In a small space, raspberries yield a phenomenal quantity of ravishing berries—and they fruit year after year with proper care. Raspberries can be harvested all the way from midsummer through to the first frost. See our tips on how to plant, grow, harvest, and prune raspberries!
There are two types of raspberries, both with their own specific requirements for growing:
- Summer-fruiting raspberries are more common, developing their fruit on last year’s growth. They bear one crop per season, in summertime (often June or July).
- Ever-bearing raspberries (also called fall-bearing or autumn-bearing) produce berries on new canes. they bear a fall crop and can also produce fruit the following summer.
A mix of both types of berries would be an ideal way to maximize the harvest period.
All raspberries are self-fertile, so you only need one bush to produce fruit. They’re best pollinated by bees, and will start producing fruit a year after planting.
Though raspberry bushes are naturally inclined to grow in cooler climates, the plants now come in many varieties suited to a range of planting zones.
The Importance of Pruning
All raspberries will need pruning annually! Raspberries are perennials, however it’s important to realize that their branches (or canes) which bear the fruit live for only two summers. During the first year, the new green cane (primocane) grows vegetatively. The cane develops a brown bark, is dormant in winter, and during the second growing season is called a floricane. The floricane produces fruit in early to mid summer and then dies. New primocanes are produced each year, so fruit production continues year after year. It’s your job to prune out those dead canes each year.
See more pruning advice below.
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First-year, non-fruit bearing pruning advice
I planted 2 raspberry bushes in early spring of 2019. They grew huge all summer and are very lush and healthy. Now, it's November 2019 and I have no idea how to prune them before the snow falls (I'm in zone 6 in Rochester, NY). I have scoured the Internet to find out if I should prune them. All I have read about is how to prune fruit-bearing canes. I didn't have any fruit or buds this first year. Should I leave them without pruning and let the snow pile on them? Should I cut them back to a certain height before the snow falls? We're getting snow in the next few weeks. HELP
Where is raspberry video?
I can't find the video? Thanks
raspberry video
Apologies! Here is the video with the demonstration: https://www.almanac.com/video/how-grow-raspberries-planting-harvest . We will add to article!
raspberries
what color should my plant be when its ready to harvest
Berry Color
Depending on variety, mature berries could be dark red, dark purple, or an amber color. In any case, they should easily come off the plant when gently picked.
Black and Red Raspberries together?
Can black and red raspberries be grown in the same patch? A friend of mine gave me some raspberry bushes two years ago to add to my smaller patch of black raspberries. I assumed they were also black. The first year they didn't have any fruit. This year, to my surprise I have both red and black raspberries. it seems like the black raspberries near the red ones have produced very small oddly shaped berries. Is this because they are near the red raspberries?
Tiny worms inside ripe berries
I have just started harvesting my first round of raspberries and found that there are tiny white worms inside the berries, no bigger than a half a centimeter long. One berry had about 8 of these pests inside. What are they and how do I get rid of them?
small white worms in raspberries
Tiny, white worms are probably a type of fruit fly larvae. Unfortunately, this is a non-native invasive pest. There can be several larvae in each berry. They affect soft fruits and overripe fruits. Unfortunately, they are serious. You have a couple of options:
1. Promptly harvest ripe fruit now. Sanitation is very important. Remove and dispose of over-ripe, damaged, or rotting fruit. Dispose of berries in a manner that prevents flies from emerging and reinfesting sound fruit. Controlling weeds around the raspberry planting can also help.
2. Insecticides are a possible control option if you are open to it. Speak to your local cooperative extension or garden center experts. Note: many garden insecticides have preharvest waiting periods of several days, making their application to ripening fruit impractical. If you decide to use an insecticide, select one with a short preharvest waiting period (such as one day) and carefully read and follow label directions. According to Purdue University entomologists, there are a number of insecticide products labeled for use on raspberries, including spinosad, pyrethroids and malathion, to combat this pest. Only use products that are labeled for use on raspberries, and be sure to look at the days-to-harvest limits listed on the label (likely 1 to 3 days). NEVER apply any insecticides while the plants are in bloom.
You would need to spray immediately to try to knock down the population. You will probably need to make a second application a few days later to kill new adults that emerge after the initial application. Depending on how long your fruit harvest continues, you may need to reapply weekly.
Raspberry core
After i pick my raspberries what should i do about the core left on the vine? Trim leave it alone, what? My concern is it drawing away nutrients unnecessarily.
harvesting raspberries
You can leave the core on the plant. It will naturally take care of itself. I couldn’t find research on how much nutrients the plant devotes to it, but my guess is that once the fruits (the drupelets that contain the seeds) have been harvested, the plant won’t devote much energy to the core (aka receptacle) itself, and it will wither on its own.
Harvesting raspberries
My raspberries have fruited well. The fruit is soft but will not come away from the core on 2 of my plants they just squash. If I leave them too long they are over ripe and still will not pick off. They are easy to pick off from a third plant I have. Why is this? Is it the variety or planting conditions? The two plants I have problems with are in a much better position than the third plant........................
