Raspberries, summer or autumn

[piskieinboots]

I've just been given a pile of raspberry canes by a very nice man at our lottie, how sweet sadly he doesn't know whether they are summer or autumn fruiting.

I'm new to raspberries so need help. when to cut what down?

[Two_Sheds]

That's what I got when i inherited my canes. Leave them for a season and see what they turn into. Mine turned out to be a mixture of summers and autumns. I prefer the taste of the autumn ones, so am digging out t'others - they take up valuable Bean room.

[Shortie]

I'd agree with Two Sheds. If they fruit on new cane this season then they're Autumn ones and next year cut them down to the ground in Jan/Feb. If they fruit on existing (old) canes, they're summer ones and you need to cut down canes that have fruited this year next year, and leave any new growth from this year to fruit next.

Not sure if that makes sense?

[piskieinboots]

it makes perfect sense and thanks both

[dan1979]

How long is it mean to take for canes to show signs of life?

I got a few cheap at woolworths last year, at first it looked like there was something going to happen but they've been dormant since, I'm not sure what I'm expecting, just something...

[bluemoon]

When you say last year Dan do you mean November/ December or last spring? If it's the former then any time soon, if the latter then they're dead.

[dan1979]

Back in May, when woolies were flogging everything half-price.

It said on the box they were 'guaranteed to grow'

[Two_Sheds]

Yes, I've had stuff from Woolies that "refuses to grow".
Dig up your dead Rasps and take them back to store for a refund
Or take photos and write to Head Office?

[dan1979]

At what point do I decide they're dead?

[bluemoon]

If they were planted last May and they've done nothing, then they've probably had it. You could leave them for another couple of months just to be sure. - I once had a 'dead' plum tree resurrect in the middle of summer