Raspberries

**veggiechicken** · 04-08-2014, 09:35 PM

With raspberries, as with most fruit and veg, I adopt these principles:-
Does it look good enough to eat and
Is there anything in it looking at me

If the answer to the first question is Yes, and the second one is No, I eat it.

**BUFFS** · 05-08-2014, 05:10 PM

Originally posted by Arnica View Post

I've inherited some autumn raspberries on my plot - but they don't look in the best of shape.
- The early raspberries definitely had raspberry beetle.
- a couple of canes have purple blotches on them (spur blight?)
- some canes were very brittle and snapped when I moved them to one side
- I think some of the canes have leaves that are curling which I think I ready was also a sign of something..

I've thinned them out and removed the ones that had very splotchy leaves, and they are producing quite well now - some normal looking berries arriving. (some canes do appear to be fine for now)

My main question is: Is it okay to eat the berries? The lady previously on the plot seemed to think so.

I'm just not sure whether to dig them up now as we will be replacing them, or harvest them this season and then dig them up.

Any advice appreciated!

eat whatever looks okay and in February cut it all right to the ground and burn all the old foliage, don't try to compost any of it, I would put a thick layer of compost or manure over the roots to get them really strong and healthy..i tie in unfruited stems (between 5 - 6ft tall) each autumn and remove the spent canes , this gives me an earlier crop(usually needed up here) and better fruit, not as damaged by the weather as the later fruiting is....

**marchogaeth** · 06-08-2014, 08:24 AM

I have a long run of autumn raspberries that have come back from the dead. Each year I cut one half to the ground and the other half to a bud half way down. These then start to fruit from the beginning of July onwards. It's not a heavy crop but they will then keep going into the autumn. I think I even got this tip from the Vine!

**BUFFS** · 06-08-2014, 10:03 AM

Originally posted by marchogaeth View Post

I have a long run of autumn raspberries that have come back from the dead. Each year I cut one half to the ground and the other half to a bud half way down. These then start to fruit from the beginning of July onwards. It's not a heavy crop but they will then keep going into the autumn. I think I even got this tip from the Vine!

I must admit that way of working the row I put onto the forum some years ago but if you tie in any unfruited stems and I trim mine to about 5ft or so, you will get a full earlier crop and still get some in the autumn, the later stems seem to be the ones that don't develop fruit, so instead of wasting them by cutting just trim and tie to the supports before the winter storms start to blow. from 20 plants we have sorbet, ice cream, juice and trays of individual fruits then put in freezer bags so we can please ourselves what to do with them later, with the rhubarb(27 tubs so far) gooseberries, blackcurrants, and with the blueberries still to come we never have to buy desserts to go with the sunday roast, and they cost virtually nowt...so let the plants work for you and enjoy...

**Two_Sheds** · 06-08-2014, 11:09 AM

Originally posted by Arnica View Post

- The early raspberries definitely had raspberry beetle.

Yes, they do. However the beetle finishes laying mid-late summer, so the main crop of autumn rasps will be maggot free

My Polka are, and I'm picking a punnet every couple of days

**Arnica** · 06-08-2014, 03:21 PM

Thanks for the replies everyone.

So much to learn - I think I'm going to be bombarding this forum with (probably very basic) questions, so thanks for your patience!

Off to enjoy some raspberries...

**BUFFS** · 06-08-2014, 04:21 PM

Originally posted by Arnica View Post

Thanks for the replies everyone.

So much to learn - I think I'm going to be bombarding this forum with (probably very basic) questions, so thanks for your patience!

Off to enjoy some raspberries...

ask away, thats how we all learn, it can save you making the same mistakes so saving you time, effort and money, that's what I do...

**Scarlet** · 06-08-2014, 05:22 PM

Originally posted by marchogaeth View Post

I have a long run of autumn raspberries that have come back from the dead. Each year I cut one half to the ground and the other half to a bud half way down. These then start to fruit from the beginning of July onwards. It's not a heavy crop but they will then keep going into the autumn. I think I even got this tip from the Vine!

I do the same, this year the old canes gave fantastic crop early on. Waiting patiently for the fruit on the new canes to ripen now.

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