Making a raspberry bed.

[icicle]

Hello,

I'm essentially completely new to growing things (I grew some broadbeans once but had to leave the house where I grew them before I got any beans ). I'd like to make a raspberry bed down the (sunny) wall of our garage. My boyfreind is worried that they may grow under the garage foundations, so I want to put in some sort of barrier. I have two large paving slabs. Would it be a good idea to sink these into the ground on the garage side? I also have a lot of old bathroom tiles which I could put on the other sides but I'm worried that a) they will be damaged by frost and b)they might contain nasty chemicals.

I don't have a car, so any alternative root barriers would have to be light enough for me to carry (and available somewhere I can get to by public transport or bike) or available online. I'd rather not spend a huge amount of money.

Also, how bad would it be if I grew sweet peas next to them? I don't have a huge garden and other than my 3 raised beds, down the side of the garage is the only sunny growing area.

Thanks for any advice,
Lorna

[icicle]

Oooh, perhaps I should add: I'm planning to start off with autumn raspberries as I'm concerned that if I grew summer ones, I might accidentally cut the wrong cane.

[veggiechicken]

Hello icicle and welcome to the Grapevine.
Raspberries are shallow rooted - they are unlikely to do any damage to your garage foundations. They do spread though so you may want to remove any inwanted suckers that emerge alongsode the bed - or replant them elsewhere!

[WendyC]

Don't be put off by pruning summer raspberries, the same principle applies whether they are summer or autumn fruiters. When a cane has flowered and fruited, it will turn brown and die. Then you cut it out. Summer fruiters will have new green canes already, leave them and tie them in, whereas the autumn ones won't have any new canes til the following Spring. Simples!
Only problem I can see with growing sweet peas with raspberries is that they will both want to be growing up supports against your wall, although generally sweet peas will be taller than your raspberries. Give it a go!

[starloc]

Raspberries have verry shallow roots, I dont think you will have a problem with them without a barrier, even with mud brick walls I have had no problems, pruning them is easy, just dont chop any out until they are so brittle they snap if you just touch them,

if you plant autumn fruiters you get fruit autumn first year and again the next early summer as the new canes grow ( that fruit in the autumn ) , in the winter the twice fruited canes will just snap if you touch them , remove them then