Starting off a raspberry patch

[horticultural_hobbit]

I'm hoping to try again with raspberries. I had some a few years ago, that for some reason didn't grow past wooden bare rooted sticks. Looking at a full season collection and some yellow autumnal ones. Good to know about keeping seasons together.

I already have autumn bliss raspberries, which fruited well since they were rescued at the start of the summer. Lots of fruit, but not particularly raspberry flavoured. They do grow a bit crazy though.

[Alison]

The roots were spreading all over and new canes were poping up everywhere. IT DID MY HEAD IN (as us young 'en say)

Last month I dug them all up and dumped them. TIME FOR NEW START! I emptied a 4mtr x 2mtr raised bed and lined it with 100g weed membrane. I put dividers with the membrane to make the 1 big bed into 4 smaller individual beds. The idea is to stop the roots intermingling and so any new canes would be easy to identify.

To be fair, that's what raspberries do and it will take a lot more than a few bits of membrane to stop them so I expect you'll be in the same boat again in a couple of years. Just enjoy them and cut them back after harvesting and don't worry about them - they'll taste better that way

[KevinM67]

Similar to the OP, I'm setting up a raspberry growing area - and like most have suggested, I'm separating the spring/summer fruiting varieties from the autumn ones, therefore I've got 2 distinct beds ready.

The canes were due to be delivered last week, however due to the mild weather so far - the nursery won't be delivering them until next month.

What has really helped me in the planning stage is having a good right nosy around the other plots on the allotment. It gives you a great insight into the spacing requirements, the height they grow to and what others use for support structures and bird prevention.

Also check out the growing guides on here near the headline banner - another great help.

[Two_Sheds]

I put dividers ... to stop the roots intermingling and so any new canes would be easy to identify.

I have rasp canes appearing up to 3ft away from the main bed, they're coming up among brassicas, sweetcorn, everywhere
Don't expect them to do what they're told

[alldigging]

I have rasp canes appearing up to 3ft away from the main bed, they're coming up among brassicas, sweetcorn, everywhere
Don't expect them to do what they're told

Indeed. Mine are all across the front garden and maybe next year they'll break through on to the grass verge.

[BUFFS]

I put my autumn rasps along a north facing wall and had to buy some of that angular roofing sheets and cut them to 2ft lengths and drove the in all along the outside of the bushes, linking them up to control the raspberry's enthusiasm for roaming, but the taste is great so its all worth it..

[TheGingerAllotmenteer]

What has really helped me in the planning stage is having a good right nosy around the other plots on the allotment. It gives you a great insight into the spacing requirements, the height they grow to and what others use for support structures and bird prevention.

Also check out the growing guides on here near the headline banner - another great help.

Hehehe. Sometimes when the other allotmenteers aren't around, I do have a sneaky peak through the fences. The thought that this might be acceptable/normal behaviour is reassuring!

[Alison]

Hehehe. Sometimes when the other allotmenteers aren't around, I do have a sneaky peak through the fences. The thought that this might be acceptable/normal behaviour is reassuring!

My plot us at the end if the access track and I always look at the others on the way past, it never occurred to me that anybody wouldn't.

[Alicante]

Hehehe. Sometimes when the other allotmenteers aren't around, I do have a sneaky peak through the fences. The thought that this might be acceptable/normal behaviour is reassuring!

I love looking at other peoples plots. You can get some great ideas on what to grow and it is always nice to see how well their crops are doing. Also the site I am on has no fences which makes being nosey much easier!

[marcofez]

I have rasp canes appearing up to 3ft away from the main bed, they're coming up among brassicas, sweetcorn, everywhere
Don't expect them to do what they're told

Sounds like my raspberries as well!

[Feral007]

Oh now you're scaring me! I have been so happy at how good the autumn fruiting raspberries are looking this season.
I've already had trouble with the tayberry trying to take over the world! So was wishing I'd put in more raspberries instead. Not any more.

Future tales of woe, coming soon to a forum near you

[TheGingerAllotmenteer]

Oh now you're scaring me! I have been so happy at how good the autumn fruiting raspberries are looking this season.
I've already had trouble with the tayberry trying to take over the world! So was wishing I'd put in more raspberries instead. Not any more.

Uh-oh, are tayberries power-hungry? I bought and planted one a couple of months back and it looked very innocent, but I'll be annoyed if it starts bullying my raspberries!

[Alison]

Although related to raspberries, tayberries grow like their other parent ie blackberries and need to be treated / trained like that. I find them not as vigorous as the blackberry but they will root in the soil if not tied up.