A Few Tips on Planting Raspberries
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| fresh berries |
A handful of fresh red berries, still warm from the sun and popped into an eager mouth are like a taste of sunshine itself. With some varieties, such as the ever bearing raspberry, this treat can be enjoyed not once, but twice in the same year!
The best plan for planting raspberries should actually begin the year before planting. Selecting an area with a well drained soil and receiving a good amount of sunshine, till the soil well, removing any evidence of invasive weeds and grasses. Check the soil condition; the berry bushes like an acidic soil. Compost and plant food can be added at this time to build up the condition of the soil before planting raspberries.
There are two basic types of raspberries from which to choose: common raspberries and ever bearing raspberries. Common raspberries will generally fruit in mid summer, while ever bearers will produce fruit in early summer and a second crop in the fall. It is important to know these facts when planting raspberries, as pruning activities later in the plant’s life will depend on their type.
The best time for planting raspberries is in the early fall. The roots of the plants should be moist; if they appear at all to be dry, soak them in water for about an hour to revive them. When planting raspberries, take care not to bury the roots too deeply; three or four inches of soil covering them is ample. After planting, tamp the soil firmly around the root structure using your foot or the edge of a hoe. Provide about 2 to 3 feet spacing between plants to allow ample growth room.
After planting raspberries, it may take a year or two before fruit is produced. The first year after planting, flowers should be pinched off to enable the plant to become hardier. In the second year, the bush will first develop flowers, with berries to follow. It is important during these stages to keep the bushes well watered; a vital requirement of the berries. Berries are ripe when they turn deep red, and when touched, fall off the stem.
When the bush is able to be pruned two or three years after planting raspberries, knowing the type of berry bush that you have will dictate the timing for cutting back. Ever bearing should be pruned back immediately after the first fruiting, while common raspberry should be done in early winter.
A delicious yet fragile fruit, the raspberry is an expensive indulgence when purchased fresh in the supermarket. Planting raspberries in your own yard can make the juicy berry available to you two seasons per year; a treat that will continue for the next ten years.
