Raspberry Bushes

[Aric2000]

OK, I have a big problem, I just moved into a new house with a LOAD of raspberry bushes, but I am clueless as to what to do with them.

They are done giving berries, so, NOW, do I leave them alone, or do I cut them down to the ground as you do with some other berry bushes?

I also need to move them to another, less middle of the yard spot. Can I do this without killing them, and when should I do it?

Any advice would be warmly welcomed.

Thanks

[sunsettommy]

OK, I have a big problem, I just moved into a new house with a LOAD of raspberry bushes, but I am clueless as to what to do with them.

They are done giving berries, so, NOW, do I leave them alone, or do I cut them down to the ground as you do with some other berry bushes?

I also need to move them to another, less middle of the yard spot. Can I do this without killing them, and when should I do it?

Any advice would be warmly welcomed.

Thanks


I post a section here for you:





<CENTER> <CENTER>There are two categories of red raspberries (Rubus idaeus), the common raspberry, which ripens in early to midsummer and the so called ever bearing raspberry. Unlike ever bearing strawberries (http://www.thegardenhelper.com/strawberries.html) which produce fruit continuously over the summer, the ever bearing raspberry produces an early-summer crop on the previous season's growth and a fall crop on the current season's growth. Raspberries are valuable in home gardens because of the fruits fragile and perishable nature which prohibits the shipping of fresh berries. Raspberries grow best in climates where the spring is lingering and slow to warm, but may succeed in warmer climates if the are grown in light shade. A row or hill of raspberries will ordinarily produce good crops of fruit for 10 years or more, before they need replacement. </CENTER></CENTER><CENTER></CENTER><CENTER></CENTER><CENTER></CENTER><CENTER></CENTER><CENTER></CENTER>You need to know what type they are.Everbearing or Singlebearing.


If they are Singlebearing,then you should wait untill fall,to move the young plants to a new area.If you live in a hot climate,it would be helpful to provide some afternoon shade.

I never plant them in a row.It makes no sense to do that because you are then fighting the growth pattern of the new emerging stems(they come up helter skelter).They do like to come up in the footpath as well as in the row and you maybe cutting down some of the best stems.To keep it in the row.A waste.

I instead plant them in a BLOCK pattern.Plants 1 1/2 feet apart.I think a section should be about a 6' by 8' area.This way inside the area,the stems can come up anywhere.6 plants to start is all you need for such a size.

I think it is a good idea to set aside an area now and greatly incorporate good compost into the future berry section.This way the ground will be ready when you move selected plants to it later in the fall.Sunny in the morning on into the early afternoon,then some shade is best if you live in a hot climate.If not then sun all day is fine.

I use steel fence posts for the corners and at least one in the middle.Then with strong water resistant string(they should last the year),I would go around from corner post to corner post and then an X through the middle.This way the stems have something to lean on,when the berries are heavy.This keeps them up and off the ground.

I waited untill early spring to cut down all the obvious dead stems to the ground.The new last summer canes should then be trimmed to where the cane is starting go back down towards the ground(sorta looks like an umbrella handle).They should be around 4 1/2" to 6' tall,when you finished trimming them.This way the Berries will not overwhelm the cane.I would eliminate the new thin weakly looking stems out.The thicker strong new stems is what you want to carry on the season.They will not produce much of anything and just clutter the area.

I continually added some banana peels,orange peels,grass clippings and similar all season long.Then a layer of Compost in the fall.This might be a good way to go for you? If not just add fresh clean grass clippings(2" deep is enough) and compost.

I grew singlebearing Raspberries for a few years and had good results.The area was a 6' by 8' area and for about a 10 days,I would be picking about 10 quarts of berries DAILY!

Just ask if you need more.

[Aric2000]

That was wonderful, thank you, not sure which ones they are, I have no buds now, so that must mean that they are a common raspberry.

My problem is that the row they are in is 30 feet long, and about 2 feet wide, and are in the MIDDLE of the yard.

That is why I want to move then to the back of the yard, I was thinking 6 foot long rows X 3 feet wide, but your 6X8 should work REAL well. There are SO many of them that I feel kind of overwhelmed, but I want to get some of that yard back for a play area for my kids.

And how do I select the plants that I should keep, is there a way that I can see which ones are the healthiest, and therefore move those, and discard the rest?

I am probably going to do 3 squares of 6X8, along the backside of the yard, and when should I transplant them, now, or in the fall.

Thanks for you help, I greatly appreciate it.

[Warlady]

Aric you should almost always wait until a plant is dormant before moving them. That means middle of the winter or beginning of winter depending on which part of the country you live in. You are soooo fortunate to have raspberry bushes. It's too hot in Texas to grow them and they're unbelieveably expensive. 1/2 a cup of fresh raspberries is around $4.00.

[sunsettommy]

Aric,

Just pick the most VIGOROUS clumps and move them.

Then if there are thin short ones among the tall thick ones in the clump.Cut them out to channel the energy to the better canes.

I would move them when the rapsberry leaves are falling.Then dig up a large and INTACT clump.I suggest that you first have the new raspberry beds already made BEFORE you move the clumps.This way you can have it all planned in an orderly fashion.The stakes should already be in the ground.The strings can be set up next spring.

Then water them in but DO NOT TAMP THEM IN! It just creates compaction.Then add a thin layer of compost or green leaves.

Happy work ahead!

[medved]

OK, I have a big problem, I just moved into a new house with a LOAD of raspberry bushes, but I am clueless as to what to do with them.




Do what I'd do: pretend you're a blackbird and eat the raspberries...

[UnkHiram]

Good Luck in moving them. I just wanna know what I have to do to get some of the berries.

[Aric2000]

Thank you for all of the help, I greatly appreciate it.

These Bushes are at least 20 years old and have been WELL taken care of, but they are in the MIDDLE of my yard, so they have to be moved.

ANd the berries are GOOD, the folks that lived here before, I moved in just as the season ended!! ARGH, got over 2 5 gallon buckets full of berries, and they left some for us in the freezer, oh, they were GOOD!!!

THanks again, I will take the advice, and cross my fingers and hope they survive the move.

[Etaoin]

Good Luck in moving them. I just wanna know what I have to do to get some of the berries. i cannot improve on Tommy's advice.

Whereever you plant them they are invasive, and I haven't found a better way to control them than manually pulling up undesired canes by the root. I have @ a 30Ft. X 10ft bed of two kinds of Raspberries (red and golden). BTW the Golden are unbelieveably small, but soooo delicious. Given enough water, the red are large and everything you expect in a Raspberry! Do not!!! plant Black raspberries within at least 75 ft. of the other Raspaberries. (That is the recommendation), but I wouldn't even grow them! I also grow "Purple Raspberries, which are delicious but only provide one crop per year while the Red and Golden provide a July and an September bounteous crop.