Moving Raspberries and Fruit Trees

[keithy]

I have 2 plots on a site about 20 minutes away, one of which I took on this spring and in March this year put in 18 rasberry canes ( 6 * Autumn Bliss, 6 * Glen Moy and 6 * Glen Ample ) and 2 Apples and one cherry ( all M9 Dwarf-size trees, 1 year old ) The rest of the plot is uncultivated and is controlled with a bit of mulching and a bit of mowing.

The other plot is used for all my veggies, but for some reason, won't grow brassicas. ( no one on the site can particularly well)  It is all raised beds, and I have spent a considerable amount of time putting in paths, improving the soil, etc

I have just been offered a small plot about 3 mins walk from my house having been on the waiting list for about 5 years so am anxious to take it, but three plots is just too much. The plots on this site appears to be smaller than mine, so my thoughts are to move the fruit onto my existing veggie plot, and use that for low-maintenance veggies - twice weekly visit king of thing  ;D  and have my daily cutting veg - salads, daily cropping stuff, seedbeds closer to home, and then give up the third plot.

Can I move raspberry canes successfully, and if so how and when would you advise. The existing rents are payable in October, so it would be nice if I could give up the third plot at that time, although at £17 pa its not going to break the bank. I assume I could move the trees quite easily when they are dormant ?

If anyone has any better ideas that would keep the third plot with very low maintenance and cost little, I would be pleased to hear about them

Your advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

keithy

[keithy]

[derbex]

If your fruit plot is pretty much grass anyway why not just mow it? Once a month might do if you've got a powerfull mower (or a scythe). Just keep a good area around the fruit mulched well.

Otherwise, I guess the safest would be to wait until winter -although if everything's only been in a month or 2 it can't be that established, perhaps you'd get away with moving it immediately trying to take as much earth with the roots as you can?

What do others think?

[keithy]

I have  a little hand powered pushalong mower which I am using to keep the grass at bay this season, but intend to move the trees off the allotment at the first opportunity, which, as you say, is probably winter.

I'm thinking along your lines of moving the summer raspberries now, though. As you say they are barely established and anyway, if I leave them to the winter, and then move them, I doubt I'll get anything from them next year, so I might as well risk it, move them now. Hopefully they will re-establish this summer, and start to fruit, albeit, slowly, next year. 

Not sure about the Autumn bliss though - might leave them where they are for this year, and see if I get some, or move them now and reap the benfit next year. Decisions, decisions...

Looked at the new allotment site today - the vacant plots haven't been touched for, ooh, days !!   I think there are less weeds on it than my other plot that I have been working on for a year. And there is a pub between the allotment and home - it just gets better and better !!

[saddad]

My Lotties are over the back fence, OH said I couldn't have one other wise so I bought the house! Sadly no pub... Seriously I always found with Raspberries It was  a question of getting them out, last time OH did it we ended up with two rasp patches!
;D

[deboydoyd]

Just moved some raspberry canes a couple of weeks ago and all seem to be ok

[jennym]

I think the raspberries should be ok if you do it quickly and take out as much soil as you can around them. The trees might suffer though, but if you can dig them out without disturbing the roots too much, with soil around them and get them quickly (within an hour or so) into pre-dug, watered holes they'll probably be ok. October they may have established more and not be dormant enough, so it may be more of a shock.

[keithy]

As we had such a wet weekend last, I took the plunge and moved the lot !!  Whilst it is still early days, all seem to be coping OK.  Thanks for all the advice