Hi, I have just taken over an allotment and have strimmed it all back. I found some raspberry canes and was wondering what the best thing to do with them was as they are a bit swamped in weeds, mainly couch grass and some bindweed?

Should I attempt to get rid of the weeds, should I cut them all back or should I just get rid of them? They have some fruit on them now but not much.

Thanks

I had this when I took on my allotment, so I removed them all, couch grass too and replanted them (the canes). They haven't really taken off terribly well, but I planted new canes as a fedge (fruit hedge). The people opposite me have lots of grass in their canes and just leave them until they start their plot tidying in late spring, when they give them a hack to about ten-twelve inches. They leave the grass and yet their raspberries do really well. No advice I can give on what's right, just think what do you want? Maybe leave them this year as it's a bit late to hack back now and see what comes from them. You may be pleasantly surprised.