# Raspberry questions



## Danno99 (Aug 9, 2018)

Hey all,
I don't see many topics regarding raspberries so I won't be disappointed if this doesn't get any responses, and It's also a stupid question.
My wife and I have some raspberries growing in the back yard. We haven't done anything that's been suggested and we've just let them run wild. Two seasons ago we did get 20 jars of jam from them, but this year everything just looks like a jungle, and the weird thing is that we seem to have weeds (?) or something that looks just like a raspberry branch, but doesn't have any raspberries, and they grow higher than the real raspberries bushes? Do the real raspberry plants have the little pricks on them, because the imposters do not? Or is it the other way around? As you can tell I'm very confused.
Any advice is appreciated.

Dan in NH


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

I think @wardconnor has some raspberry plants.


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## wardconnor (Mar 25, 2017)

Danno99 said:


> Hey all,
> I don't see many topics regarding raspberries so I won't be disappointed if this doesn't get any responses, and It's also a stupid question.
> My wife and I have some raspberries growing in the back yard. We haven't done anything that's been suggested and we've just let them run wild. Two seasons ago we did get 20 jars of jam from them, but this year everything just looks like a jungle, and the weird thing is that we seem to have weeds (?) or something that looks just like a raspberry branch, but doesn't have any raspberries, and they grow higher than the real raspberries bushes? Do the real raspberry plants have the little pricks on them, because the imposters do not? Or is it the other way around? As you can tell I'm very confused.
> Any advice is appreciated.
> ...


@Ware is correct. I have raspberries bushes.

As far as I know there are a few different kinds of raspberry bushes. I have the type that have to be de caned (cane-d). The fruit grows on last years growth. Every spring I have to go into my patch and remove and prune out all the old wood that bore fruit the previous year.

It goes like this

2018 canes grow up (young cane/wood) no fruit
2019 young canes or "new wood" from 2018 is now "old wood" and will bear fruit
2019 new wood (fresh green cane shoots) grow from out of the ground and will not bear fruit until 2020
Spring 2020 old wood from 2019 needs to be pruned out in the spring (de caned)
2020 old wood from 2019s new wood will bear fruit

Cycle and repeat

This is how my variety works. I know there are other varieties that you mow all the canes down every year and they grow up each year with new wood and produce fruit in the same year.

This new wood old wood is the same with grapes. Fruit come on last years growth.

New wood is green and fresh no real thorns 
Old wood from last year is woody and hard and does not look fresh.

remove all old wood every spring that bore fruit the previous year.


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## Danno99 (Aug 9, 2018)

Dude, you are a college of knowledge.

I appreciate all this info.

Dan


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## zinger565 (Nov 28, 2017)

Just planted some raspberries this spring from the nursery. They said they should bear fruit, so my guess is that they're similar to what @wardconnor posted. I'll have to keep that in mind going forward.

Along those same lines, I planted some blackberries. Since they're a cousin of raspberries, anyone know if pruning practices are similar?


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## Spartazoo (May 20, 2020)

Raspberries need a trellis system for them and you. I have mine planted in a row with a 6 wire trellis. I then tie or zip tie the canes that are fruit ready to the trellis wires. It supports them and makes it easier for you to pick. I will post some pictures when I get a minute to get out there. I did this because mine turned into a jungle too. I really like the new setup.


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## Deadlawn (Sep 8, 2020)

zinger565 said:


> Just planted some raspberries this spring from the nursery. They said they should bear fruit, so my guess is that they're similar to what @wardconnor posted. I'll have to keep that in mind going forward.
> 
> Along those same lines, I planted some blackberries. Since they're a cousin of raspberries, anyone know if pruning practices are similar?


I just planted raspberries and blackberries this spring too.

How you prune depends not one whether they are raspberries or blackberries, but whether they are primocane producers, florocane producers or both. Primocane producers bear fruit on the current year's canes at the tips of the canes - usually between August and frost. Florocane producers bear fruit on the previous year's canes on lateral branches from the canes - usually in June and July. And then there are everbearing varieties that bear fruit twice - on the primocanes and then the following year on the florocanes.

If you are unsure, best to wait until the florocanes have finished bearing fruit, then cut them to the ground so the new canes have plenty of room to grow.

I highly recommend trellising unless you enjoy being gouged by thorns. It makes picking way more manageable.


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