Raspberries. To prune or not to prune; that is the question????

[Monnydite]

I planted some raspberry canes last year in the allotment which I bought from 'Woolies'. (By-the-way, I miss Woolies!) I can't remember the variety so don't know whether to prune them or not.  I had some lovely raspberries off them in late summer. I presumed the fruit came late as I planted them rather late. I haven't cut the old canes out as they have lots of lovely fresh leaves growing on them. I also have lots of new growth from the ground too. Can anyone give me any advice as what to do? If I leave the old canes with all the lovely new leaves on them, would they bear fruit? They look too healthy to cut out.

[Monnydite]

[Psi (Pronounced 'Si'!)]

Not sure!

I inherited my plot in sept 08 with a tonne of raspberries and I have no idea which sort they are - summer or autumn.  I did a bit of reading and decided to take a mixed approach, cutting hard, oddy growth right back to the ground and 'pruning' younger canes to maybe 1-2 feet.  My logic was that I might get ealrier fruit on the longer canes and if they are autumn fruiting I might get a supply over later summer/autumn.  We'll see how it goes, but worth a try and an experiment!  Not sure if this helps!?!

Psi

[saddad]

Welcome to the site Monnydite...

I would assume they were autumn Rasps...

If you cannot be sure cut half of them right down... if those new shoots from the base fruit this autumn they are def Autumn rasps..
You will still get some fruit on the old acnes you hjaven't cut down but poorer ones...  :-\

[kt.]

I cut all mine down to 2ft only 3 weeks ago.  (They had been planted 12 months ago.)

[Old bird]

It is sometimes a good idea to look at the canes from the point of view of the colour of them  if they are dark brown and have the old stubs of flowers/fruit on them then they have fruited already so that stem can come down.  If they are summer fruiting ones which will fruit on the last years' growth and you may be able to tell as the old wood is dark brown and deadish looking!

The autumn ones are just springing up now and occasionally you will find that they are a bit "thorny or hairy" near their base.  Again you should be able to see where they fruited last year and they need to come down to the ground - now!

Hope this helps - but if all else fails - leave them in and see what happens!

O  B

;)

[Barnowl]

Tie coloured string or thread round the new growth so that you can id  which it is later in the season. Not always easy to tell  :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

It might be easier to tie it on the old growth when you cut it back.

[Barnowl]

Sorry about that. Robert is, of course, absolutely correct.  :)