Comments on: Autumn Raspberries

By: Paul Hitchiner

Paul Hitchiner — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:25:05 +0000

Remember to plant new raspberry canes at only 3″ (75mm) deep. PLANTING THEM DEEPER KILLS THEM.

By: Rachel Hobbs

Rachel Hobbs — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:18:19 +0000

I have been growing Autumn Bliss for last 11 years, but for the last 2 years I have noticed that after intial setting the fruits on some of the canes are just drying up. Also on some of the canes the leaves are going yellow, but not falling off.
Does anyone think it is because of the last 2 successive very dry springs, also here (near Derby) we also had very little rain during August.
I have alawys cut the canes down to ground level in eartly March, fed with general fertlizer or chicken pellets and mulched well.
Also know that after 10 years the canes may need replacing – any thoughts from anyone ??
thanks

By: Jackie Searle

Jackie Searle — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 14:54:58 +0000

My Autumn Raspberry canes are dying 1 by 1. I have had the plants in the ground for about 8 years and cut them to the ground every February. I have always have a great crop off of them but this years most of them have stunted growth and 1 by one the leaves are turning brown, curling up and dying. Some of these leaves have also been eaten.. I am unable to locate any pest on them and am so disappointed. I have tried to research this but the only thing I can see on the internet that could be responsible is the raspberry leaf beetle. Can someone help please? Do I dig them up and start with new canes in the autumn or leave and hope it doesn’t happen again next year???

By: Roger

Roger — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 17:36:58 +0000

Rosie – see if the canes have flowers and fruit this year (2011) – if they do, they are summer-fruiting raspberries. because the summer fruiting raspberries fruit on the canes they made last year; the autumn ones will throw new shoots from the ground this year, and will fruit on those. The autumn ones also flower a little later, because they have to make the cane growth before the flowers emerge, whereas the summer fruiting ones made the growth last year, so the flowers appear on new shoots all the way up the cane.

The summer fruiting ones will throw new canes this year, but no flowers will appear – these new canes are the ones you have to keep for next year’s fruit. For these types, you cut down the canes which flowered and fruited this year, and leave the new growth. For the autumn fruiting varieties, you just cut everything down to ground level in February. Personally, I think that these types are far easier to manage!

By: Rosie

Rosie — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 13:55:53 +0000

How do I tell whether my inherited raspberries are Autumn or summer types?

By: Roger

Roger — Mon, 24 May 2010 20:04:39 +0000

Autumn Bliss are not especially invasive, but will throw new plants for two main reasons: 1. damage to the roots as a result of hoeing/raking, thus causing suckers to occur; 2. ripe fruits falling to the ground, or as a result of bird action, and germinating. Before you resort to containers, I’d try smallish slabs or wooden planks on each side of the row. This prevents hoeing damage; fallen fruit won’t germinate on it; and there is the side benefit of keeping the soil beneath moist and cool. Failing that, you even could try inserting the planks into the soil to prevent the physical spread of the roots. Raspberries are quite shallow rooted as far as feeding and spreading roots are concerned.
If you do have unwanted shoots, the extra plants can always be inserted at blank places along the row, and several years down the line they can be used to start a new row. Raspberries are usually at full production for about 8-10 years. After that, vigour drops off, viruses sometimes get a hold, and the usual advice is either to plant on a new site or change the soil to a width of 300-450mm and a depth of 300mm.

By: Tara

Tara — Tue, 04 May 2010 04:13:21 +0000

I planted some Autumn Bliss last year. After planting about five plants, I now have a bunch. Are A. B. very invasive? Should I consider putting them in planters to contain them, so I’m not constantly digging them up? I don’t have a huge area for them to proliferate. Thanks.

By: Roger

Roger — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:53:10 +0000

Re: Autumn Bliss
Have grown these for about five years now. They will tolerate some shade, but some sun is required for best quality. Like all raspberries they like a cool moist root run and no hoeing to disturb the roots, otherwise you will get suckers springing up. I solved that by laying old narrow (450mm wide) paving slabs between the rows – dry and mud-free walkways, plus moisture preservation for the roots.
The plants grow to about 1.5 metres in height. They can manage without support, but when they are tall and the winds and rains arrive in June/July time, they will tend to keel over somewhat. I solved this by putting in two wide posts 1600-1800mm high at each end of a row, then screwing 450-600mm wide horizontal cross arms (1-inch thick tanalised lathing from a DIY store is fine) at 450mm and 800mm heights onto the posts. The cross arms have a small hole drilled near the end, and I stretch 2mm diameter garden wire end-to-end at the two heights. That way, as the canes grow, you make sure they stay within the wires, and that is all the support they need. It helps if you cross-tie the horizontal top wires at 1-metre intervals, because the density and weight of the canes can make the long horizontal wires bulge outward a bit.
For feeding, use 1oz of sulphate of potash per sqare yard in late January/early February (encourages flowering and promotes fruiting quality) and at planting – and every three years after that – use 2oz of superphosphate (promotes root growth). Once that has been applied, cover with about two inches of farmyard or composted manure (conserves moisture, improves the soil texture, and raises the soil acidity level). That’s it. The canes will grow and fruit; because they flower later than summer raspberries they tend to avoid getting raspberry beetle (no no spraying is required); all you need to do is cut the old canes down just above ground level in January.
I let the canes grow in slightly staggered clumps about six inches apart along the row. Any fruit which falls and grows outside the rows can be gently dug up in early spring and replanted in the rows or used for new rows. Just water well initially if you do that.
If you are planting from scratch, dug out a trench about 300-400mm wide and six inches deep, line it it with farmyard manure, add superphosphate (or bonemeal) and mix in, cover with reasonable quality soil, plant the canes with the old tops showing above ground level, and backfill with same reasonable quality soil and gently firm in. Water regularly to help the plants get established.
Sorry if that has been a bit long and I have mixed metric and imperial measurements, but I hope the posting helps.

By: Michelle Ascott

Michelle Ascott — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 09:25:19 +0000

Hi i have just read with interest your post on autumn bliss raspbeeries, i have just been given 5 autumn bliss raspberry canes for my xmas and need some advice on planting please,
i have a relatively small garden and the best sunny but sheltered spot for me to plant these canes is quite clayey!? would they be ok if i mixed some good compost in the ground before planting?
also there are five canes in a ball do i seperate and plant these in rows or just as one big wigwam shape? can i plant these now or do i need to wait a bit? and finally do i need to trim back the canes after planting. any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks
x x x

By: sue gollop

sue gollop — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:27:11 +0000

Inspired by the thought of Autumn raspberries from your picture -painted more than a thousand words for me. Planted 12 Autumn raspberry canes today-variety called Polka. Anybody heard of them? Hope it is not too late for them to get established.

Granny Sue