Daft Raspberry Question

[basketcase]

Or, at least, what is probably a daft question about raspberries.

Why do they need to be supported? My ex has never supported his and they don't seem to have come to any harm.

If they do need supports, how tall do they have to be?

[Emmylou]

Autumn fruiting ones are supposed not to need support. Summer flowering ones need tieing in to horizontal wires, otherwise they flap around as they grow quite tall (1.5m+).
2m post either end with three horizontal wires is what I've got mine trained to, assuming they are planted in a straight row of course! The new shoots seem to come up any where they like!

p.s. how are the jerusalem artichokes going Basketcase?!

[Capsid]

I'm not going to support my autumn bliss this year as I didn't feel they needed it last season. I thought that summer fruiting raspberries needed support rather than autumn fruiting ones anyway. I'm not sure why now you ask.

[TEB]

Summer ones do Autumn aren't supposed to, that being said I had to support individual Autumn ones last year, A) because of Wind and B)Chickens were having a competition to see who can jump up and get the highest fruit.

[SarzWix]

On my previous allotment there was a full bed of raspberries (about 3m x 1.5m), next to a fence. They were summer fruiting, but weren't supported. They got taller than me, but pretty much supported themselves as they had long grown out of their neat rows! They were a bit of a pain to harvest from the middle, but I got tons of fruit from them

[rana]

Jumping chickens TEB ? and I thought they could fly

[TEB]

Jumping chickens TEB ? and I thought they could fly

You know and I know but I havent gotten round to telling them yet

[basketcase]

Autumn fruiting ones are supposed not to need support. Summer flowering ones need tieing in to horizontal wires, otherwise they flap around as they grow quite tall (1.5m+).
2m post either end with three horizontal wires is what I've got mine trained to, assuming they are planted in a straight row of course! The new shoots seem to come up any where they like!

p.s. how are the jerusalem artichokes going Basketcase?!

Ah. Maybe his are autumn fruiting. Difficult to tell in Aberdeen

Oddly, I was just thinking about you and the artichokes the other day! I left them for a while when I heard I might get a lottie. However, decided to plant them in deepish containers and there are green bits, so I assume they're OK. Just as well since I won't be able to plant them out before end of May/beginning of June. They are hard to kill, aren't they?

Might do what I've done with my beans (also in pots & previously intended for verandah!), which is pot them in deep, 6" pots with the cane stuck in at an angle so that I can just dig holes, remove the pots, bung 'em in the ground and tie the poles together at the top. Hope that works...

[basketcase]

On my previous allotment there was a full bed of raspberries (about 3m x 1.5m), next to a fence. They were summer fruiting, but weren't supported. They got taller than me, but pretty much supported themselves as they had long grown out of their neat rows! They were a bit of a pain to harvest from the middle, but I got tons of fruit from them

Sounds familiar, Sarah. Haven't even got the raspberries yet, but am going to be really well-prepared when I do! Quite fancy some golden ones.

[Gwyndy]

I didn't support my raspberries last year and they were a bl**dy nuisance. They grew to about 7 ft in height and were flopping about all over the place. This year they are tied to wires between support posts and look much more 'controlled'.

[Emmylou]

I think when they get that tall you can bend them through 180 degrees to be pointing down, if you see what I mean............someone may have to correct me on this. I only planted mine last year, so haven't had to deal with 7'canes yet! There are loads of flowers on them, so I'm looking forward to a good crop.

[basketcase]

I didn't support my raspberries last year and they were a bl**dy nuisance. They grew to about 7 ft in height and were flopping about all over the place. This year they are tied to wires between support posts and look much more 'controlled'.

I can't recall His Nibs's every growing that tall. They seem to stop at about 5ft. Maybe he prunes them drastically...