Topic: Raspberries

[Heartysoup]

I'd like to plant some Raspberry canes on my new allotment and know nothing about it !

Can any of you seasoned fruit growers give me some top tips about varieties and planting ?

Thanks

[Tee Gee]

This info might help you; http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Raspberry/Raspberry.htm

I am replacing my stock this year and I am awaiting delivery of my new canes.

After much reading I have plumped for 'Glen Ample' it seems to have all that I want in a raspberry!

Only time will tell if I have made a wise choice!

[Chrissie]

Hi Heartysoup,

Autumn fruiters are FAR less trouble than the summer ones so you may like to start with those - they taste delicious, the birds don't bother with them apart from the first few to ripen (in my experience anyway!) and pruning is easy - just cut the lot to the ground in winter. They don't need much support either if you plant them in a double row (18" apart or so each way) with a post at each corner and some wires or tough string linking the posts a couple of feet off the ground then again higher up as they grow just to stop them flopping.

Autumn Bliss is always reliable but there are lots of newer varieties, e.g. Polka, which claim to have better yields.

Only one snag - they tend to "walk" outside their allotted space but at least you'll never be without them and you'll have plenty of suckers to offer around. In fact if you chat up your fellow plot-holders you never know your luck...!

Someone else will no doubt get you going on summer varieties.

All the best.

[Heartysoup]

Tee Gee: I had a look at the Gardener's Almanac and it's obviously all there, but with the risk of sounding stupid, when is week 7 ??

Chrissie: I'll take your advice and stick to autumn fruiters for now. How big a post would you advise for the corners ?

Thanks

[Tee Gee]

when is week 7 ??

Around 18th February!


All the dates are here; http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Indexes/index.htm

By the way all the dates are subject to weather conditions at the time plus the fact week 7 is about as late as I would go.

Look further down the article and you will see that planting out time is between Week 44 and Week 7 (End of October to mid February)

Similarly there are details of frame/support construction in the article if you read on!

[Heartysoup]

Okeydokey, I'll get reading.

Thanks

[florence]

I'm also interested in summer fruiting raspberries. I've had a look at the Gardeners Almanac and can't see any information about varieties - am I missing something? Thanks for the recomendation about Glen Ample, does anyone else have any comments? Shall I order some Glen Ample canes? I have some Autumn Bliss but find them quite tasteless compared to summer varieties.
Thanks.

[realfood]

Have a look at this web page with details of Summer fruiting and Autumn fruiting varieties:-http://www.growyourown.info/page132.html

[Tee Gee]

can't see any information about varieties

And you won't simply because varieties are subject to 'market forces' if they are selling you will get them next year if not they are taken off the market.

Plus some varieties grow better in certain parts of the country than others.

Then their is taste! ...............no accounting for that!

So I chose not to include variety names on my website and if you consider the information  on my website has been accumulated over 25-30 years some varieties I have grown are now extinct! ;)

I have treated fertilisers, fungicides and insecticides in the same manner...........and we all know what the Eu has done with those  :'(

Nuff said!!  ::)

[richardh5678]

For what it is worth, I have both summer and autumn varieties.  I don't know what the varieties are, but living in the peak district, the autumn varieties often go mouldy before harvest.  They do not dry out after morning dew quickly enough.
richard

[cacran]

I had both summer and autumn raspberries. I had too many so got rid of the summer ones, which were more fussy to prune and in summer I have plenty of strawberries cropping. the autumn ones are very easy to cope with. As said previously, just chop em all down in the winter. they are really heavy croppers too.

[cjb02]

I have Glen Ample in the garden. Bought them from Aldi last year and this, they are a  lovely tasting rasp and very large. Would recommend them as a variety.

[earlypea]

I agree with you Florence on the Autumn Bliss - very dull.  I'm pulling mine and replacing, most likely with Glen Ample - I agree with the other posters.  For me they have exceptional flavour and are huge too.

[rbull]

May be the taste depends on the soil you have.  We are on solid alkaline chalk that is not really suited to raspberries.  Glen Ample, Glen Cova and Malling Jewel seem to survive, however, and taste good.  Autumn Bliss grows very well and the fruit looks good, but has very little taste unless you pick them before they are really quite fully ripe, ie red but not deep red.

[earlypea]

Autumn Bliss grows very well and the fruit looks good, but has very little taste unless you pick them before they are really quite fully ripe, ie red but not deep red.

oops!  When you said red I checked.  In fact I have some Autumn Bliss and they are very nice.  I got that confused with Allgold (cropping now) which are small and bland and don't deserve the space.
Sorry.

[Heartysoup]

Oh No....I went off and did the ground prep, put some posts in etc and planted 3 Autumn Bliss !!  :-[

Should I leave them there or what ?? ???