Feb 3rd, 2010
Pruning my Autumn Raspberries
Do your Autumn-fruiting Raspberry canes look like this? Then it’s time to prune them. There’s not a moment to lose.
I don’t want to create panic or anything but this really is the time to prune Raspberries if you want a nice big Autumn crop. If you leave it any longer then the plant will start to put more and more energy into the existing canes when what you actually want is the plant to put its energy into this year’s growth, which will subsequently fruit.
I know that you can leave Autumn Raspberries unpruned and they will crop on the existing canes, just a little earlier. But isn’t that what Summer Raspberries do? Besides, I love my Autumn Raspberries.
Gorgeous handfuls of plump Raspberries in late August, September and October, you can’t beat it. My little boy couldn’t eat them fast enough! I pruned at this time last year and got a bumper crop so I’m doing it again.
And don’t forget the plants wouldn’t mind a nice mulch at this time of year too, rotted manure, home-made compost or wood chippings will do. Happy pruning!
The raspberry canes arrived at last (10 Autumn Bliss and 3 free ones from Grow Your Own Magazine). I must admit I was beginning to give up on them and preparing to write a stern letter but then, as if by magic, they appeared. I put them straight in, in one row roughly 60cm apart. Now they’re all holed up in their new home and settling in nicely ready to fill my freezer with yummy fruit next Autumn. I also made a literary purchase this week, Delia’s Kitchen Garden. I couldn’t resist. It was on eBay and I won it for a very stingy £8.50 (normal price £20). It’s a great book, full of the usual Delia-style recipes, gorgeous photos and a month by month gardening calendar. To be honest I know most of the gardening advice already (me being the next Monty in waiting and all…) but it’s still great to have something new to read during these long winter months.
