Raspberries

Thanks for all the suggestions re hedging. I now need to know what to do with the large raspberry plants I have inherited. (I think they're raspberries, the dead remains of friuts look raspberry-like). Should I cut the old stems (c. 1m long) down to allow new growth? Or do they bear fruit on older stems? All advice very gratefully received!

 

As a general rule of thumb, cut the old canes back to ground level when you start to see new ones appear. If they are autumn fruiting they should fruit this year on the new growth, if not it will be next summer. If they turn out to be summer fruiting, cut out old stems immediately after fruiting. Give them a good feed after pruning.

[ February 22, 2005, 12:35 PM: Message edited by: skrumpy ]

 

Thanks Skrumpy. If I cut half of them back, would I be sure of getting at least some fruit this year? When I moved in, in December, there were still some red fruits on the bushes. Does this indicate an autumn fruiting variety?

 

More than likely. Don't be frightened to cut them back hard to ground level.

 

Thanks. My mother-out-law is due to visit for the weekend; I will wait till Monday and take out my frustration on the raspberries!