Topic: Planting raspberries in a block -any ideas?

[George the Pigman]

I have seven healthy raspberry bushes(2 autumn and 5 summer varieties) bought bare rooted in summer(I got 12 but 5 never produced  shoots this year!).I potted them up prior to putting them in this autumn in the fruit area toward the back of the plot . Because of space limitations (I have two large apple trees in it and a number of blackcurrant bushes) I can't put them in the traditional text book rows 1.5 ft apart and 6ft between rows. What I have prepared is a 6ft by 5ft block in front of the shed .
Any suggestions how these might be spaced? I am intending to support them with sticks.

[Beersmith]

The thing to bear in mind is that once established a raspberry bed may last ten years.  So think of the future and position them as far as you are able to make keeping them weed free easy.  Raspberries choked with weeds are very hard work. It is probably equally important to clear the patch of perennial weeds as best as you can before you start.  I don't think the exact positioning is as important as decent access in order to weed, prune and harvest.

[Tee Gee]

I always planted my Raspberries in rows, see images here;https://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Content/R/Raspberry/Raspberries.htm

(Click on images to enlarge)

Suggested planting plan;

_______________________> 6ft
S------S------S-------S------S

A----- A        F         F         F

This way you can get to either side of the plants when harvesting!

S= Summer varieties.

A = Autumn varieties

F Future planting

[George the Pigman]

Great idea TeeGee.  I will do that. If any of the bare root raspberries that didn't produce shoots this  year decide to resurrect themselves  I can put them in next year (they do seem to have formed a new root system). Alternatively I can put new ones in.

Interestingly I had a row of raspberries all across my plot around the same spot many years ago (I have had the same plot for 30 years) with posts and lines. They did OK for a couple of years then died . I think something got them. However roots from them spread under the shed and under a Ballerina Apple Tree and keep coming back every year and giving a small but juicy crop of berries. The feral raspberries did better than the planned ones!!