Pruning raspberry canes

[jayjay giant]

I need to move my raspberry canes from one of my big square raised beds to a new raised bed I am building. Can I do this now as I am using earth that isn't frozen or am I best to leave it until it warms up a bit ?
The second half of the question is when do i prune them ? Before or after the move ?
I have got photos of the old bed and will add pictures of the new one if I manage to get it built this weekend.
Thanks in advance,

James

[FB.]

Moving them at any time while dormant is fine. Now is as good a time as any.
I've found raspberries to be a bit temperamental when transplanted. Quite a few of them die.
Personally, if moving them, I would not prune them at all during 2010, since they store energy and nutrients in the stems and roots.
Since the roots will be damaged by digging them out, lots of their reserves will be lost in the damaged roots. If you also prune them, much of their stem reserves will also be lost, leaving them in a very stressed and starved condition to start their new life.

Raspberries come in two types:

1. summer fruiting, where canes grow in one year and fruit the next, then you cut the two-year-old canes down, but leave the one-year-old canes.

2. Autumn fruiting, where canes grow and fruit in one season, then you cut the whole plant down to the ground.

With hindsight, it might have been better to propagate some of 2009's root suckers as spare plants, in case you lose some of the older ones in the move.

[sarraceniac]

Thanks for clarifying that FB. I planted a dozen Polka (autumn) and half a dozen Glen Moy (summer) last winter. The Moys of course did not produce (well about 6 fruits total) but I got enough off the Polkas (they are delicious by the way) to supply the Christmas trifle. But looking at both varieties, when pruning my established Autumn Blisses I decided just to let all of the new ones go. I think sometimes we do too much by the book.

[FB.]

By the book?

The trouble is, if you read one book, you'll do one thing......but read another book and it'll suggest something completely different.

I've read many books, but nowadays, I ignore them all and treat my fruit trees/bushes in a way that gives the results that I want, since much of their advice is - frankly - useless for my area.
Many books tell you what to do, but they don't explain why you should do it.
Knowing why you should be doing (or not doing) something is essential to get a deeper understanding of how to get the best from your plants.

Unfortunately, many books are written by people who are used to growing in professional conditions; deep, rich, moist soils, lots of sun, irrigation systems, heavy fertilising, heavy fungicides and heavy insecticides.
Many authors don't live "in the real world" of the back garden or allotment.

If the plants were wild (and everything was once wild) they would not have someone to prune them, but their lives would go on quite happily without us messing with them.

I think that pruning out shoots that have already fruited does two things:

Puts the plants under slight stress as a result of loss of structure, so causes them to be more fruitful.

Prevents stems becoming old, crowded and diseased. (for example; hazels are coppiced once per decade and can last for hundreds of years, but if left unpruned they degenerate and have a life of about 60 years).

[jayjay giant]

Cheers FB that has really helped me out ! I did have half a dozen of each summer fruiting and autumn fruiting ! I gave some away and will transplant the rest tomorrow. I spent most of today moving the chicken run around !