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How to Grow Raspberries: A Juicy Guide to Planting, Harvesting & Pruning

red raspberries
Image Credit:
Pixabay
Botanical Name
Rubus spp.
Grown as
Perennial
USDA Zones
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
10a
10b
Toxicity
Toxic to Dogs and Cats
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Water Needs
Moderate
Height
3-6 feet
Spread
3-6 feet
Soil pH
Acidic
Neutral
Bloom Time
Summer
Fall
Flower Color
White
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Pollinators
Attracts Songbirds
Resilience
Cold Hardy
Plant Type
Fruit
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Want hundreds of sweet, tangy berries right in your backyard? Meet the raspberry—nature’s candy and a home gardener’s dream! These berry bushes don’t ask for much, but boy, do they give back. With just one plant, you can harvest hundreds of berries each season—perfect for snacking, baking, jamming, or tossing in your smoothies. 

Whether you’re team summer-bearing or all about the fall fruit, we’ve got everything you need to know to plant, grow, and prune your way to raspberry heaven.

Raspberries are shrubs belonging to the Rosaceae family in the genus Rubus. Not only are raspberries perfect for picking and eating straight off the stem, but they’re also wonderful in jams, pies and tarts, or smoothies and drinks. Plus, fresh raspberries are an excellent source of vitamin C to support the immune system and help fight infections.

There are two types of raspberries, both with their own specific requirements for growing: 

  1. Summer-fruiting raspberries are more common. They develop their fruit on last year’s growth and bear one crop per season in summertime (often June or July).
  2. Ever-bearing raspberries (also called fall-bearing or autumn-bearing raspberries) 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 Raspberries

All raspberries will need pruning annually! Raspberries are perennials. However, it’s important to realize that the branches (or canes) that 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. It 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 annually.

See more pruning advice below.

Planting

Raspberries grow best in a sunny location, but unlike many fruits, they will also grow successfully in a partially shaded spot. However, the more sun, the more fruit!

The planting site should have rich and well-draining soil, great air circulation, and shelter from the wind. Avoid a wet and windy area, as raspberries do not like to stand in water or totally dry out.

Every year, feed your raspberry plants with a couple of inches of compost or aged manure; dig it into the soil a couple of weeks before planting. (A good ratio is about 3½ cubic feet of compost per 100 square feet.)

Plant your berries far from wild-growing berries; otherwise, you risk spreading wild pests and diseases to your cultivated berry plants.

When to Plant Raspberries

  • Start with 1-year-old raspberry canes from a reputable nursery. Plant in early spring once the ground thaws out and can be worked (see your local frost dates).
  • In mild areas, you could also plant in late autumn to give the plants a head start.
  • Plant potted transplants in the spring after the threat of frost has passed.

Close-up of raspberries on a branch.

How to Plant Raspberries

  • Before planting, soak the roots for an hour or two.
  • Dig a hole that is roomy enough for the roots to spread. If you’re planting multiple bushes, it’s easiest to dig a trench.
  • Whether you’re planting bare-root or potted plants, keep the crown of the plant 1 or 2 inches above the ground.
  • Canes should be spaced 18 inches apart, with about 4 feet between rows.
  • Fill the soil back in, and tamp it down with your foot.
  • Once the canes are planted, cut them down to 9 inches tall to encourage new growth. (Yes, it will look like a broken branch sticking out of the ground!)
  • Depending on your plant variety, you may need to fashion a support to hold up the canes, as many grow to head height. A trellis or a fence are good options. If you have a row, drive in two 6-foot posts at the end of the row and stretch galvanized wire between the posts. Summer-fruiting raspberries need three horizontal wires, and the fall types could do with two wires.

Check out this video to learn how to plant raspberries. 

Growing

  • Mulching is important throughout the season to conserve moisture and suffocate weeds. Keep a thick layer of mulch surrounding plants at all times.
  • Water 1 inch per week from spring until after harvest. Regular watering is better than infrequent deep soaking.
  • Keep your raspberry bushes tidy by digging up any “suckers” or canes that grow well away from the rows; if you don’t dig them up, they’ll draw nutrients away, and you’ll have fewer berries next year.
  • If you wish, you can replant the suckers, and you’ll have new plants! Dig them up, set them in a fresh area of prepared ground, and water them after planting.

How to Prune Raspberries

Prune summer-fruiting raspberries immediately after you’re done picking! Cut only the canes that produced berries back down to the ground.

(Remember, this plant produces berries on 2-year-old canes while 1-year-old canes grow right beside them. You shouldn’t have trouble telling which is which: The older canes have brown stems, and the young ones are still green. Prune only the older ones—the ones that have finished their fruitful year.)

Tie the remaining canes to the supporting wires with garden string. There should not be any more than one cane every four inches of wire, so cut down additional canes.

Ever-bearing or fall-bearing raspberries 

  • This is easy. Just cut all canes back to the ground in late winter before growth begins in the spring. They give fruit on canes that are in their first year of growth, after which there is no reason to keep them. Mow them to the ground or use pruning shears for a small patch.
  • Clean up all debris—diseases and pests overwinter.
  • Pruning is only required during the growing season if you want to keep uniform order. Dig or pull up new canes that grow well away from the rows. If your raspberry canes are disease-free, you can transplant them to raise more plants.

