Description
Our Red Raspberry Plants will bear fruit in summer and then again in autumn.
They are self-pollinating, and are ready for harvesting when fully ripe and easily come off the plant when gently tugged. Harvest regularly to ensure you pick them at their peak flavour and quality.
Size
This bush grows to a height of between 90 and 150 centimetres, and stretches 60 to 90 centimetres in width.
This is a bramble, so it needs a trellis or fence to climb along. Black raspberries can easily grow 3 metres in one year so give it plenty of room to stretch its branches.
Position
Raspberry plants thrive in full sun (about 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily). But, it tolerates partial shade and freezing temperatures when necessary.
Plant yours in a spot as protected from the wind as possible.
It grows well on a trellis or a fence since it’s a bramble.
Each bush should have at least 1 metre around it to spread comfortably, and rows of brambles should have about 3 metres between them.
Soil Type
Plant your red raspberry bramble in slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.8 and 6.8.
They dislike soggy soils and shallow, chalky soils.
We recommend using our Berry Mix, Volcanic Rock Dust, and Pine Bark Mulch.
Dig a 50cm x 50cm deep hole and add a bag of compost or acid compost. Mix the berry mix and volcanic rock dust into the top section of this soil. Make a little hole and plant, ensuring you don’t plant higher than where the soil is in the bag. Then add the pine bark mulch on top, keeping it away from the plant’s stem. Place the plant directly into the soil mixture and cover it with pine bark mulch.
Volcanic rock dust, contains organic minerals and trace elements to boost soil health and increase important micro-organisms essential for healthy soil.
Mulch
Apply a layer of organic mulch around the base of the plant to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature. Keep the mulch away from the stem. Pine bark or pine needles make excellent mulch because they lower the pH and add nutrients to the soil.
Watering
In very hot weather, water your bush once a day. When conditions cool down a little, two or three times a week should suffice. Do not overwater your bush as this causes root rot. Black raspberries can be planted at any time provided the soil is not waterlogged.
Fertilising
Apply our slow-release Berry/All-plant Fertiliser. For young plants, apply 1 teaspoon every 4-5 months. The roots will absorb what they need.
Pruning
In the winter, prune back the canes that bore fruit in the summer to promote new growth and keep your bramble tidy. After the last summer harvest, promptly remove the old stems at the soil level.
