[Torgan]

So I planted some raspberries last October from pots that I'd bought however that very night there was a fair old storm and all the leaves were blown off.  At the moment they are all just sticks in the ground (which I guess they would be at the moment anyway), is there anyway to tell if they are actually alive as I was reading I should be applying a general fertiliser then mulching them this month. I don't want to do that if they are already dead. They were planted in a good bit of compost and some bone meal so I think there would have been plenty for the roots to work with and hopefully that kept them ticking over during the winter.

First time I've tried rasps so it's all new to me, at least the strawberries near by survived!

[Janeymiddlewife]

What type were they Torgan - Summer or Autumn? Did you cut them back at all?

[Weston grower]

I think the answer is "wait and see".

Its hard to kill raspberries - they are one of natures thugs.

During the cold they revert to dead looking sticks and start growing as the days get longer and warmer - now-ish.

Personally I would assume that they are still alive and do what you were going to. Shortly you will start to notice green buds and new canes - hopefully!!

Regards, WG

[JayG]

Cut down the canes which you can identify as having fruited - they won't fruit again (or at least, not much) and will take away some of the strength from the plants which have already got enough to do in their first year.

I'd probably hold back the mulching and feeding for a few weeks just in case they haven't taken for some reason, otherwise it will be more difficult to see whether they have started growing or not.

[m1ckz]

mine are summer fruiting     just getting buds on them now,,autum ones showing signs of groth but must look close to see it

[richyrich7]

They take a while.
My "new" ones planted in October are still like twigs, the ones I planted in the spring of last year have started to bud. So you'll probably find there's some essential growth going on at the root end 1st.

You could rub a small patch on the stems with your thumb nail, just taking off the top bark, if it's green underneath then it's alive. Sometimes you find the top few inches have died but further down the stem you'll find green showing.

Either way just leave them, give them a general feed certainly wont hurt them, nor will a drop of water if the grounds dry. 

[Torgan]

What type were they Torgan - Summer or Autumn? Did you cut them back at all?

I hedged my bets and got some of both, Autumn Bliss and..the summer one that I can't remember the name of, the labels around somewhere. I didn't cut them down as they were only around 8 inches tall and from what I read I should just leave the growth there over winter for the first year so they could get as much sun as possible to build themselves up.

Cheers for the advice I'll maybe wait for a week or two before doing anything, it's been frosty a few mornings the past couple of weeks so the plants are maybe a bit behind what's happening in sunny England.