Hey, I want to know a
Hey, I want to know a valuable information. Can I use this gardening ideas for indian sub-continent Weather and soil condition? Raspberry is not our seasonal fruits at all.
Raspberries
The information above is intended for gardeners in North America and for species of raspberries grown in North America, but the general growing advice should still apply. You will likely have to adjust it to your local conditions and the raspberry species available to you.
Blueberries,blackberry,and Raspberry plants.
Do I need more than one plant.. To plant for production?
Thanks Di
do you need more than one berry bush?
Hi Di, It depends on the type of plant. Raspberry and blackberry plants are self-fertile and do not require a pollinator.
Highbush blueberries which grow where winters are generally cold (USDA Zone 6 and colder) do not need a pollinator, however, you’ll get more fruit if you plant two different highbush selections for cross-pollination. The rabbiteye blueberry bush (USDA Zone 7 and warmer) definitely need two plants.
Transplanting
I planted my store bought potted raspberry plant about a month ago and I’m realizing I didn’t pick a good spot for it. Could I dig it up and replant in a sunnier location now or is it too late?
raspberries
Hello,
My raspberries are 2 yrs old, there was a lot of fruit on the vines but it never matured it turned brown and dried up. The foliage is green and healthy. Can you help me.
Raspberries Drying Up
Dry, crumbly berries can result from a number of things, including disease, pests, soil nutrition, poor pollination, and water-related issues.
Since you say the leaves look healthy otherwise, it’s likely a problem with pollination or water. Has it been particularly dry in your area? Once raspberries start producing, they need consistent water to produce healthy, full berries—dry conditions will cause the berries to shrivel. On the other hand, if the raspberry plant is kept too wet, it can cause root rot, which also results in poor berries. Make sure your plants are in a place that gets consistent water during the berry season, but where the soil drains well, too.
As for pollination, keep an eye out for bees and their kin to make sure that the plant is getting enough attention. Perhaps add a native bee house to encourage to move into the neighborhood?
rasberries
my raspberries are getting silver leaves on them that seem to dry up and die. What would be the cause of that.
silver tarnish
That sounds like powdery mildew, a common hazard with raspberries. See here https://www.almanac.com/pest/powdery-mildew
New raspberry bush owners
A customer at work bought a house with a lot of raspberry bushes, and decided to give some away. We took one, and planed it in a mostly sunny spot, and water it regularly. We live in Minnesota, so planed it in the spring after the first frost. Gave it room for its roots to grow, and it seems to be doing great. It just started flowering, and I know it probably won’t produce any fruit this year, but my question is, how do we tell what kind it is. The friend who bought the house with the berries already there didn’t know. It has brown canes, and little purple flowers. I am only asking, because of the pruning differences in each type of bush. How someone can help. Super excited to eat some yummy berries next year... hopefully!
how to tell the variety
It’s hard to tell, actually. But try this: After fruiting, remove all canes that produced fruit, be it a summer, or fall bearing variety. For summer-bearing varieties you will do it late in the summer, for fall bearing the best time to do it is in the late winter or in very early spring before the buds start swelling. Or just do this: cut down all canes late in the winter or very early in the spring, then wait to see what happens next year. If you have a summer-bearing variety you will not have fruit next year at all, but at least you will know what you have.
raspberries
I lifted raspberry autumn fruiting raspberries from another area in our garden and cut them down to two inches above ground in early spring.
the canes have multiplied 10-fold but are bearing no fruit at all. They had a very good mulching after pruning too. What have I done wrong?
raspberries
I think you must have pruned everything instead of just the old canes. They bear on 2-year old canes, so wait until next year to see berries. My transplanted berries gave just a token crop this year, too. I'm looking forward to lots for next year.
Raspberries
Last summer I moved into a house with a large raspberry bush. This past month, the plant produced large black berries. At the same time, it also put out a number of long canes around the plant. Are these suckers that need to be pruned out or will they produce in the future?
Raspberry Growth
Most raspberries produce fruit on second-year canes (called “floricanes”) rather than first-year canes (called “primocanes”). The new canes that you see around your plant right now are primocanes, but next year they will have matured to floricanes and will produce fruit, so they should be left alone.
Raspberries
Is their a raspberry that has a stronger flavor or is there something I can feed the raspberries to improve their flavor. Year after year I have an abundant crop but with little flavor and it is very discouraging.
Raspberries
I would try another type; one which emphasizes sweeter taste;;
Patio raspberries
I bought a raspberry plant at our hardware store that was supposed to be a “patio plant” This has been planted in a good sized pot and is now growing respectably well. I know it will be a year or two before I get any berries. How do I treat this pot for the winter? Can it stay outside or do I need to get it in the garage(unheated).
caring for container raspberries
Hi, Jane. If you live in an area where winter is harsh you can move the raspberry pots to an unheated garage. Water the raspberries just enough to keep them alive. If you leave the pot outside, add mulch for protection over the winter.
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