raspberrys

[crannman]

hi all thinking of planting some raspberrys on the allotment any recomendations and advice on planting and growing

[veggiechicken]

No advice - just a question! Summer or autumn fruiting or both?

[crannman]

summer i think

[Martin H]

I would grow just one variety because otherwise they all get mixed up in a few years.

I'd go with an autumn one like maybe Joan J or Autumn Bliss (there are lots of others too) because
- they seem to have less trouble with pests;
- you can leave some fruited canes to give you a summer crop as well as an autumn one.

[crannman]

good point martin thinks one variety makes good sence

[mothhawk]

I have Joan J which is autumn fruiting, the first fruit is ripe by the end of July, and it fruits right up until there are no bees left to pollinate the flowers, but best of all it's thornless, so picking is easy, and the fruit tastes great too.

[Kristen]

any advice on ... growing

Buy / Grow enough of each variety for a meal. I bought 10 plants of each variety, I don't mollycoddle them so maybe a "meal" could be had with, say, 5 plants. a "meal" to me is when we have half a dozen friends round and I'd like anyone who wants to have a bowl full ... I'm happy not to plant for half a week beforehand to give the plants a chance to produce

I would grow just one variety because otherwise they all get mixed up in a few years.

My experience has been ok. We have 10 varieties (10 plants of each) from super-early to incredibly-late (bad idea, the weather is too cold by the time they are nearly ready ... but its only that very last variety that verges on too late).

They are planted in fruiting-date order, so if they merge a bit into their neighbour it doesn't matter too much. We have a path between the Summer and Autumn fruiters though.

[crannman]

thanks all