|
Post by territalks on May 9, 2007 14:13:42 GMT
I love Raspberries but although I have brought healthy plants I have been unable to grow them sucessfully, andy advice welcomed thanks Love TT xxxx
|
|
|
Post by Fi on May 10, 2007 11:53:31 GMT
Terri - I'm not sure what you mean about not growing them successfully. The first year they are in, the will produce little or no fruit. The year after that, the new canes that grow hould bear fruit, lots of it. Raspberries need lots of manure and compost dug in to where they are planted, especially if your soil is heavy clay - they don't like that and it may even be worth adding some sand as well as the compost if that's what you soil is like. They also like a fair amount of water. I hope that helps.
|
|
|
Post by Peek on May 10, 2007 12:04:48 GMT
We had 1 raspberry plant, which would have been about 10 years ago, maybe a bit more. It was a West Malling, I think, but don't quote me. As Fi says, it didn't fruit for the first year, but in the next year and subsequent years we had a fantastic amount of fruit. I can't say that we did anything special regarding manure or compost, as we didn't have the compost bin set up at that time, so it would have had only something like Growmore or blood/fish/bones put at it's base. Hubby cut it back each year, and I only know that he left the old wood, as that's what the fruit grows on.
Where we planted it, the soil was always very claggy, and it never had full sun at all times, but was in the shade most of the time. We finally dug it up 2/3 years ago, as it was starting to produce very small fruit and so that we could put in some blackcurrant bushes in that someone had given us.
Since then we have had a new raspberry plant shoot up just a few feet from where the original bush was, and the fruit on it last year was full size, but not much of it. So,hopefully, this year the new plant will go for a few years.
We really didn't give the original bush any extra tlc, perhaps if we had it might have lasted a few more years.
|
|
|
Post by Fi on May 10, 2007 13:53:10 GMT
We had 1 raspberry plant, which would have been about 10 years ago, maybe a bit more. It was a West Malling, I think, but don't quote me. As Fi says, it didn't fruit for the first year, but in the next year and subsequent years we had a fantastic amount of fruit. I can't say that we did anything special regarding manure or compost, as we didn't have the compost bin set up at that time, so it would have had only something like Growmore or blood/fish/bones put at it's base. on. Hubby cut it back each year, and I only know that he left the old wood, as that's what the fruit grows on.Where we planted it, the soil was always very claggy, and it never had full sun at all times, but was in the shade most of the time. We finally dug it up 2/3 years ago, as it was starting to produce very small fruit and so that we could put in some blackcurrant bushes in that someone had given us. Since then we have had a new raspberry plant shoot up just a few feet from where the original bush was, and the fruit on it last year was full size, but not much of it. So,hopefully, this year the new plant will go for a few years. We really didn't give the original bush any extra tlc, perhaps if we had it might have lasted a few more years. I amy be wrong but I think it's only the autumn fruiting raspberries that fruit that year's canes, so pruning means removing all the canes after fruiting. The summer fruiting ones all fruit on last year's canes, so pruning entails taking out all of the canes which have fruited that year, after they have fruited, leaving the new canes that have grown that year to fruit the following year. Is that what you mean by them fruiting on old wood Peek? Certainly, if pruning involved getting rid of new canes, then fruiting would be very sparse, to nonexistant. A good mulch of well rotted manure in autumn is also a good idea. There's no question that if your plant had had more TLC it would still be producing good crops. Those we had at our last house cropped for over 2o years with no loss of quality in the fruit.
|
|
|
Post by Peek on May 10, 2007 15:26:41 GMT
Fi, you're right,lol...we left the newer canes to fruit for the next year!
So I suppose when the next year comes around, the old canes are the ones from the previous year...I think,lol.
|
|
|
Post by Fi on May 11, 2007 0:01:47 GMT
Fi, you're right,lol...we left the newer canes to fruit for the next year! So I suppose when the next year comes around, the old canes are the ones from the previous year...I think,lol. It's beige thinking Peekie. xx
|
|
|
Post by territalks on May 11, 2007 10:08:57 GMT
Thank you so much Fi and Peek. As it is a new plant it just looks like a stick!! No leaves or anything like that! I brought the plant from Wilkinsons. I could not get all the black plastic off the root so I have planted that as well! I hope it will still grow! I will keep you posted!! Love & Hugs TT xxxx
|
|
Lucy Lastic
Young Limb
Another cynical ex hippy now working for the establishment
Posts: 33
|
Post by Lucy Lastic on May 11, 2007 11:47:55 GMT
Thank you so much Fi and Peek. As it is a new plant it just looks like a stick!! No leaves or anything like that! I brought the plant from Wilkinsons. I could not get all the black plastic off the root so I have planted that as well! I hope it will still grow! I will keep you posted!! Love & Hugs TT xxxx You say you couldn't get the plastic off the root. If you planted it in the black plastic root bag it won't grow as the roots won't be able to spread and take nutrients from the soil. If it was only a few strand of plastic that was left, it shouldn't do much harm. Might be worth checking that the roots are not constricted.
As a new fruit bush I wouldn't expect too much of it this year, you may get some leaves but it's unlikely to fruit. You should get a new cane (or two) towards the end of the summer which you have to leave for next year. Cut back the old cane at the end of the summer. You may get some fruit next year but it may take a couple of years to establish itself
|
|
|
Post by territalks on May 30, 2007 12:32:37 GMT
Thanks Lucy Leaves was all I was expecting this year! As I said this and my blackberry plant are just sticklike at the moment! I hope this rain has done them some good! Love TT xxxx
|
|
Lucy Lastic
Young Limb
Another cynical ex hippy now working for the establishment
Posts: 33
|
Post by Lucy Lastic on May 30, 2007 12:41:01 GMT
Thanks Lucy Leaves was all I was expecting this year! As I said this and my blackberry plant are just sticklike at the moment! I hope this rain has done them some good! Love TT xxxx Don't forget your raspberry and blackberry plants will need staked as the new canes are quite soft and won't stand up on their own. Blackberries should be pruned back like rasps to get a good crop - i.e. the old canes cut out at the end of the season.
|
|