[666]

I have just noticed that my raspberries have started to bud on the old canes from last year and need a bit of advice.  Shall I cut them back now?  I also need to thin them out a bit can I also do that now?

[mumofstig]

most important thing............are they summer or autumn raspberries?

You'll lose the fruit if you prune summer ones, but you're still ok to prune the autumn kind

[666]

Sorry should have said autumn ones.  I was just concerned as they have started to bud 

[DD.]

Go and do it NOW! I Only got around to doing mine a couple of days ago.

Last year due to illness I didn't get around to doing it at all. OK I had a few earlier fruit on the old canes, but the crop on the new ones wasn't anywhere near as good as the previous years.

[666]

Go and do it NOW! I Only got around to doing mine a couple of days ago.

Last year due to illness I didn't get around to doing it at all. OK I had a few earlier fruit on the old canes, but the crop on the new ones wasn't anywhere near as good as the previous years.

Off to put my wellies over my pj's and go and chop some canes!

[viettaclark]

DD I was going to leave mine as I got Summer AND Autumn crops from some of my plants last year by not cutting down.
Then I thought about it and having smaller berries for longer is not as good as the huge berries I got on the new canes in Autumn so I've cut them down.
It's done now but the old canes had alot of strong growth on. Will this impair the crop on the new canes which are just coming up, or could it be good in that there are more goodies for the new canes now?

[Salmo]

For some reason my Autumn canes sent up several new canes in late Summer last year. I have left a selected few of these and I am hoping for a summer crop from them. The rest I cut to the ground as normal.

[Paul Plots]

And... this clever lad has his summer and autumn raspberries all muddled up in a long row. Now that really does add to the confusion added to which there are several varieties. 

So this year I intend to mark the canes so that I know which fruited in the summer. It may give me a fighting chance to get the pruning right. Perhaps  :blink: 

Generally hopeless with raspberries 

[DD.]

DD I was going to leave mine as I got Summer AND Autumn crops from some of my plants last year by not cutting down.
Then I thought about it and having smaller berries for longer is not as good as the huge berries I got on the new canes in Autumn so I've cut them down.
It's done now but the old canes had alot of strong growth on. Will this impair the crop on the new canes which are just coming up, or could it be good in that there are more goodies for the new canes now?

By getting the old canes out now, you'll divert the plant,s growing energy into the new ones.

[ex-cavator]

I've just - literally ONLY just - put in both summer fruiting and autumn fruiting canes (Glen Clova & Autumn Bliss). The summer fruiting have a few buds on them. Do I need to further cut down either variety? Sorry, newbie-type question 

[DD.]

The Autumn Bliss could be cut down, but leave the others alone as you may get a few fruit off the canes. For this year you could leave well alone whilst they get established, then proceed as normal.

[Kristen]

And... this clever lad has his summer and autumn raspberries all muddled up in a long row.

Cut down the canes that have fruited, after they fruit. That will work fine for both Autumn and Summer fruiting types - and then you don't need to worry about knowing which-are-which (unless you have other reasons for wanting to know, of course )

[SG6]

Wouldn't worry too much about pruning them if  bit late.
The leaves produce the food not the roots, that why they have leaves. Photosynthesis produces the sugars that the plants uses as food. Roots take up water and a few minerals that are used in the process. Water+CO2+Sunlight+Leaf = Sugars.

If plants produced food at the root why would they grow leaves?
They would be useless and a waste of energy.
Leaves evaporate water so no leaves would mean the plant could survive in drier conditions as well as the wetter ones. Evolution isn't that daft.

[viettaclark]

Phew! Let's hope I get a decent crop in the Autumn........
Then I should think about getting some Summer canes perhaps.....hmmmm....more lawn disappearing....

[Paul Plots]

And... this clever lad has his summer and autumn raspberries all muddled up in a long row.

Cut down the canes that have fruited, after they fruit. That will work fine for both Autumn and Summer fruiting types - and then you don't need to worry about knowing which-are-which (unless you have other reasons for wanting to know, of course )

That makes a great deal of sense - thanks