Raspberries - help!

[October]

I bought some raspberry plants a few weeks ago - they were in pots and you got three plants from each pot. I put them in the ground and they are growing fine. Nothing has eaten them...yet.

Then I read that there are two kinds of raspberries - the summer kind and the autumn kind. These are the autumn kind. [I know I should have read about them before buying them - I just got carried away in the nursery and they didn't have any summer ones anyway.]

Now they seem to be having flowers - what should I do? I think I remember seeing that you mustn't let them have flowers or fruit the first year - but was that just the summer ones? I can't find where I read it now.

Thanks for any help.

[TEB]

My second year of growing Autum Bliss and I didnt remove the flowers last year just cut back at the end of the growing season. On summer fruiting raspberries because they grow fruit on last years wood it is recommended to remove the flowers the first year so to encourage a good rooting system.

[October]

Potatoes and raspberries - thanks

Thank you for your replies, TEB. I shall hurry out there and earth up the babies' potatoes - I'd forgotten the green ones were poisonous! I'll just leave the raspberries and see what they do. thanks again.

[shirlthegirl43]

I planted raspberry canes last year at about this time. They were a bit poorly when I got them so they didn't fruit last year. This year however, they are abundant. Just wanted to ask - how long do the fruits take to change from green to red? Never grown these before and totally adore rasps - the only seasonal fruit I can eat without getting a rash - and I just can't wait!!! (Sorry, don't know the type as they were reduced to clear and the packages were a bit battered)

[Alison]

Depends on how much sun there is, this weekend with it being lovely round here has meant that by the time I've finished picking, I can start again at the other end with ones which were green when I started! Seriously though they do ripen pretty quickly, by the time they're full size, they're ready in a few days.

[vertangie]

my canes went in the ground late last spring and only produced about a dozen raspeberries between 6 canes. I did nothing to them. I didn't cut them back I just looked at the brambles in the wood and thought they'll do their own thing.

They have indeed I have loads of new growth and new fruits this year much better.

So even if you do nothing next year will probably be good. These are early varieties not autumn ones mind you. fruit will probably start turning red any day now.

Yippeee.

I'll have to try and find out what variety they are 'cause the birds don't eat them, a friend bought me a load of canes up from dorset and they don;t get eaten down there either. Apparently birds actually prefer sour fruits over sweet so that may be it, they're very very sweet, no sugar needed.

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks Alice. some of them are getting huge! Never seen rasps so big. Hopefully that means I will get some to taste soon. Yummy!!!