How to grow Raspberry?
- Latin Family: Rubus
- Latin Genus: Rosaceae
- Ease of Growing: Easy
- Growing Type: Perennial
Raspberries are the hardiest of the cane berries. They are ideal for the home-garden for several reasons, not least of which is the economy of growing your own versus purchasing in a store. Raspberries tend to be quite expensive, and often the fruit is bruised and not as fresh as it would be if picked straight from the vine. The ease of growing raspberries cannot be understated. Additionally, they are one of the easiest bramble fruits to harvest, as the berry pulls free of its core when you pick it.
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Raspberry History
The first cultivation dates back to 16th century England, although only the wealthy could afford to purchase them. Widespread cultivation in the 19th century lead to a wide range of new varieties.
Soil Preference
- PH (min/max): 5.0 - 7.0
- PH Ideal (min/max): 6.0 - 7.0
Raspberries prefer rich, sandy, loamy soil. It is crucial that your soil drains well, as raspberries hate excess moisture on their roots.
How to care for Raspberry?
Raspberries are pretty low maintenance if they like the soil and the climate. If anything, they can get invasive - making thinning the most important for up-keep.
Water
Raspberries are deep rooted, so they only need a moderate amount of water. Drip irrigation is highly recommended to avoid fungal disease on the berries.
Fertilizer
Raspberries should be fertilized every Spring with a good organic fertilizer or compost mix.
Seeds
Seed Viability:
Raspberries are not generally started by seed. The easiest way to get new plants is to divide the plants, since they often send out suckers.
Light
Sun: min. 6 hours daily
Raspberries need a minimum of 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day for maximum productivity.
Conditions:Cold, Cool, Warm, Hot
Season:Short Season, Long Season
Part shade
Raspberries will tolerate some shade.
Conditions:Cool, Warm, Hot
Season:Short Season, Long Season
Storage
You can make preserves and can your berries.
Storage Req: Canning
Storage Temp: 60-70°F
Storage Length: 180-360 days
Storage Req: Refrigerator
Storage Temp: °F
Storage Length: 4-7 days
Freezing: To freeze, spread berries on cookie sheet within 2 days of harvest. When frozen through, transfer to a heavy freezer bag. Raspberries will last anywhere from 8-12 months in the freezer.
Storage Req: Freezer
Storage Temp: 32°F
Storage Length: 180-360 days
Problems
Raspberry Types
- Summer-Bearing
- Everbearing
Summer-bearing raspberries produce one harvest per year, but they will not fruit until the second year after planting.
Everbearing raspberries produce two crops, one in late spring/early summer and another in late summer/early fall. The berries will grow at the top of the cane for the first harvest, and at the bottom of the cane for the second harvest.
The canes can be pruned in such a way that only the late summer/early fall crop is harvested. They will be more productive this way, yet some prefer having two smaller harvests to one large.
Pests
- Sap Beetles
- Symphylans
- Strawberry Root Weevil
- Birds
- Aphids
- Slugs and snails
Diseases
- Gray Mold Botrytis Fruit Rot
- Anthracnose
- Rust
- Downy Mildew
