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Raspberry - possible to grow in large pots?

AtacamaAtacama Posts: 87
in Fruit & veg
Afternoon all,

Garden lends itself really well to raspberry plants, we are awash with them but space is an issue.

Would it be a good solution to transplant established canes into large deep pots? 

If it is a good way forward, what would be the best growing material to put in them? Soil, compost etc? And how often would those pots need topping up with nutriment?

Very interested to get advice as I think it is a good time to move them? 

Many thanks

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited January 2020
    Normal varieties will struggle in pots as their root systems are shallow.  It can be done with large (60cm) pots.  However, if you search for 'patio raspberry' or 'raspberry for pots' you will get plenty of hits as these have been bred specifically for growing in pots or other containers.  The most likely one you will find is called 'Ruby Beauty'.  All types grow best in loam-based compost such as a JI#3 which is a mix designed for long-term plantings.
    Edit: just looked at one of my fav. sites for fruit plants:

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • AtacamaAtacama Posts: 87
    BobTheGardener said:
    Normal varieties will struggle in pots as their root systems are shallow.  It can be done with large (60cm) pots.  However, if you search for 'patio raspberry' or 'raspberry for pots' you will get plenty of hits as these have been bred specifically for growing in pots or other containers.  The most likely one you will find is called 'Ruby Beauty'.  All types grow best in loam-based compost such as a JI#3 which is a mix designed for long-term plantings.

    Nice one Bob, appreciate the advice. Yes the pots are pretty much 60cms, maybe a bit more. Would ideally like to re-use the canes we have (for non practical daft reasons) but also to supplement them the type you suggest would be perfect.

    Going to try as you suggest and read the link you kindly sent. Super stuff.
  • AtacamaAtacama Posts: 87
    BobTheGardener said:
    Normal varieties will struggle in pots as their root systems are shallow.  It can be done with large (60cm) pots.  However, if you search for 'patio raspberry' or 'raspberry for pots' you will get plenty of hits as these have been bred specifically for growing in pots or other containers.  The most likely one you will find is called 'Ruby Beauty'.  All types grow best in loam-based compost such as a JI#3 which is a mix designed for long-term plantings.
    Edit: just looked at one of my fav. sites for fruit plants:

    Bob hi again.

    Excuse my limited gardening skills/knowledge but when you say loam based compost, you mean use the John Innes to fill the entire pot? No soil? 

    Happy to do that, just to make sure I'm getting it right.

    I've found wooden square pots that are 50x50 and 60 deep. They sound right I think.

    And will the JI3 mix be suitable also for blackberries and general berry fruits?

    Many thanks again
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Hi Atacama, for 'loam-based' you can read 'soil-based', so soil would do but I would mix in some grit, MPC and a little bit (no more than half a cup per container) of fish, blood and bone to provide food in case your soil is short on nutrients.  JI#3 is recommended for all long term plantings which don't need a high or low pH, such as blueberries which require an acid compost with a pH of around 4.5 which is quite acid.  If you have rhodos or camellias growing in the ground in the locality, that would indicate acid soil so probably best to use a JI#3 as some fruit won't like acid soil (although rasps like a slightly acid soil of around pH 5.5 to 6.)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • AtacamaAtacama Posts: 87
    BobTheGardener said:
    Hi Atacama, for 'loam-based' you can read 'soil-based', so soil would do but I would mix in some grit, MPC and a little bit (no more than half a cup per container) of fish, blood and bone to provide food in case your soil is short on nutrients.  JI#3 is recommended for all long term plantings which don't need a high or low pH, such as blueberries which require an acid compost with a pH of around 4.5 which is quite acid.  If you have rhodos or camellias growing in the ground in the locality, that would indicate acid soil so probably best to use a JI#3 as some fruit won't like acid soil (although rasps like a slightly acid soil of around pH 5.5 to 6.)
    Hi Bob, 

    Just to note, we followed your advice and low and behold this week, good solid looking shoots .... looking good and reckon we are going to see some solid results.

    Am just in the process of finalising a garden perimeter Claber irrigation system which will include the pots. I think we might be on to a winner. Thanks again for the support
  • AtacamaAtacama Posts: 87
    And just to wrap up Raspberries in pots from an amateurs point of view ..... it's a doddle as folks on this post have suggested and contributed their knowledge to. Do not hesitate for a second.

    What we did learn is that we needed support wires but indeed we needed those before anyway. We installed some professional long galvanised high level support wires with turn buckles (a good 8-10 foot high and for other reasons to do with grapes) and dropped simple green garden wires down and anchored them in the pot with ground anchors. And wired up later growing branches as they came out.

    As a result they have grown higher than ever before, had nearly zero branch breakages, absolutely zero fruit wastage and what appears be (maybe) a better crop. Certainly easier to pick.

    Next year I'm going to lift all of them and pot them. Will help us with the managed foot space which we do need ... we only have height in the main to grow with. 

    Hope this proves useful to others.


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