Grow Raspberries

How To

Raspberry Plant Characteristics

A full-grown raspberry bush can vary in height from 3 to 9 feet, and each leaf on the plant typically is made up of three to five leaflets.

Recommended  Raspberry Varieties

Anne Yellow: USDA Zones 4 to 9 – Bristol: Zones 4 through 8 – Heritage: USDA Zones 4 through 8 – Latham: Zones 3 to 8

Planting Raspberry Bushes

When considering how to plant raspberries, keep in mind that you want them spaced widely apart to allow good air movement.

Fertilizing Raspberries

In addition to compost, incorporate an organic berry fertilizer such as 4-3-4 into the soil when you prepare the bed, adding about 10 pounds of the fertilizer per 100 square feet.

Pruning Raspberries

If you want only one autumn crop per year from everbearing raspberries, mow them off or cut them back to the ground in late autumn. Should you prefer a midsummer crop too, leave the canes standing over winter.

Safety Considerations

Both raspberries and their foliage are edible, and the leaves often are used to make tea.

Harvesting Raspberries

Harvest your berries when they are the color they are supposed to be upon ripening and when they slip easily off their cores rather than needing a tug to break free.

Preparing Raspberry  Plants for Winter

Planting raspberries beside a wall or fence and mulching them should provide enough protection. However, if you live in a zone where the canes tend to die back completely over winter, you may want to cover them during the cold season.

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