Raspberry canes dead

[simon180399]

Afternoon all,

last year i was given about 12 canes from my neighbours allotment, happily they all fruited last season, albeit not very many.

Earlier this year I pruned them as from advice I was given, I also spread a thin layer of chicken manure mixed with miscanthus (horse bedding, similar to straw but cut much thinner) over the surface,this was fresh as I cleaned them out that day. A couple of plants are leafing ok but the rest resemble either dead looking twigs or have buds on them,that appear to show no signs of life. Upon moving the mulch around today a few of the twigs snapped and have a light brown colour inside the stems, also there is one with buds that look like they have attempted to leaf but the leaves have shriveled up and dried out.

They all appeared to be healthy until we had that cold spell a few weeks ago (I mulched them in December)

The reasons I mulched the area were-

1) it was mid winter and I wanted the frost to rot it down a bit and dry it out.
2) weed reduction, water retention.
3) fertilizer, id done the same with my rhubarb and its coming up a treat now.

where have I gone wrong ?, have I allowed the base of the canes to rot by using this surplus poultry floor covering? Can the frost kill a cane that's in bud?

sorry for droning on
simon

[WendyC]

Do you know if your raspberries are summer or autumn fruiting? Or even what variety they are? What pruning advice were you given? Summer fruiters fruit on the new canes made last summer and the old ones do die. Autumn fruiters fruit on new growth made this year.
Frost can kill newly emerging leaves but should grow new ones to replce them.
Was the ground frozen when you mulched as this would have tended to seal in the cold. I don't think the mulch itself is the problem, yes it was fresh manure but that was four months away when the canes were dormant.

[simon180399]

Hi tbh I really dont know, im pretty sure they fruited in the summer, I was told to cut the excess off above any new shoots to encourage more growth, it was cold when we mulched it but if memory serves me right im sure it wasnt frozen.

[WendyC]

It sounds like you have a mixture of old and new canes. The canes which fruited last year have done their bit and need to be cut right out. Their stems are probably a dark brown and brittle. The canes for this year are probably a lighter briwn, keep these. I don't think you've done anything wrong.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Mine are sleepy looking too. I have a mixture of seasonal ones, I forget which are which. They too look brown and stick-y. But appear to have rooted firmly. Not many leaves on them, but they are very new to me. I've only had them since the autumn. Case of wait and see what happens, I think. Mine are going to take time.

[simon180399]

Ok, thank you both, i'll have a closer look on Tuesday when I am next up there.
thank you
simon

[rita1]

i cut mine right back at winter time and i have just noticed that mine is just coming through, the other one has not shown his head yet, so they could be ok, things are a bit slow.

[Two_Sheds]

None of mine have leaves on yet (mind you, I only cut them down to the ground a month ago)

[rustylady]

My summer fruiting ones are just producing leaves.

[Nicos]

Mine have no leaves on either!!!...stop thinking it's your fault!!!

Nature is a tad behind this year!

[rustylady]

I was told to cut the excess off above any new shoots to encourage more growth

That's not how you prune raspberries. What you should do is cut any canes that have borne fruit right down to the ground. This applies to summer and autumn fruiting varieties.

[BUFFS]

my autumn raspberries are not showing above ground yet,as the weather warms,look for some new shoots..

[yummersetter]

Is it June yet?