Raspberry Bare Root Planting Guide

STORAGE

Your canes will arrive dormant and will have been shipped frozen. It is important to plant them as soon as possible after their arrival. If you are not able to plant them right away, keep them in a dark cold area with the roots wrapped in plastic so they do not dry out. Keep them just damp until planting.

PLANTING

Location - Take advantage of a windbreak or sheltered area if possible as cold winter winds are drying and can damage or kill plants. Beds are best prepped in advance. Raspberries prefer well draining soil rich with organic matter. The canes will produce fruit for 8-10 years so preparing the soil well is important. Raspberries are best grown in rows no more than 18 inches wide at a spacing of 2’ between each plant. Cultivate and remove any weeds from bed. Add at least 1” of well rotted manure or other compost and incorporate into top of beds. Fertilizer 10-10-10 or equivalent can also be added to soil at a rate of 3lb/100 sq ft 1 week before the canes are planted.

Plant canes 2’ apart about 1” deeper than they were in the nursery, as indicated by the soil line on the stem. Water in well and cover soil with mulch to conserve moisture and keep weeds out. Space rows 8-10’ apart.

GROWTH HABIT

The canes of raspberries are biennial also called floricanes — they grow for one year and then produce flowers and fruits during the early summer of the second year primarily in late July and August, depending on variety and location. The second year canes die shortly after harvest, and should be pruned out as soon as harvest is over. Canes can be prunes to the ground once the harvest is over. New canes are produce at the crown of the plant and as suckers from the roots. These new canes will thicken your raspberry patch as it matures.

Trellising your raspberries is also recommended. This provides support while the berries are fruiting and helps them withstand the wind.

See Daigram Below - If you string two wires at the same height, place them 4 ft. above the ground level. Place the canes between the wires to eliminate tying.

CARE - Make sure to supply adequate water from spring through harvest. Plants like 2-3” of water per week. You can water until the soil is moist -8” deep. Mulch (compost, wood chips, straw etc) helps to keep weeds out of your beds and helps retain moisture in the soil.

Pruning - Removing canes after they have been harvested will improve air circulation in your patch and help to prevent disease. Prune old canes and suckers so that there are 10-12 canes in a 3’ length. Do not let your rows become more than 18” wide.