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Cooperative Extension Service•
College of Agriculture and Home Economics
To find more resources for your business, home, or family, visit the College of Agriculture and Home Economics on the World Wide Web at www.cahe.nmsu.edu
Raspberries for theHome Garden
Guide H-320
George W. Dickerson
Extension Horticulture Specialist
This publication is scheduled to be updated and reissued 6/09.
Raspberries are one of the most delicate and deli-cious small fruits grown in New Mexico. Althoughred raspberries prefer cooler areas, everbearing vari-eties have successfully produced fall crops inwarmer areas. Black raspberries (blackcaps) prefermoderate winters and may need to be protected incolder areas of the state.
Types of Raspberries
The raspberry is an aggregate fruit composed of 75 to 125 drupelets. The fruit differ from theblackberry in that the core of the raspberry fruit re-mains on the plant when picked while the black-berry core becomes part of the edible fruit whenharvested.Raspberries may be classified by color and/orfruiting habit. Raspberries may be red, black, purple,or yellow in color. Red raspberries tend to be morecold hardy than black raspberries; have larger berriesand more erect canes; and sucker prolifically. Black raspberries are less cold hardy; have smaller, seedierand more aromatic berries and arching canes; andtend to form clumps of canes. Purple raspberries arehybrids of red and black raspberries and tend to re-spond in growth habit similar to a black raspberry,although canes may be more vigorous with largerberries. Most yellow raspberries are similar to redraspberries in growth habit.Red raspberries may also be classified as “stan-dard” (traditional, summer-bearing) or “ever-bearing” (fall-bearing) in fruiting habit. Standardvarieties produce biennial canes on perennial rootsystems. Canes produced by standard raspberries inthe first growing season will produce fruit during thefollowing summer. The canes will then die back toground level during the winter. Dead canes mustbe removed selectively to leave more space for1-year-old canes that will produce fruit the nextsummer. Standard raspberry canes must also betrained to a trellis or supported in some manner.Fruiting canes of standard raspberry varietiestend to break dormancy early in the spring andmay be damaged by late spring freezes. Fruit pro-duced on such canes in the summer will oftenshrivel and die. Standard varieties may need to beprotected with straw in the early spring or plantedon the north side of a house to keep plants dor-mant longer in the spring. Partial shade during thesummer in hotter areas of the state will help reducesunburn on the berries and increase sweetness.Everbearing red raspberries differ from standardred raspberries in that they send up new canes dur-ing the spring and summer and produce berriesduring the fall of the same year. After frost, allcanes can be pruned back 1–2" from ground level.New canes will emerge the following spring, elimi-nating the problem of freeze damage on overwin-tering canes that occurs with standard raspberry va-rieties. Berries produced on everbearing varieties inthe fall are free of sunburn and are sweeter and red-der than berries produced in the summer on stan-dard varieties. Canes of everbearing raspberry vari-eties do not have to be trained to a trellis likestandard varieties.
Soil Preparation
Raspberries grow best in a loam or sandy loam soilwith a pH of 6.5–7.5. Adding ample quantities of compost and peat moss will help buffer alkalinity,increase the water-holding capacity of the soil, andimprove soil aeration. Turn the soil over to a depthof two or more feet for good drainage.
Guide H-320
•
Page 2
Plant Establishment
Raspberries are normally propagated from dormant,bareroot plants (suckers). Certified, virus-free plant-ing stock is recommended to minimize the introduc-tion of disease and insect pests.Plant dormant plants in the early spring beforenew growth begins. Upon receipt, soak plants inwater with a root stimulator for 15 minutes to im-prove survival.Raspberries are normally planted in rows andtrained to form a hedge. Dig planting holes with ashovel, spreading raspberry roots evenly throughoutthe hole. Cover the roots with soil: be sure to firmthe soil around plants for good contact between soiland roots. Water plants immediately after planting.Row width, plant spacing (in row), depth of plant-ing, and clipping height (height of canes left in gar-den after planting) usually depend on the type of raspberry planted (table 1).
Table 1.Row width, planting spacing, depth of plantingand clipping height for new raspberry plants.
RaspberryRowPlantPlantingClippingTypeWidthSpacingDepthHeight(ft)(ft)(inch)(inch)red6–82–2 1/21–22–4black8–103–400*Depth planted below soil surface as compared to its original depth whengrown in the nursery. A change in coloration on cane will indicate soilline from nursery.
Plants that do not survive the first year can bereplaced with new bareroot plants the followingspring. Holes in a red raspberry hedgerow can alsobe filled in using rooted suckers for transplantsfrom areas between rows during the early fall orspring. In both cases, a soil ball should accompanythe roots to minimize transplant shock to thesucker. If transplanted in the fall, suckers should becut back to balance root and cane growth.Because black raspberries don’t sucker as prolifi-cally as red raspberries, they are usually propagatedusing a technique called “tip layering.” Tips of newblack raspberry canes produced in the summer canbe buried in the soil (3–5" deep) in the fall. Firmsoil around the tips and water. Rooted tips can besevered from the mother canes (leave 4–6" of theoriginal cane with the roots) the following springand transplanted to their new locations.