Note: The above assumes you are harvesting a fall crop. To get both fall and following summer crop, do not remove the primocanes that produced the fall crop. Prune them back in spring to about 12 inches above the support, or to the last visible node that had fruit, cutting off the dead tips.

Spacing for Raspberries

Harvesting

  • All varieties will begin to produce fruit in their second season. In some cases, ever-bearers may bear small berries in their first autumn.
  • In early summer, berries will ripen over about 2 weeks. You will need to pick berries every couple of days!
  • Try to harvest berries on a sunny day when they are dry.
  • Gently pull raspberries away from their central plug once they’re richly colored all over. They should come away easily. Don’t tug too hard on your raspberries when picking. A ripe raspberry will leave the vine willingly. 

Raspberry harvest in multiple containers.

How to Store Raspberries

  • Raspberries won’t keep for long, so enjoy them soon after picking them!
  • They can be kept refrigerated for about 5 days. Don’t wash the berries after picking unless you’re going to eat them straight away. They will grow moldy and mushy if not kept dry in storage. If you do need to wash them, let them air dry completely before storing them.
  • Raspberries can be frozen! As with freezing blueberries, make a single layer of berries on a cookie sheet. When frozen, place into airtight bags. Use on waffles, in cereal, or whenever you need a refreshing, healthy snack!

Pests and Problems

Raspberries are one of the few fruits that are hardly bothered by pests and diseases. (Black raspberries are more susceptible to this type of damage than red or purple.)

  • Keep an eye out for spider mites and Japanese beetles from June through August. Raspberries are a favorite of Japanese beetles in particular.
  • Rabbits love to eat the canes in winter. A chicken wire fence will help prevent rabbit damage.
  • Powdery mildew
  • Cane borers

Types

There are many, many raspberry varieties available today—and each one is unique! Ask your local garden center or cooperative extension service which raspberry varieties are best suited for your area. Here are a few to get you started:

  • ‘Canby’: red berries; summer-bearing; nearly thornless; recommended for New England, Upper Great Lakes, and Northwest
  • ‘Heritage’: red berries; ever-bearing; recommended for the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley
  • ‘Plainsman’: red berries; ever-bearing; does well in higher altitudes (the Rockies and High Plains)
  • ‘Fallgold’: yellow berries; ever-bearing; recommended for the Upper Midwest and Canada
  • ‘Double Gold’: yellow berries tinged with peach; ever-bearing; better for warmer areas, as the fall crop can be quite late
  • ‘Royalty’: purple berries; summer-bearing; better for warmer areas
  • ‘Jewel’: black berries; summer-bearing; disease-resistant; great for warmer areas
  • ‘Black Hawk’: black berries; summer-bearing; heat- and drought-tolerant

Tired of raspberries? Try your hand at growing blackberries, blueberries, or strawberries instead!

Wit and Wisdom

  • Raspberries are a great source of dietary fiber and vitamin C, and may help to protect against disease. Check out Raspberries: Health Benefits to learn how healthy raspberries really are!

Fruit

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening, so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Tara Housen</span> Wed, 07/10/2013 - 15:29
I planted my raspberries about three years ago and have never gotten a berry. What am I doing wrong? The Bush keeps getting bigger but just gets dried up blooms.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 07/11/2013 - 12:06
There could be several causes. If you have heavy soil with poor drainage you need to amend the soil with compost. Raspberries require about an inch of water per week to produce well. Canes should be thinned to about 8 inches apart in spring. Apply a nitrogen fertilizer a couple of times during the summer months. Also make sure that the raspberries get at least 6 hours of sun per day. Morning sun is preferred.
<span>Leslie Sears</span> Wed, 07/10/2013 - 12:17
The family we share a yard with has asked us to move our mature raspberry bush to a new location. Do they transplant well or should we start a new plant and just trash our existing one at the end of the season?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 07/11/2013 - 12:14
It's best to move the raspberry in the fall. Prune back any canes that produced fruit during the summer and carefully dig up the bush and any new suckers. Seperate the new shoots and try to leave soil around the root area. Plant immediately and water.
<span>Margie Sorensen</span> Tue, 07/09/2013 - 18:13
This is our second year with the Raspberries. We had a ton of flowers in the spring and then nothing. What are we doing wrong? Some are even dying now.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 07/10/2013 - 11:52
If you had gotten fruit last year but not this year, I'd say that's normal. Raspberries produce biennial canes, which means that the first year they are vegetative only but will bear fruit the next year. You do need to prune them back and get rid of the old canes. See more here: http://umaine.edu/publications/2066e/ If you still have problems and you have them in full sun, perhaps you have a variety that isn't a good fit for your zone.
<span>Nicoled40</span> Tue, 07/09/2013 - 16:09
My raspberry bushes are approximately 2 years old now. For the first time I see actual raspberries on them. The problem is that they appear normal and the proper color, but they're hard as rocks! What is causing that?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 07/10/2013 - 09:58
If they're hard, they are about a few weeks from being ripe. At this point, they're good for pies and other cooked desserts. An early harvest could help thin the fruit, too, so that your berries will be larger when they are ripe.
<span>Dallas Akron N…</span> Mon, 07/08/2013 - 17:56
my berries grow like crazy, but berries themselves don't develope fully and fall apart when picked. what am i doing wrong?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 07/09/2013 - 14:36
If the raspberries fall apart, a common reason is tarnished plant bug damage. These insects feed on the fruit. They overwinter in crop residue so good clean up is key. In early spring, spray with Sevin to control.