Autumn Raspberry Beds

[Garden Manager]

I am currently in the process of renewing by autumn raspberry plants. I intend to grow them in the same location in the garden as i have done for the last 9 years, although this time i plan to built raised beds filled with fresh soil. I have chosen to do this because the soil where they are currently growing is quite thin and chalky, and i hope that by making the soil deeper it will avoid too much lime induced chlorosis which the existing plants have suffered from in recent years.

I am looking for some advice on the size of the beds. The current layout is an 'E' shaped bed surrounded by paths. i want to replace this with 3 stand alone beds equal to one row of canes in each. I was wondering what the minimum width of soil/bed would have to be to sucessfully grow a single row of autumn raspberries. I want to give the plants room to grow properly yet maximise the productive use of the space.

With this first question in mind, i was also wondering how many plants I could easily fit into a row about 2.5 metres long? I havent ordered the canes yet so need to work out how many i need to buy. The variety i have in mind is Autumn Bliss, if this makes any difference.

I look forward to your replies. Feel free to ask for more info if this will help.

Thanks.

[Garden Manager]

[Dadnlad]

Hessayon recommends 18" between plants - so maybe 7
However, we planted our Autumn Bliss a foot apart a few years ago, and they're 6-7 foot tall with big berries from end August till first frost - so maybe 8-9 ?

[artichoke]

It doesn't seem to matter how far apart you plant them in my experience, because they thicken up and spread over only 2 or 3 years as you must have noticed.

I have one thickening  row in the middle of my allotment, and another next to a regularly mown grass path so that I can check them in at least one direction.

A question: can you grow raspberries from cuttings? (I know this is a weird question, given that they root freely, but I promise you I have a reason for asking).

[star]

Yes yes yes.......and if you have too many? Well Id be happy to pay postage if some need rehoming.

Im a cheeky beggar I know, ignore me if you have other plans though ;)

[Garden Manager]

Cutings? I dont think so. They are in effect a semi woody herbaceous perennial.

What you can do is dig up and transplant rooted suckers, particularly any that grow in the wrong place (eg in the middle of a path!). I originaly planted 2 rows of my Autumn Bliss. I expanded this to 3 by transplanting canes growing in what was suppoed to be an access path.

[silly billy]

I hope i'm not hijacking this thread and if I am I apologise.

When would be the best time to dig these suckers up? And would that also include summer fruiting?

[green sleeves]

Not an expert by any means but I was digging  along my  Rasberries last week and the roots extended quite some distance , near a meter each side . When planting them I was advised to dig a trench  about a foot deep and wide ( see I work on both measurments) and put a good layer of composted manure in the bottom before back filling with soil . the other advise I was given was to throw any mushable materials at the base of the plants, ie, green leaves from other veg , corn stalks, garlic shoots what ever you have to keep moisture in the roots and supress any thing growing under them.Also it takes 2 years before you get any fruit from them, this is year 2 for me and I have got a few kilos but not as much as the guys  who donated the plants to me, surely you could use the plants you already have .