I think even bags of horse manure from garden centres have been found to have weedkiller in. It is sprayed on the crops that the straw came from, used for bedding for the horses. It is safest to get manure straight from the field. Even if the horse eats some of the straw it is harmless to the horse but the weedkiller is still active in the manure.
Also raspberries are shallow rooted and when planting the roots should be spread out just a couple of inches under the surface.
When the last minute replacements (the sweet peas) conk out, I can remove the mulch rather than digging it in, if you think that would help. The dead twigs are long gone, however: I am seeking wisdom so that the same thing doesn't happen next year
In their natural habitat raspberries are woodland plants that prefer acid soil. For my Autumn Bliss I dug a 6 ft trench approx. 1 ft deep by 1 ft wide and filled it with special rhododendron soil from the garden centre. In spring I sprinkle some general fertilizer arround them and hack it in lightly. Autumn raspberries must be cut to the ground when they've finished fruiting, new canes will sprout in Spring. I've had mine for 3 years now and have masses of berries at the moment. Hope this helps and good luck next year. Greetings from Switzerland.
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Oh, and I think I might have had them too deep.
I think even bags of horse manure from garden centres have been found to have weedkiller in. It is sprayed on the crops that the straw came from, used for bedding for the horses. It is safest to get manure straight from the field. Even if the horse eats some of the straw it is harmless to the horse but the weedkiller is still active in the manure.
Also raspberries are shallow rooted and when planting the roots should be spread out just a couple of inches under the surface.
When the last minute replacements (the sweet peas) conk out, I can remove the mulch rather than digging it in, if you think that would help. The dead twigs are long gone, however: I am seeking wisdom so that the same thing doesn't happen next year
In their natural habitat raspberries are woodland plants that prefer acid soil. For my Autumn Bliss I dug a 6 ft trench approx. 1 ft deep by 1 ft wide and filled it with special rhododendron soil from the garden centre. In spring I sprinkle some general fertilizer arround them and hack it in lightly. Autumn raspberries must be cut to the ground when they've finished fruiting, new canes will sprout in Spring. I've had mine for 3 years now and have masses of berries at the moment. Hope this helps and good luck next year. Greetings from Switzerland.
I knew they didn't like lime, but didn't know they positively liked acid. Thanks for that.