What would you do with this raspberry mess?

[roodles84]

We've finally excavated the wild brambles, nettles and bindweed from around the raspberries on our new plot so can now see what we've got. However, we've never grown raspberries before so don't really know how to tackle it. They seem to be growing in a curve, but I think we want to move them into a straight line down one side and then train them onto a trellis.

When I get a chance I'll go through and remove more of the weeds and any dead wood I find. Then our thinking is simply to dig them up and move them.

Anyone got any tips on this? What are we likely to find when we start digging - one enormous root mass or individual root ball for each cane, or something in between? Is it better to spread them out more, or move them in clumps?

[ESBkevin]

Autumn Raspberries fruit on new wood. When you've had your fill of the fruit, cut everything back to the ground and then create 'rows' with poles and wires ready for next year. Allow the strips about 12" wide to grow in the rows and keep hacking off the growth in the pathways between with a hoe. Next year you will have nice rows of raspberries. Make sure you leave wide enough paths as the tops flop about a little even when restrained by wires.

Alternately in a month or so dig up the lot. Select the best canes and replant after trimming.

[ameno]

Raspberries root really easily. Just dig the lot out after leaf fall and select the best dozen or so (thickest canes with the most roots) for replanting.
Do bear in mind that raspberries can and will regrow from little scraps of root. Anything thicker than about 3mm is likely to regrow, so unless you are very thorough you are likely to have raspberries coming up there for some time. They're a weed, really.

[lottie dolly]

How to tell wether you have summer or autmn fruiting raspberries,this is important before you do anything.
all stems that have fruited will have the remnents of having bared fruit,cut these to the ground,autumn fruiting will be all og them,
NOW summer fruiting only grow on last years new growth,so you leave these alone and tie onto supports,wire or a wooden trelis structure,these will give you fruit next season,
Autumn fruiting all canes are cut down to ground level,they will start to grow next spring,and start fruiting august onwards ish,how ever some peeps leave a few stems cut to what ever you wish,and will fruit a little earlier,but you can end up with a bigger mass of canes,they do send out lots of runners every year and thus need to be kept in check,they are shallow rooted and very easy to plant into a place of your chosing,i have not found the need to tie the autumn ones onto anything,but they do flop a bit,if you put some canes around the outside,you can tame them with some clothes line as a short term fence,hope this helps,BUT you need to identify what sort you have first,as i described in the begining,good luck.