First Year Growing Raspberries

[Whitespin]

Hi
Can anyone advise I bought a variety of raspberry canes last autumn but was unable to plant them at the time because of all the frost and snow. I covered the roots with compost and there they remained until the end of January. The bed had been prepared and at the first opportunity in they went. I planted a row each of early, maincrop and autumn fruiting. I covered the ground between the rows with black fabric to supress weeds.

They were all very late coming into growth depite being watered and even now the early and main season ones have only reached about 3' in height. They have both tried to flower but I nipped these out. The autumn ones have grown to 6' but have not fruited.

I know that the early and main should fruit next year and then be cut off after fruiting. The lates I thought would have fruited by now but haven't.

Is there still time for this too happen and if they don't should I still cut them down this winter. Thanks

[rustylady]

Are you absolutely sure you haven't got your varieties mixed up? 6 feet tall and no fruit doesn't sound like Autumn fruiting raspberries.

[SueA]

I was thinking that as well, autumn fruiting raspberries are usually a lot shorter than summer ones, mine are about 3ft tall & in a large container. I don't think you'll get any fruit this year now though because they should be showing signs of flowering but I'd just leave them all alone, if the tall ones are summer fruiters then they should flower next year on those canes. Take a note of when each flowers next year so that you know which ones to cut down etc.

[Alison]

My autumn ones are aobut 5' tall in the ground and fruiting well but I can't remember if they did the first year or not as it's years ago. You say the summer ones tried to flower, when was this? Might give a clue to if there is a mix up.

[Whitespin]

I'm pretty cetain that non of the labels were mixed up certainly not at my end. But who knows.
Logic would say that since autumn fruiting ones have to grow and fruit the same year they would be more vigorous. The early and midseason must have grown their fruiting canes in the nursery and have them cut off to make them easier to transport. In the second year does the new growth normally flower that year or is a sign that the plant is under stress?
Again with what I think are the autumn fruiting if I leave this years growth on will I get new growth next year that will also flower and fruit. And while I'm at it how long is a piece of string?

Thanks

[FB.]

I agree with the others - the autumn fruiters that I used to grow were usually quite short (hence why no support needd), whereas the summer fruiters are quite tall (hence why support needed, especially with the two-year growth cycle).
Autumn fruiters are also more likely to suffer in poor soil.

I notice in another thread that your soil has "issues". I abandoned raspberries (dug out and gave to a friend) because thy werent happy.

If I were you, I'd not prune any of the raspberries until it becomes clear which ones are which. In a year or two, you can then start pruning normally.

The autumn fruiters would be cut down completely in late autumn, whereas the summer fruiters would have two-year-old canes removed in late autumn but the one-year-old canes retained for next years crop.

[FB.]

I should add that nursery mix-ups or wrong orders happen from time to time, even from the best nurseries.
They're only human, although it was disappointing for me to once plant a "Court Pendu Plat" apple tree, only to find that I have an early-flowering, large-size, deep red, long-stalked, mid-season-ripening apple that is about as different from CPP as you could wish for! I've had a few other mix-ups over the years.
Plants bought from "Bargain" or "Discount" shops seem to have a higher rate of not being what their label says. Several people on here have bought a delightful little "apple" tree that, when mature, produced plums or pears.

[Liza]

When is the best time to move raspberries I have autumn and summer and need to move them to my other plot.

Autumn or spring ?

[Two_Sheds]

Liza, I moved my rasps and blackcurrants last October and they have been just fine. Water in well, of course

[Liza]

Great, will start getting their new home in some sort of order!