Support summer raspberries ?

Emerion · March 2017

Hello, I am choosing summer raspberries for a new bed. All advice on summer varieties is that they must be staked. But in a raspberry bed which already existed when we moved here a few years ago, neither summer nor Autumn varieties were staked and they were fine. We live in a very exposed spot and despite windbreaks, our garden has to withstand a lot of horrendous weather, so it's not just good luck. Are there a few summer varieties that don't need staking?

The mystery raspberries will have been planted sometime between 2000 and 2006, so they could be a modern variety.

Dovefromabove · March 2017

Unless you tie summer raspberry canes into a framework it's very difficult to differentiate between last year's canes which will bear this year's fruit, and the new canes which will grow this year. After the old canes have fruited you need to cut them out at the base and then tie in the new canes which will fruit next year. Not doing this will result in a tangle similar to that around Sleeping Beauty's castle.

As autumn fruiting raspberries fruit on the current season's growth they're much simpler to prune, as you just cut everything down to soil level. However I still tie my Autumn fruiting Polka back to the fence as otherwise they form such a thicket - it's much simpler to gather the fruit if they're restrained in some way

Topbird · March 2017

I have grown summer fruiting without proper supports but it was a right mess and 6' canes whipping about in the wind are not conducive to relaxed harvesting.

I now only grow autumn fruiting. They start in August which is early enough for me. They're not staked or supported as such but they are enclosed in one of these which is brilliant and looks quite nice too.

https://www.harrodhorticultural.com/harrod-autumn-raspberry-support-pid9433.html

Expensive - but it was a Christmas present. Could achieve a similar effect much cheaper with some stout posts and wire. Wouldn't be suitable for summer fruiting though as they need to be tied into a framework as Dove says.

Emerion · March 2017

Thanks very much for that. Ours didn't get into a tangle or flop, and I have been caring for them for 8 years, without ever tying them in, so I'm still mystified. My neighbour at our previous home had non-supported raspberries, as did my dad 40 years ago, both were summer-fruiting I think. Mine are about 4.5 feet tall, maybe that's short for a raspberry? But I will tie-in the new ones as advised and will find out as they grow if they are radically different from the old ones.

raisingirl · March 2017

I don't stake mine. The raspberries don't require staking to fruit, it just makes it easier for the gardener - as others have said above - both maintaining the plants and picking the fruit. But I have found letting them do their own thing makes it harder for the birds to find the ripe fruit and as I have a lot of wild birds about and an inadequate fruit cage, it tips the balance for me.

Emerion · March 2017

Aah! Now I get it. Most of mine are going into a cage, but some won't fit, so I will leave the non-caged ones alone, and support the others. Thanks all

Last edited: 08 March 2017 14:01:07

Dovefromabove · March 2017

Four and a half feet tall sounds very short to me for summer (or even autumn fruiting) raspberries. I'm used to them being getting on for twice that height

If you look on here

http://www.kenmuir.co.uk/image/data/pdf/Growing%20Guides/Last%20GUIDE%20TO%20GROWING%20RASPBERRIES_.pdf

and scroll down to Pruning & Tying In 7 - 9 ft tall is the height mentioned.

My Autumn fruiting Polkas mostly reach between 6 - 7 ft each year.

Emerion · March 2017

Mine must be dwarf varieties then. They are in very good, well drained soil, so they aren't stunted. Thanks for the tying-in info.

Support summer raspberries ?

Posts