Mulching rasberries now?

[Chocolate8me]

A little off topic but I received my free raspberry plants from Novembers GYO magazine today.

They are literally 2 twigs with the roots in an aired plastic bag with no compost.

I've read the destructions but it says nothing about when to plant out, etc.

Shall I plant in pots & leave indoors until frosts have past?

[SarzWix]

Best to keep them in a cool place, and plant out as soon as the ground is fit to work. You don't want them to get warm and start sprouting as it will shock them when you put them outside. Maybe put them temporarily in pots and put them outside if you're worried about the roots drying out?

[Chocolate8me]

Thanks SarzWix,

I've potted them in half soil/half M.P.compost & left in the summer house (it's cold in there but not exposed to the elements).

Fingers crossed.

[salome2001]

Hi Chocolate

I just got 9 canes from a nursery supplier this week and have planted them out on the plot today (nice&warm in Brizzle today). Planted the others in November. All of them still look like sticks so far. it seems like a leap of faith to plant bare-root canes!!!

[di]

So!...I've just got several bags of semi rotted horse manure and by chance cleared my raspberry bed yesterday. Does a layer of the horse poo, followed by some wet newspaper, topped with straw from the chook run sound like a plan? The horse poo won't damage them, will it?

[Chocolate8me]

Hi Chocolate

I just got 9 canes from a nursery supplier this week and have planted them out on the plot today (nice&warm in Brizzle today). Planted the others in November. All of them still look like sticks so far. it seems like a leap of faith to plant bare-root canes!!!

I thought it was too good to be true, went to check on my Rasperries in their pots today & the soil is frozen solid.

Will they still survive because they are dormant at the moment?