Tell me about growing raspberries!

[Pedicuri]

Have reclaimed space in my garden and am looking for something suitable to grow. I have no experience growing fruit other than a plum and apple tree.
What are raspberry bushes like - are they like shrubs or brambles? Do they take over very easily? Do they require lot of work? Do you plant them against something or will they just grow like a shrub?
Would love to hear your experience.

[mrsnesbit]

I bought a small bush from B&M bargains for 99p.

planted it in a large tub, and then watered it every other day.
It shot up & gave us a handful of big fat sweet gorgeous rasberries in the october (late fruiting bush)

this year the same bush is twice as tall, and i have had 4 big fat rasberries already with laods more buds there now.

No effort at all, but it is quite large now, i will cut it rght back this winter. Should gte another couple of years out of it.

[sittinginthesun]

Not an expert, but I have found them a doddle. I bought two plants last year, planted them, and moved them when we moved a couple of months later. This year I have had loads of fruit.

You do have to grow the up something. They have long stems which need tying back and I think they fruit on last years growth (tell me if I'm wrong, someone!) so you simply tie back this years ad they grow, and it fruits the following year.

I'm guessing I can cut back the stems that have fruited, but I was going to check this myself.

[MamaChocoholic]

raspberries are easy, but there is a difference between how you treat summer fruiting and autumn fruiting canes. I have had autumn fruiting in the past because they seemed easier. as I recall, just cut the canes back once a year after fruiting, then tie in as they grow the next year.

[HarrietJones]

They grow as canes. They need a cage or frame to keep them tidy but apart from a chop back every year they need not a lit of care.

[Pedicuri]

Thanks for all of the replies - very helpful. Have always wanted to grow raspberries as I can't eat enough if them. Thanks so much.

[inchoccyheaven]

Ok I know I am stupid but what do you mean by tying back? I have a raspberry plant in a tub given to me last year and so far I haven't done anything to it. When you say you cut the canes do you mean all of them?

[SarfEasticated]

I have two lots of raspberries in my garden, autumn and summer ones and they are excellent for a steady crop throughout the year. They are however pretty thuggish and if you plant them in your garden, you'll be finding them sprouting up all over the show.

[cardoon]

Have you decided on summer or autumn rasps?
Summer type fruit on last years growth - so you cut back canes that you have harvested from to make way for the new growth to tie in for the next year.
Autumn type you just cut back everything sometime before the end of February.

[cardoon]

Summer rasps need a fence like frame to tie them onto as they grow pretty tall.
Autumn rasps are self supporting.
It's good to have both types as it prolongs the picking season