planting raspberry canes this weekend

[bikermike]

Well, I planted them (with a bit of "help" from my 3-year old...)
The ground wasn't frozen (although lumps of the pile of earth were frozen).
What the ground was was soggy. Standing water about 3" below the surface.

In order to get round all this, I built a raised bed to put them in, and filled it with a mix of soil and compost.

[nickdub]

Sounds like a good bit of work. Only one thing to point out is that rasps need a ton of water round their roots in the Summer, so keep an eye open to make sure they don't dry out - heavy mulching in 2 or 3 months time is probably a good idea.

[bikermike]

yeah, that is the one drawback with planting them above the watertable now. TBH, it's got to be a pretty dry summer before our plots get dry. But yes, I mulch all my beds religiously.

[nickdub]

ground varies so much - I guess some plots which are waterlogged in the winter are parched in a dry summer, whereas others hold the wet all year round.

[bikermike]

Indeed - the next plot to me has standing water on the top, and I don't. (and I have a field drain emptying into the gutter round me from the plots further up)

[It never rains..it pours]

Good going Bikermike, did not realise you southerners were as are wet than us northerners. Think definatly did right thing getting the 3 year old to build a raised bed for them. They hate wet feet and die with root rot. Lot easier to water them if need be in the summer. Wish I had, as now have to put a drain in, done worst line (made world of difference) and the second to do this summer

[bikermike]

we may not have Manx levels of rain, but we have London clay to catch it all - it's amazing, go down a spades depth and it is yellow and plasticene-like - I have made thumb pots and the like out of it. Add to that we are in a depression below a range of hills, so all the ground water seeps through the plot. It's not a huge surprise they picked this plot for allotments not housing (before basement swimming pools became popular...).

The interesting bit will be how dry it gets in summer. The ones on the other side of the path have never complained of wet feet, but that bed is a few inches higher, and it seems to make all the difference.

[nickdub]

Think definatly did right thing getting the 3 year old to build a raised bed for them. They hate wet feet and die with root rot. (made world of difference) and the second to do this summer

I never knew that about 3 year-olds and root rot - I suppose you pick it up when you become a parent :-)

[bikermike]

It's about the one thing he hasn't brought back from nursery...

he also strips a cane bare of ripe fruit faster than most (other) pests...
but then, that's pretty much what I grow them for

[It never rains..it pours]

I suppose you pick it up when you become a parent :-)

Im not sure if its contagious, the Daily Star didnt make that clear :-)