raspberry canes died

[Normans Mum]

Help !

My raspberry canes have all died. They were put in about 3 years ago and the first year did quite well, however the past year I have had hardly any growth on them and last year nothing at all.
I have invested in some new canes, two each of early, middle and late fruiting varieties. The only thing is, they will have to go in where the old ones have been. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the soil, it can get a little bit waterlogged sometimes, so could this be the problem with them dying?
I will obviously be putting composted manure down and hopefully giving them a good helping hand to get started. Any other ideas?

[Scarlet]

How did the last ones die? I think we need more info.
Did they wilt, dieback? Were there any roots on the ones that were left. Have you got moles? Raspberries generally grow like weeds, so you really need to find the cause of the others dying before planting in the same spot.

[Normans Mum]

Hi Scarlet
I really don't know... they do still have roots, just no real growth and three out of the four have no new growth on them. I know that they are like weeds and normally very resiliant. Not sure if it's something I have done wrong- perhaps I didn't feed them enough ?
I am a bit pushed for space to be honest, so I will have to put them there again, I think.

[Scarlet]

Hmm, I wouldnt plant in the same spot if the others didn't thrive new canes are unlikely too grow well. I live on a flood plane..so my rasps are pretty water logged over the winter, this doesn't seem stop them throwing up new canes and giving me a good crop each year.
Late fruiting canes also require a different pruning regime so ideally you need to know which ones which so I personally would plant those separate.

[Normans Mum]

Ok, thanks for your advice. I will look to plant somewhere else.

[mothhawk]

Are they definitely dead? Have you had a scrape of the bark (you can do that on roots as well as stems) to see if it's green or whitish underneath, which means still alive, or brown - dead. My autumn rasps haven't started into growth at all yet, and you are quite a bit north of me.

[Scarlet]

I don't think there was much growth last year Mothawk.
Just wondering Normans Mum, how you pruned them?

[mothhawk]

Rasps are very shallow rooted, only 6 inches or so below the surface, so if you use a hoe around them you will damage the roots. Could that be the reason?

[libbyloulou]

I'm north of Manchester and my raspberries are about 2-3 inches high, i would risk them in the same place but build the soil up,bit like a raised bed.

[weed]

just came in from adding garden compost as a feeding mulch to increase the amount of berries some are sprouting some are still dormant are you sure you have given them enough time the roots may still spring into life if your lucky. Last year i experimented with fresh horse manure they went crazy for it giving much more growth bigger leaves but not that many berries but the ones that where there where massive sadly my daughter had picked and eaten the big ones before i got a chance to take the picture early bird and all that.

hope what ever you decide goes well

ps
i can hear a lot of you screaming at you screens FRESH MANURE NOOOOOOOO and yes you are right fresh manure can and will burn tender plants i only use it on roses normally in small amounts and compost the rest for a year or two

[Kristen]

i can hear a lot of you screaming at you screens FRESH MANURE NOOOOOOOO and yes you are right fresh manure can and will burn tender plants

Too much nitrogen too, which is probably why you didn't have much fruit. To improve yield they will need a Potash-rich fertiliser, rather than a Nitrogen-rich one

[weed]

thank you I will be going shopping tomorrow so i will get some and add it

[Normans Mum]

Thanks all for your advice.