Raspberry planting advice needed

[womble]

Don't laugh at me, this is an honest question

I have a large victorian built, brick septic tank in my back garden, to try to hide it a bit I was wanting to build a raised bed along one edge of it and plant autumn fruiting raspberries in it.
Just been reading though about how they can throw out suckers a long way, so I am a bit nervous that they would be next to the tank.
So, I could put some DPC plastic and weed supressant fabric against the tank whilst building the bed. How deep would I have to go?
Or I could give up on the idea and try to find somewhere else to put them?


What do you think?

[bobleponge]

Well
Is it still in use? If you think about what you chuck on your veggies and dig into your beds every year, its not a thousand miles away from what may still be lurking in the septic tank.
I think, if that was the space I had decided on, I would crack on.
Its true they do throw suckers out a goodly distance, had one appear on the other side of a 2ft wide path this summer, but depending how far away they are being planted, they would have to travel a long way to be worrying.

[womble]

Yes the septic tank is very much still being used. I'm not too bothered about a bit of poo getting on a raspberry root, I am very worried about the roots breaking the tanks walls. It would be very very expensive to repair or replace.

I think it might not be worth the risk, thanks

[vicky]

I don't think they'd be strong enough but for your peace of mind it might be better to choose something else! I've covered my oil tank with a bit of trellis and climbers plus a Fatsia japonica to take over hiding it during the winter.

[andrewo]

Raspberry roots spread along way and are tough little buggers, any septic tank is difficult to cover but I don't think raspberries will crack through if you leave a good sized path (three feet) between the tank and the raspberries, makes it easy for double rows and picking on both sides. I would then make your bed three feet wide too and build a frame in the centre, plant up two varieties, autumn bliss for autumn fruit and any of the glens for summer. Underplant with alpine (wild) strawberries. Any suckers, dig up in winter and replant within the rows or start a new row.