Raspberry Care

[Earthbabe]

On the strawberry plant front, I know it is advised to not use three year old plants, but..........a three year old plant crown has multiple heads. I have seperated the individual plantlets and replanted them with some success, much as you would do with a rooted runner.

I didn't know you could do that. That means I could have heaps more plants that I thought

ps - found slippers in oven.

[SueA]

Mrs Dobby, apparently now is a good time to plant new bare root canes so maybe your plants won't be too shocked by the move & you will get a bumper crop next year with luck.

[Nicos]

Yes- I must get mine ordered today-thanks for the reminder.
Lost the last lot- some soil born infection over 3 years. New site will be prepared this weekend ( no rain please as OH has a 3-day w/end esp!)

[Mrs Dobby]

Mrs Dobby, apparently now is a good time to plant new bare root canes so maybe your plants won't be too shocked by the move & you will get a bumper crop next year with luck.

A reasonable crop would be ok by us SueA, as even half the amount that has been quoted as of coming from 84 canes will be quite an amount for the two of us to deal with! A bumper crop may well prove to be too much to handle, but then again what a lovely situation to be in that would be! lol!

[Snadger]

It's funny the way things work out aint it? Here's me without a care in the world and thinking " I must try some rasps again someday!" when suddenly I'm up to my ears in them.
To cut a long story short, there is an abandoned plot on our site which I don't particularily want because it is derelict! The allotment comittee have been trying to tidy it up to make it more 'rentable'.
Treasurer came to me today and asked if I want some rasps ( good croppers, no idea of variety) as they are just going to burn them. "Yeah sure, too right, I'll be over later today, many thanks, says I"

Of course it was chucking it down wasn't it, but if you're getting something for nowt, what the hell!

I now have about 100 raspberry canes (Summer fruiting I think) heeled in and no idea where I am going to put them!

I've stopped sneezing and had a bath, glass of wine in hand and the worlds my oyster!!!

I may follow Mr & Mrs Dobbys idea and use them as a boundary fence

[Mrs Dobby]

Nice one Snadger, always good to hear of a bargain or freebie! So, we'll be able to compare notes on bumper harvests and see how we both cope with them then eh Snadger?

The fedge looks great, and I hope will prove to be fruitful and easyish to maintain aswell!

[Snadger]

Nice one Snadger, always good to hear of a bargain or freebie! So, we'll be able to compare notes on bumper harvests and see how we both cope with them then eh Snadger?

The fedge looks great, and I hope will prove to be fruitful and easyish to maintain aswell!

One thought, will you be able to reach the ones at the other side to harvest or have you planted them some way in from the boundary?

[Mrs Dobby]

Planted them 2 foot away from the boundary, as there's a path running between us and the neighbours, plus I'm not sure it would be the done thing to put up a fedge right against his growing space, he may not like the light being cut off!

[Alison]

He might like the feeby raspberries though!!!

[Mrs Dobby]

If we get as many as is possible from the number of canes I dont think him having a few freebies is gonna be a problem! I can see the local bird population also giving up flight after too many berries and our freezer being full, bottles full of raspberry flavoured anything and lots n lots of jam! lol!

[Snadger]

I fancy erecting a fruit cage over mine once they are planted as in the past the birds have got more than I have!
If I went for the fedge idea I figure that wouldn't be feasible, Decisions ,decisions!!!

[Mrs Dobby]

Oh I dunno Snadger, we were thinking about a fruit cage, and I dont think it would be too difficult to rig something up over the top of the fedge and down to cover the path the other side, plus to cover the strawbs on the southern side, just gotta see how much of a problem birds are next year!

This year the birds dont seem to have been a pest, thery havent taken anything that we can see, tho whether that is because it was so overgrown that they couldnt see it or because of some other reason I have no idea! lol!

[Snadger]

Just wondering Mrs D

1) Have you got posts and wires for support
2) If so, what height & section are your posts and what spacings are wires
3) How did you tighten wires
4) What were distances between posts
5) What width of bed have you allowed each side
6) What orientation are yours ie South/North ?

Because there is no boundary path on the side I would like to put rasps, I think to loose a 5'0" band down my allotment length may be too much to bear considering it is only 15'0" wide to start with.
I can afford to use a 4'0" X 15'0" bed but it will run East/West. I think I will probably get one row either side of post and wires ran centrally along bed. Shade could be a problem doing it this way as well.
Just brainstorming at moment (My head hurts!!) so any ideas /critcisms would be welcome!

[nick the grief]

Rather than loose width I would put a row in to divide the plot up Snadger. If you grow them up a double row of wires you can tie in twice as many canes in the same space. I think I've posted the piccy before but here it is again



As to tightening the wires thats an art in it's self and is awkward to explain I'll think about that one

[martini]

I fancy erecting a fruit cage over mine once they are planted as in the past the birds have got more than I have!
If I went for the fedge idea I figure that wouldn't be feasible, Decisions ,decisions!!!

How about getting one of those cheap walk-in plastic greenhouses (£30 Woolies online or cheaper elsewhere - there's a thread somewhere..)
Take off the plastic (use to make cloches ) and cover the frame with netting.


PS Am I right in thinking that autumn fruiting rasps don't need support ??