Rapberry Canes arrived and nowhere to go

[seniab]

Hi All,

After a six year hiatus following a house move, I'm finally returning to GYO and will be getting an allotment on a new site. Unfortunately, having been told the allotments would be ready for autumn, we've been advised that we're unlikely to take possession until into the new year, and maybe early spring.

The problem is I've already ordered some raspberry canes, as their one of my favourites and I was determined to get some soft fruit in my first year. I've now no plot to plant them in. I've not a lot of room in my back garden, but I was thinking there's three options:

1. Give the canes away to someone who has room now. (Not ideal and I definitely lose a growing season, not to mention the cost)

2. Heel the canes into my back garden and hope for the best on transplanting when the plot's eventually ready.

3. Pot up the canes individually and then plant when the plot is available.

Was just wondering what the views of people here were?

Thanks,

Seniab

[veggiechicken]

Welcome back
Are they summer or autumn fruiting raspberries - and how many?

[seniab]

I've forty canes - twenty summer and twenty autumn varieties. It seemed a good idea at the time...

[It never rains..it pours]

In my 8 month experience, I would definatly pot as many as can or better still buy some ploythene potting bags, then when plant out can cut bag without disturbing roots. The 100% survival between the 10 I potted and kept in conservatory planting late spring vs the 10 I planted early spring is one example. And if anything the late planted ones are yielding more now dispite the northern weather at present

[Scarlet]

that is something I would do I would put them in pots, 2 to a pot at a pinch if you can't get enough pots. Heeling in would also be an option but I think they would have a much better start if you potted them up and put them somewhere sheltered.

Congratulations on getting your new plot!

[Paulie]

Hi Seniab

I would suggest that you pot up the summer canes, and heel in the autumn ones. This will enable you to get the summer ones planted into their final position without much disturbance.
The other thing I would suggest is to make sure you keep them separate, with a good gap between their patches. This is because the two types have different pruning regimes, and if they grow into each other you'll be scuppered! This is a useful article:

A foolproof guide to growing raspberries - Telegraph

Paul

[Elfeda]

option 1:

I can store the unopened packes in garage/shed whole winter and come spring if you can clear some area then plant them up.


Option 2: I do not need 20 each of raspberry canes. as it takes lot of space and initial efforts . so I pot 10 each in pots like rose plants comes in. and the rest I keep in storage , or pot up 5 canes in each pot of remaining.


option 3: like we see in gardencentres, pot up 5 canes to each deep pot (not very big), and give them enough care as per instructions.

[seniab]

Thanks for the replies - I think I'll give the option of potting them up a go - I'd not heard of potting bags, and will keep an eye out for them in the future, but I've got about 50 5 litre pots that had been thrown in a skip - I'm hoping they'll do the job.