Getting the best raspberry crop

[WendyC]

After much thought I have decided to give my "Autumn Bliss" raspberries one last year to prove they are worth their space. The canes went in about 7 years ago and whilst the summer ones have been great, each year there are so few I'm not sure they are worth having. The berries that do form are really small and fall apart on picking. They are pruned back late winter and given a good mulch. They then shoot nicely from the ground. I'm wondering whether to thin them a bit as perhaps that's why the crops are poor. The alternative is to replant with another variety, possibly Polka. Any ideas?

[PAULW]

Water, water and more water a two gallon can of water between three plants every day.

[hailtryfan]

What kind of soil are you growing on? My raspberries have struggled and I'm sure it's because of my heavy soil despite my best attempts to improve drainage. I'm going to put in a raised bed and plant new ones this year.

[FB.]

What kind of soil are you growing on? My raspberries have struggled and I'm sure it's because of my heavy soil despite my best attempts to improve drainage. I'm going to put in a raised bed and plant new ones this year.

That's my thought too.

Berry crops like good, moisture-retaining soil, but not waterlogged.
Some parts of the UK won't be ideal.
I don't bother with raspberries any more because my soil is extremely poor - dry, shallow, sandy, low rainfall.
When I eventually dug-out my raspberries (gave to a friend who has clay soil), the roots were about 3x the size of what was above ground - their water demands were clearly very high.

[Two_Sheds]

my soil is extremely poor - dry, shallow, sandy, low rainfall.

Same here.
Last year was my best ever for raspberries (unknown variety, quite possibly Autumn Bliss). We had more rainy days than dry, plus I mulched them heavily with newspapers

[WendyC]

The soil is basically clay but has been improved over the 6 or 7 years since I've had the plot. Mulching definitely improved the crop on the summer ones, still eating the frozen ones now, but still Autumn ones were worthless and had the same treatment as summer ones. I know they don't produce the same crop but at least one worthwhile picking would be good!

[realfood]

My Autumn rasps produce big crops for months. It is strange that your summer ones ore OK.

[Kristen]

I think watering may be the key. Summer Fruiting ones start around July, and it hasn't really got bone-dry by then, but by the time Autumn ones start they've had a couple of moths of drought!