Planting Raspberries & Blackberries

[Sanke]

Hi all
Looking to include some of the above in the new veg plot area. I have several possible locations to plant but not sure as to best way to plant/protect.

Options;
Plant in segregated area at end of raised bed, Securing stems to fence
Plant in pots in between beds to prevent spread of plants Securing to fence
No protection for either option or build fruit cage type cover for all raised bed area
Erect trellis on either side of strawberry bed (4 x 4 is this beg enough ?) then create cage over all (or no protection ? )

Thanks for looking

[rustylady]

I would definitely put the raspberries and blackberry in the ground against the fence.

Strawberries only need protection when the fruit is ripening.

[Sanke]

Hi rustylady
What about protection for the berries ? If we don't put up a cage will the birds just eat them ? I could put a small cage over strawberries when needed

[FB.]

Birds don't eat many of my autumn raspberries and I usually have more than enough blackberries to cope with losses to birds - probably because blackberries are abundant in the wild so there are plenty to go around.
I had to let half of my raspberries go to waste this year because there were so many berries.

The worst losses to birds are summer-ripening varieties of raspberries (and also strawberries and cherries which mostly ripen in June-July - the first ripe fruit of the summer is a real treat for birds). Blackcurrant, redcurrants and many blueberries are also taken by birds but whitecurrants suffer very few losses.

[Two_Sheds]

will the birds just eat them ?

Blackbirds will take strawberries, and blackcurrants, but they don't bother my blackberries or raspberries.

However, raspberry beetle will fill your summer blackberries & raspberries with maggots. I only grow autumn rasps because of that. After about mid-August it's OK, the beetles have stopped laying

[zazen999]

I have a bed of rasps in the middle of my plot; and no protection and they are not tied into anything. They just 'are'.

I put two rows of 9 in, as I bought 6 canes of 3 different varieties; they ripen from one end to the other. Any that fall over the path get cut back to an inward facing bud, which then grows in towards the bed.

I bought 2 summer and 1 autumn variety, and they were all thornless. The only thorny thing I have on my plot is my gooseberry pax. Which sits at the Eastern end of the rasp bed. At the other end I have two blueberries and a chokeberry. Under the rasps I grow two rows of chives which mark the edges of the beds, interspersed with strawbs. When a strawb grows on my plot it is left there until I need to clear the space for some reason. I started off with 12 strawbs 2 years ago and already I have over 100 and have 3 areas where they congregate.

I wouldn't waste my space with blackberries as they grow wild all over the place.

At home I have Japanese Wineberries which are trained against the fence, along wires. Now these are something to give space to.

[veggiechicken]

Blackbirds will take strawberries, and blackcurrants, but they don't bother my blackberries or raspberries.

Quite the opposite here - the blackbirds don't touch the blackcurrants but strip the raspberries
I don't net because mine are all higgledy piggledy. One day..........maybe..........

[Two_Sheds]

^ funny that. I think they are creatures of habit, and go for my strawbs because they know where they are, and that they taste good, and that I always forget to net them in time.

The fledglings have been seen stealing rasps, but the adults don't seem to bother, maybe because more nutritious food (insects) are abundant at the time

[Alison]

I only net my strawberries. Summer and autumn raspberries, all currants, gooseberries and blackberry type hybrids fend for themselves with no troubles

[Sanke]

Thanks for all the info. I am going to plant autumn thornless raspberries against the fence (if I need to I can easily drape a net off the top of the fence) Strawberries will go in their own bed about 6 x 3

[KarlB924]

I've not had to net my autumn raspberries at all; had to keep the birds away from my strawberries and blackcurrants that fruited earlier in the summer, but the raspberries are absolutely fine!