swing Swang]

Don't cut down.

If you're only using short support canes then in addition to tying to the support canes bend each raspberry cane into a 'P' shape and tie in, then tie the bent bit of one 'P' to the upright bit of an adjacent 'P' to form a mutually supporting circle/tangle of canes. I've done this for the last couple of years and have posted pictures under the 'Flowerdew' method on this site. Works for a small clump of canes.

Make the structure more ridgid than you think necessary becaus the weight of the leaves and fruit will make the structure 'flop around a bit in the spring/summer.

I feel that my 'P-tie', works better than just bending and tie-ing as suggested in one of Bob Flowerdew's books, as each cane is tied at least twice so that there are no 'loose ends' and the structure is mutch more ridgid.

Secondly the ties need to last nearly 10 months (Sept to June) so need to be secure and strong. I'm a big fan on using strips cut from stockings/tights as plant ties even though they don't biodegrade. They're really strong, can be cut wide enough not to damage the canes/plants, and have a little bit of 'give' in them.

SS