Fertilizer
Preplant phosphorous fertilizer should be broadcastand rototilled into the centers of potentialhedgerows at a rate of 0.1–0.2 lb of P
2
O
5
(0.2–0.4lb of 0-46-0) per 100 sq. ft. Compost incorporatedduring soil preparation should contain enough or-ganic nitrogen to get new plants off to a good start.Apply potassium only if a soil analysis indicates apotassium deficiency.Apply nitrogen fertilizer at a rate of 0.05 lb of elemental nitrogen (0.24 lb 21-0-0) per 100 sq. ft.4–6 weeks after planting as a side dressing (6–8"away from plants, incorporated). Apply nitrogen infollowing years at rates of 0.1–0.23 lb elemental ni-trogen (0.45–1.1 lb 21-0-0) per 100 sq. ft. All ni-trogen should be applied in split applications(broadcast or side dressing)—half in late Marchand half in early May.Apply phosphorous to establish planting in thespring at a rate of 0.1–0.2 lb of P
2
O
5
per 100 sq. ft.As phosphorous does not move down through thesoil profile with irrigation water, it should be incor-porated as a banded application off to the side of the hedge (4–6" from hedgeline) 4–6" deep. Phos-phorous can also be applied using a garden fork topunch holes in the soil between canes. Pour the fer-tilizer into the holes.Plants that show symptoms of iron or zinc chloro-sis should be treated with foliar applications of ironor zinc sulfate. Plants can also be treated with foliaror soil applications of iron or zinc chelates. Onlychelated materials should be used for soil applica-tions. Foliar applications of these materials shouldNOT be applied during flowering because flowersmay be burned. Follow label rates for best results.
Watering
Raspberries should never be stressed for moisture asirrigation is particularly critical during bloom andwhen the berries are sizing. Although sprinklers orfurrow irrigation techniques can be used, drip irri-gation tends to be more efficient. Because water isgenerally confined to the root area, weeds are not asprolific in the alleys. Using organic mulches willalso help conserve moisture. Organic mulches alsotend to cool the soil, as well as reduce soil crustingand weed competition.
Guide H-320
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Page 3
Pruning and Training
Everbearing raspberries tend to be more erect thanstandard raspberries and rarely need to be trainedto a trellis. As berries are produced in the fall onterminal ends of canes produced in the summer of the same year, all canes can be pruned 2–4" fromthe soil level any time during the winter. No selec-tive pruning is necessary.Standard raspberries may require some support.Stretching a wire on both sides of the hedge about3 ft. above the ground will confine canes to thehedge. Place wood or metal posts with supportingcrossbars for the wires strategically in the hedge tokeep the wires taut. Canes may be attached to thewires with twine.Canes of standard raspberries can be cut off atground level after they have fruited in the summeror during the following winter. During the earlyspring, weaker and smaller canes can also be re-moved, leaving stronger fruiting canes 6" apart inthe hedgerow. Winter-damaged canes can also beremoved. Do not top red raspberries during thesummer. Hedges of both standard and everbearingtypes of raspberries should be no wider than2–3 ft. as wider hedges result in smaller berriesand are harder to pick.Top black and purple raspberries during thesummer to encourage the development of lateralbranches and to increase cane strength. Canesshould be topped when they reach a height of 24–36" by removing 3–4" of growth.All dead, damaged, or weak black raspberrycanes should be removed at ground level during thedormant season. Lateral branches should also beheaded back at this time (4–8").
Harvest
Raspberries can be picked every 2–3 days when fruitare well colored and can be pulled off the receptacleor plug quite easily. Collect fruit in a shallow tray toprevent damage. To extend the shelf life of the ber-ries, pick when dry and refrigerate immediately.
Diseases
Raspberries are susceptible to numerous virus dis-eases. Once they are infected, plants can’t be cured.Viruses are commonly spread by aphids, nematodesor infected pollen. To prevent the spread of viruses,destroy all infected plants.Verticillium wilt is a soil-borne fungus that canbe a problem in some areas of New Mexico.When a plant is infected, its leaves turn yellow andeventually die. Canes often turn blue as the diseaseproceeds up the canes, while vascular tissues gener-ally exhibit red discolorations.The most effective way to control viruses andVerticillium wilt is to plant certified virus- and Ver-ticillium wilt-free planting stock. Soils should alsobe free of Verticillium wilt. Raspberries shouldnot be planted in soils that have been planted topotatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, strawberries,or other cane berries that have been previously in-fected with wilt.Test the soil for nematodes before planting. Theroot lesion, rootknot, and dagger nematodes willcause weak cane growth and small leaves, and willreduce fruit size. Foliage may also turn yellow anddrop in hot weather.
Insects
Few insect pests have been noted on raspberries inNew Mexico, but stinkbugs have been noted insome areas of the state. Gardeners should keep awatch on their raspberries for insect damage. Re-port new insect infestations to your local countyExtension agent for identification and suggestedcontrol techniques.
Varieties
Everbearing raspberry varieties have proved to be themost successful raspberries grown in New Mexico.Because the canes can be damaged by frost in thespring, standard red and black raspberry varietieshave only a limited place in the home garden.
Everbearing Red Raspberries
‘
Heritage
’
—Canes very vigorous, hardy, erect,sturdy; sucker prolifically; medium-sized berry withconic shape, firm flesh, good flavor, and excellentquality; rated number one everbearing red rasp-berry in nation.
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