cutting raspberries down

[gan heather]

Last November I planted some autumn fruiting raspberries (Polka). The canes were about 9 inches tall. Should I cut them completely back to the ground now, like I do with my other autumn raspberries?

[Two_Sheds]

I cut mine down to the ground when I planted them - they're now throwing up new shoots

[Aberdeenplotter]

It won't do any harm to amputate the stumps. On the other hand, if you leave them you will in all probability get a few berries in the summertime which is as good a reason for leaving them as any.

[domart]

Am i right in thinking if you cut them right back you'll not get any fruit the first year but plenty the second - i had two very prolific raspberry plants last year but wrongly i think cut them right back after they finished producing they have little shoots starting to come now but was told it will be next year when i get fruit

[Aberdeenplotter]

There is a difference between summer fruiting and autumn fruiting raspberries.

Summer fruiting, fruit on the growth produced the previous year. The growth which fruited the previous year will have died back and should be cut out.

I'm talking without authority now as I haven't personally grown any autumn fruiters but I understand that they fruit on the current years growth and as such all previous growth should be cut out. Perhaps a grower of autumn fruiters could confirm.

My understanding from a previous thread is that Polka is an autumn fruiter.

[Kristen]

I understand that they fruit on the current years growth and as such all previous growth should be cut out.

Yup, that's right. So long as you cut down any "cane" that has finished fruiting you'll be fine - Summer or Autumn type.

For Summer types you will be cutting out old wood which grew last year, and fruited this - so you will leave about 50% that has not fruited this year.

For Autumn types you will, in effect, cut down 100% of the canes as they will have all grown & fruited in the current year