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grapeeater

Raspberries

GrapeEater
9 years ago

I am looking for some advice on my raspberry bush. I have caroline everbearing raspberry plants. Last winter I cut them down to the ground and I had a small summer crop and right now I'm having a solid fall crop. The odd thing is only the right side of my row is fruiting and the other side is not. I'm not sure what I should do this year after the berries stop. Should I mow it all down again or.... I don't even know which ones to prune out or keep. I'm just confused.

This post was edited by GrapeEater on Fri, Sep 26, 14 at 21:14

Comments (4)

  • clarkinks
    9 years ago

    I don't mow our black raspberries down but rather just thin out the dead canes with pruning shears. I'm guessing your berries are planted north and south and when you plant a row that way of whatever my observation is you get a lighter crop on one side than the other. If you plant east and west you get the same berry crop more or less on both sides in my opinion. Keep in mind those things are true here in Kansas but sun,heat, annual rainfall, days of growing season all vary depending on your location. It was over 80 degrees here yesterday and our warm up starts around April 15th every year for planting tomatoes, peppers etc. So we have a long growing season though we are zone 5. The reason why I don't mow mine off is a lot of new canes grew this summer and fall and those will bear a heavier spring crop on the raspberries I grow. Lots of guys mow theirs off to prevent cane diseases. I don't grow that specific variety so hopefully someone else on here does. I grew a variety once I believe called heritage that did get mowed off every year.

  • clarkinks
    9 years ago

    To elaborate on what I meant by sun hitting plants based on the way they are planted is sun rises in the east and sets in the west but distribution of sun is not equal. The west side of a big berry patch here gets cooked in the summer and the east is slightly shaded. There is more water on the east side because it does not evaporate as quick. We have blackberries up to 20' tall and the east bears heavier than the west with larger berries all of the time. A east and west planted patch instead of North and south planted patch bear evenly because sun hits them the same based on how the sun rises and sets.

  • clarkinks
    9 years ago

    Btw most ever bearing raspberries bear a small spring crop and large fall crop.

  • GrapeEater
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for all of the info. The location of my patch is not very good. I planted them next to my house going east and west. The only downfall is they are shaded half of the day. I will probably not mow them down but go in and cut all of the brown/dead canes and remove all of the thin/weak suckers. My 1 year old daughter loves the raspberries so much I just don't want to do something that will eliminate the berries all together. I can post a picture today after work if that would help. I live in Michigan I believe Zone 6 and I think I planted caroline.

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