raspberries-how to tell the difference

[gwynnethmary]

Hi!
I'm helping to clear an overgrown lottie and have found lots of what look like raspberry canes.  They look similar to those grown on the other lottie I help with, and are definitely not brambles!  The stems don't have thorns.  Given that these have been left to heir own devices for a good while, how can I tell if they are summer or autumn fruiting?  I've chopped them down as there's a lot of rubbish to clear, but it would be nice to save them if they're any good.  Any ideas how to proceed would be gratefully received!

[gwynnethmary]

[sheddie]

Hi,

As far as I'm aware, theres no way to tell the difference until they fruit. Obviously Summer ones should start fruiting around June and Autumn ones a bit later.

Summer fruiting ones fruit on the previous years growth and Autumn ones fruit on this years' growth.

If you've cut them back and they are Summer raspberries, obviously you won't get fruit this year, but you shouldn't have done them any harm but cutting them back

sheddie
;D

[grannyjanny]

We went to see our plot in early December & were told the raspberries must be Autumn fruiters as they had some dead fruit on them. I don't know if that helps.

[springs]

The stems on summer plants are usually smooth and the autumn are prickly

[gwynleg]

My autumn raspberries are smooth!

[springs]

Looks like your autumn ones are summer, Just let them go there own way until summer, Then cut out the old wood in November.Let us know how you get on with them.  ;D

[gavinjconway]

Hi Springs and Gwynleg - I am intrigued... My new plot had two bunches of Rasp canes growing. I was also  given some. I dug up and replanted one set of canes (which I had been picking and eating from in Sept and October) in a new spot along with the new ones which are Autumn type. The stems are smooth on both these lots so all must be Autumn. 

Now the second lot are spiky or hairy more than thorny but not like a Blackberry.. Can I assume that these are Summer variety? There are also some smooth amongst them so a definite difference. Now I also recall seeing some buds on some before I cut them down in Oct to a foot high.. They are definitely not thorny like Blackberries.... just hairy spikey..

So I'm reckoning some are Autumn (smooth) and some Summer spiky.. What are your thoughts.   

[Ru1]

Hi Gavin,

Yes the second type you have will be summer fruiting.  On my old allotment, I used to have around 60 raspberry canes.  These were early, mid and late fruiting plants.

I found that the earlier the plants fruited, the thornier they were.  These aren't thorns like on roses or blackberries, but fine thorns which can still hurt  :)

The Autumn bliss that I have just planted on my new allotment, do have very fine thorns, but only on the first inch of last years growth.

Hope this helps

Ruth

[gavinjconway]

Hi Gavin,

Yes the second type you have will be summer fruiting.  On my old allotment, I used to have around 60 raspberry canes.  These were early, mid and late fruiting plants.

I found that the earlier the plants fruited, the thornier they were.  These aren't thorns like on roses or blackberries, but fine thorns which can still hurt  :)

The Autumn bliss that I have just planted on my new allotment, do have very fine thorns, but only on the first inch of last years growth.

Hope this helps

Ruth

Thanks Ruth... Now i have to save some and re-plant in a different spot... gotta juggle and allocate some space..   ;D