Planting under raspberries

[Noosner]

Anyone got any experience of undercropping under raspberry canes? I've read a bit on the internet about planting garlic under rasps, but was wondering if anyone knows of a green manure that would be suitable.

I know that rasps have very shallow roots so maybe it can't be done. The reason I'd like to try is a) a growing interest in undercropping and b) my rasps are close to my neighbour's polytunnel, behind which are lots of annual weeds that seed madly. I'd like some ground cover there to stop the weeds.

[teakdesk]

I don't know what is "recommended" but I grow my raspberries in a bed about 3m x 4m in about six rather overcrowded rows (they take over during the growing season and create a jungle - no staking or wires).

Some weeds grow under them but I ignore them as they are weak due to lack of light.

However, round the edges and extending into the bed I have hundreds (seems like thousands) of self-seeded wild strawberries that are just too vigorous to keep away. I just leave them to it.

The raspberries and the wild-strawberries seem to both like it and I don't see a detriment on the raspberries.

[Noosner]

Hi teakdesk, that sounds very good and now you say it, I remember someone else (on tinternet) talking about strawberries as a good companion. Pardon my ignorance but what are wild strawberries, exactly? Presumably not the same as non-wild ones? Would it work with non-wild ones, do you think.

[veggiechicken]

Wild strawberries are the little ones - woodland/alpine strawbs. My raspberries grow like weeds - watch out that yours don't end up in your neighbour's polytunnel.

[teakdesk]

In fact I've just been out (rigging my timer-based, auto-watering, dribble pipe system and connected it to a raised water tank to water the greenhouse!) and looked at my raspberries.

Under the raspberries there are actually no weeds, just a thin mulch of decaying oak leaves. I do have space to walk down the rows (just) but it seems little light actually gets down to the soil except at the edges.


Edit: yes, wild strawberries are an invasive weed! Very small fruit that is tart but nice if you have the patience (and back) to collect enough. They make very nice coolies but are a bit too tart for eating with cereals.

The whole of my garden is covered in them, they like the edges of beds and grow well around bushes but also cover paths etc. given half a chance!

I see no reason why cultivated strawberries wouldn't work. I did clear some of the wild ones and replace with cultivated a few years ago but after the first season the wild ones swamped them and they died.

[mothhawk]

I put all the fresh grass clippings under the raspberries. Keeps weeds away, and moisture in. They seem to do well on it.

[Noosner]

Wild strawberries are the little ones - woodland/alpine strawbs. My raspberries grow like weeds - watch out that yours don't end up in your neighbour's polytunnel.

I think he might be quite pleased because all his rasps died last year, in mysterious circumstances. He reckoned they were affected by the high water table (we are right next to a river.) Poor guy lost row upon row of 4-yr old plants and has had to start again, only in new raised beds. Very strange because my rasps weren't affected at all.

[Noosner]

Thanks also teakdesk and mothhawk. I could try the grass clippings approach because we do have grass paths down at lottie. and I have more strawberries than I know what to do with so I might try that too.

[KarlB924]

I've got bark chip mulch around my raspberries; this is the first year that I've grown any fruit in the ground as opposed to in pots, and I really can't imagine getting much to grow under them!

[Alison]

wild strawberries are an invasive weed! Very small fruit that is tart but nice if you have the patience (and back) to collect enough. They make very nice coolies but are a bit too tart for eating with cereals.

It must depend on the variety as mine are very sweet (grown from seed but can't remember which type now). I've got mine in window boxes so no bending down but the main reason I grow them is for on my cereal. They don't keep very well so need eating pretty much as soon as they're picked - I take my cereal bowl outside and add them just before pouring on the milk