I have polka autumn fruiting raspberries and they have walked away from where I originally planted them. I am going to start a new bed in a better, enriched soil, in a raised bed. The originals were planted in clay and did well but that area can feel cold and wet in the soil so I think the runners have walked to a better area. I had lots of fruit last year. I grew summer varieties very successfully indeed for many years, at a different house but these primocanes are a different matter altogether. They have become `messy` and there are so many baby weeds all around them. Hard to keep on top of the original patch, will be easier in the new friable soil
What is the best way to propagate these polka raspberries? The plants are healthy btw and how on earth do I keep them contained in the raised bed?
If they really are autumn fruiting they should be cut back to the ground very year as they grow fruit on the current years growth,and the canes are no good after that it is the opposite to summer fruiting ones that grow fruit on second year growth, so they are pruned by removing the old canes from the current year onltyand tying in the new shoots from this years growth so they are ready for the following year
They're happily propagating already! As you've found, they send up shoots from their roots as they spread out. Simply dig up these plants with a bit of root on them (something that looks like an old twig is fine, there doesn't have to be fine roots as well). You can either plant them straight where you want them or into fairly large and deep pots to grow on until you are happy with them. Keep them well watered until established.
Your next problem will be how to get rid of them from their present bed ...
Thanks. I`ll sit on my hands until after fruiting and then give some babies a new home. Am planning to put some roses in their place. It is the only part of my allotment that I cannot make tidy
I could not sit on my hands and do nothing, so have dug out the old raspberry stools. They were easy to dig and lifeless. The new raspberry runners look good and strong and are a fair distance away, amazing how they ran to better conditions. I am buying pots today, so that I can dig out and pot 5 small runners, ready to put into the new bed. Just got to wait for the strawberries to finish. It is a battle here me v slugs and rain sodden berries. I hate the bending so am more than happy to get rid of the strawberry bed.
I dug the initial old raspberry patch over and can easily get 5 roses in there. Just got to weed and then enrich. So best of two worlds. Keeping the raspberries albeit in two different areas and lovely roses too