Raspberries. Suppliers and other tips required.

[kreechergotstuckupthechimney]

My new years resolution is to sort out our garden. Currently it's a proper mess with a big lawn and beds along one side.
At the far end theres a patch of earth that the tenants we had before we moved in, dug over to make a veg garden.
Unfortunately it is quite shady due to one remaining Leylandi. I'd quite like to grow some raspberries and saw in a library book that they can be put in from Feb onwards.
I have no idea where to buy the canes from though. Should I go to a garden centre or online?

OK, I'll carry on buying them frozen.
Not really, I'd like to get it sorted ASAP so any tips would be most welcome.

My local garden centre has bare root plants in at the moment. Mind you the best raspberries from the last batch we put in were an autumn-fruiting one from B&Q, think we bought it as part of a batch for 3 for £10! wish I had kept the damn label as it clearly likes my soil.

I'd put in a load of different varieties (and keep the labels!) and see what does best, although if you go to a proper garden centre they should be able to advise you on what might cope best with the shade.

You don't want all of them to fruit at the exact same time. Most fruit on last year's canes so need tying up) so don't expect pounds of fruit the first year.

autumn raspberries give the best crops, planting for the first time tomorrow, currently soaking in a bucket of water (need to do that overnight). All the online garden retailers sell bare roots at the moment - Marshalls, Dobies, got mine from Chris Bowers as only trying 5 at the moment alot of the other companies sell in batches of 12 canes.

Thank you. I'll take DD to the local proper garden centre after school. I imagine they'll be more helpful than the pretend ones IYKWIM?

One more question whilst I have someone/three more knowledgable people. I've read you are supposed to put some well rotted manure in the holes.
Where can I get that from? Possibly you can't buy it and have to rot your own, if that's the case, is there a substitute?

You can usually buy rotted manure at garden centres - but if there are any riding stables/horse stables near you, they'll probably give it away if you have something to transport it in! And agree with others that Autumn raspberries are the best - we were still picking ours in November this year...

Glad you see you finally got out of the chimney, btw.

I bought some from garden centre, was just in a big bag with all the compost. Fairly crappy gc as well, so most should have it i think. Although I know some stables/farmers will sell you well rotted stuff, we don't have a trailer therefore ours must go in the boot, hence I like to get it in a sealed bag

I'll look into the sealed bag stuff. I've got a Ka without any parcel shelf so the boot is in the car ITMS.
DD will be vair excited about the garden centre. There's a touch of the Gertrude Jekyll about her, although her fave thing is watering with the hose and deadheading.

you don't need manure you can just use compost if thats what they have got. Don't forget to soak the roots over night.

What a brilliant resource these boards are.
Once DD comes home from school, it's garden centre then Ikea. What a giddy life we lead.
Just to clarify for the hard of thinking, do you only soak the roots over night?

Just the roots and a couple of hours is fine. Don't leave them soaking for several days as this will lead to rotting roots.

And they need a real good soaking after planting. Plus watering regularly for the first few weeks after planting (unless it is turning frosty or you already have wet weather).

Also check what supports you will be using, easier to put in before the plants start to grow a lot.

Yes, just the roots - just bung them in a bucket Are you going for Autumn or summer fruiting? Autumn raspberries don't need support in the same way summer flowering rasps do...

This is a pretty good, clear guide www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/growfruitandveg_growingraspberries1.shtml

I'm torn. I may just be daring and plant both types.
Dont let anyone ever say I don't live my life on the edge.

Very excited. Just ordered 5 canes each of Glen Ample (Summer fruiting) and Autumn Bliss (Autumn, natch). This is my first foray into cane fruit but these varieties are both thornless (or near thornless) and seem to be recommend on the interweb. Now to find somewhere to plant them...

If you plant both do two patches or mark the divide. You cut them back differently and you need to know which are which!