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i planted quite a number of bare root raspberry bushes in March this year. They've not really grown very tall but a few have some fruit on them. Shall I leave the fruit to ripen or should I take the fruit off to allow the plants to put all their energy into growing and getting established?

Wadda reckon?

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We plant the seed, nature grows the seed, we eat the seed - Neil, The Young Ones

http://countersthorpeallotment.blogspot.com/
Updated 8 June 2008

I'd enjoy the fruit and remove the fruiting canes once you have had all the fruit. Raspberries are a very rewarding crop to grow and you should have a good crop next year as they produce strong roots very quickly.

I'd agree, raspberries are pretty indestructable. We planted 20 canes two years ago and had 20lbs of fruit the first year, last year there was so much I even exhausted my list of people who normally happily take all my surplus. I still have about 15lbs in the freezer, which need to be used to make room for this years glut....er.....crop. In my experience they certainly don't need any extra help or consideration in getting themselves established.

I planted six canes earlier this year and only three are "growing". Pathetic looking things they are.

I'm very disappointed in my efforts. Same with rhubarb.

Eat the fruits I say.

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A simple dude trying to grow veg.

http://haywayne.blogspot.com/ - Tuscany update - 27th September

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thanks for the advice everyone - I just found a red one and scoffed it - yummy - I am looking forward to the rest - all 7 of them!

__________________
We plant the seed, nature grows the seed, we eat the seed - Neil, The Young Ones

http://countersthorpeallotment.blogspot.com/
Updated 8 June 2008

Careful, you'll get fat!

__________________
A simple dude trying to grow veg.

http://haywayne.blogspot.com/ - Tuscany update - 27th September

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev036pr___.png

If you already have fruit then I guess these are autumn raspberries.
You should therefore get more fruit for the rest of the year until up to November.
Prune them in January or February.

The fruit is that from canes that have shot up from the ground?

"i planted quite a number of bare root raspberry bushes in March this year"

The Raspberry canes I grew this year, including the Autumn fruiting varieties, I cut down to 6" to encourage them to product "suckers" which will carry next year's crop. The 6" stubs aren't going to produce any fruit, of course ...

But when i was young I planted a load and took the crop off them, with no pruning.

As others have said, Raspberries are a very robust plant and although you might have a few less suckers for next year's crop, you WILL have some fruit this year, so who cares if next year is a few percentage-points less than optimal? !!

Go for it ...