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Autumn Raspberries

OldmoondogOldmoondog Posts: 21
in Fruit & veg
I am in the process of pruning my raspberries down to soil level which I do every year with no problems.  This year I have noticed a light brown soil structure surrounding two root balls.  I had dug them out and disposed of them as I think it might be some kind of fungus?
The is of one of the balls after removal.  The soil was a lot lighter when I first noticed them.  I cannot seem to upload another photo.
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  • OldmoondogOldmoondog Posts: 21
    another photo of the soil . . . .
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    From the photos, your raspberry roots look in great health and your soil looks in fine condition.
    Maybe it's just a dry patch that needs wetting.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • OldmoondogOldmoondog Posts: 21
    Thank you for your response. That is most appreciated.  I would have thought with all the recent rain, dry patches would be rare!? 
    Regards
    Barry
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I understand where you're coming from, but it can happen.
    Your soil looks very fibrous and therefore well-drained.
    Once a patch gets very dry it can become hydrophobic and resist getting wet again.
    A bucketful of water with about 6 drops of washing up liquid (which is a wetting agent) should sort it out.

    It may be caused by something else, but I can't think of any other reason.
    Soil is full of fungi and bacteria - all doing good things for your plants.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • OldmoondogOldmoondog Posts: 21
    Thank you once again - ill will do as I'm told!!
  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    That looks a big clump of raspberries compared to the way ours grow here. We divide every few years and plant the best ones back. Doing this helps give them space and airflow but also allows the rain to reach the soil, which I think is the problem here. 
  • OldmoondogOldmoondog Posts: 21
    I ve had them over 10 years and NEVER divided!! Whoops!  II assume that can be done during the winter months?

  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    Yes its a good time to divide them if you need to. I would just see how much space there are between plants and maybe remove any suckers first. They can do well growing really congested and we only sort a third of the canes per year, on rotation, so they get more space every three years. 
    If yours are growing and cropping well then I wouldn't be to worried as the root structure looks really healthy and might just benefit from a good mulching.
  • OldmoondogOldmoondog Posts: 21

    Just started to divide a few and came across another one with brown roots.  The roots a a much deeper colour brown that the photograph depicts.  Anyway going to continue dividing one half of the Raspberry pot and do the other one next year!
  • OldmoondogOldmoondog Posts: 21

    Plot not pot!!
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