Hi Everyone, i was given a load of raspberry bushes last year, which i planted, i did not know if there were summer or autumn bushes. they have started to grown new shoots from the roots, and a couple of bushes have a little growth on the old canes. do i cut the old canes back to ground level, waiting for the new growth???
thank you
Barry
Autumn raspberries will fruit on this year's growth so you wouldn't cut those back.
Spring raspberries will fruit on last years growth so you would leave that old growth alone and the new shoots will provide next year's fruit..
It is really difficult to tell one from the other until they fruit. Personally I would just leave them be at the moment as there is nothing to be gained by cutting back now. it's too late for a winter prune.. Just leave them and see how they fruit.
How big are the bushes - lots of old wood??
As it is not the right time to prune raspberries and you don't know what type they are this is just a suggestion rather than advice!
I would just prune out any dead and weak shoots for now. Then reassess when you see the fruiting habits and prune appropriately from then.