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I have just received my order of Joan J raspberries. I have been Gurgling but can't find a sensible answer to how tall they grow, so I can put in suitable supports. Or do they need supports? Can anyone who grows them give me some help?
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The height will vary depending on the growing conditions. I'd say 4 to 6 feet high. But they are pretty sturdy, like most autumn-fruiting ones are. If you just let the strong canes grow you may find you can get away without staking them.
So I would suggest you plant them, cut them down to the ground, see how tall they get in 2016 then stake next winter if you think they need it. -
I've got first year canes at 5ft tall. They have been really heavy bearing, but because I didn't stake them, many of the canes are lying on the ground or sprawling close to it, even the thickest ones. Next year I will put in some posts and wires just to steady them a bit. My site's quite windy, which hasn't helped.http://mudandgluts.com - growing fruit and veg in suburbiaComment
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Mine are against a fence, and this year, their second, they are well over 6 feet, I have to pull the stems down to reach the fruit at the top. It may just be the fence that has drawn them up so tall. The first year they were about 6 feet.
Can you pinch out the tops to limit their height, do you think, or would that reduce the amount of fruit? Most of the fruit was up near the top....Location - Leicestershire - Chisit-land
Endless wonder.Comment
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I've tried this. It's fine in that you still get plenty of fruit but they seem to bush out a bit more and get top-heavy. So now I leave them to it, in open ground this year they only made 5 feet anyway.Originally posted by mothhawk View PostComment
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Now your talking raspberries joan j,mine grow aprox 4 or 5ft,i do not stake,i have them in boxed in bed,next year i think they/me will benefit from a string/rope around the outside of said bed,aprox 1/3 to 1/2 way up from the bottom,simply because the out side ones near the paths,was harder to walk down,i will but in some canes before they fruit,and merely make a rope fence line to stop them over hanging the paths,i do wonder if the amount of canes you let grow,has any barings on the height of them,i just let them grow,the only ones i cut away,are the strays outside of the box,i would not cut the tops of at all,as they are usually the last the fruits of the season,i had more than i wanted this year,sigpicAnother nutter ,wife,mother, nan and nanan,love my growing places,seed collection and sharing,also one of these
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I'd agree with that - mine only get to about waist high on sandy soilOriginally posted by Martin H View Post
but I don't thin them out at all. I just let them get on with it, which seems to work well for me 
Suttons say
Other Cultural Treatment
Autumn fruiting varieties do not grow as tall as the summer types and permanent supports are not necessary. To prevent the canes on the outside of the bed(s) from bending to the ground during the fruiting period, temporary support may be given by running string, tied to 1.2 metres (4') stakes, around the row(s).Comment
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Thanks for the replies. I think they might get taller than I first thought, which is fine - better to be prepared. Glad to hear people like the fruit. I asked around my allotment site and no-one rated Polka so went for Joan J.Comment
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And an added bonus, and the second reason I chose them, is Joan J is thornless
Location - Leicestershire - Chisit-land
Endless wonder.Comment
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mine grow to about 7ft in rich soil, I trim one half of them to the ground but the other half to 5ft, unfruited stems, these then fruit earlier the following year, from about the end of june onwards and just as these are finishing, the ground trimmed stems start fruiting, going on to the november frosts and because of our cooler summers they ripen slower and taste amazing...Comment
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Over here they grow significantly lower then most other raspberries (Himbotop, Tulameen, TulaMagic, Valentina, Pokusa). Only Autumn Bliss stays lower.
Given the high yield on the plats, staking seems a logic choice (as for all autumn raspberries)Comment
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