Raspberry, plant now, fruit summer??

[glosterwomble]

I'm not sure if this is a daft question but I'm not sure about the planting of raspberry canes, if I planted some now would they fruit next year or would they only fruit after 1 year in the ground?

[glosterwomble]

[valmarg]

If you buy an autumn fruiting variety you should get raspberries next year, as they fruit on the current year's growth.  I bought some Joan J variety early this year and have had a crop off them.  I can thoroughly recommend this variety as they are large fruits with very good flavour.  They will start fruiting mid-July, and according the the catalogues, should go on until mid-October.  Although we have had frosts, they still have fruit on them, and I picked some earlier this week.

Summer fruiting varieties fruit on the previous year's growth, so the new growth they make next year will bear fruit the year after.

If you want a long season of raspberry picking you need to grow both sorts.  The summer fruiting start much earlier, and the autumn fruiting carry on, in my cast, even after frost.

Hope this makes sense.

valmarg

[glosterwomble]

Thank you valmarg that does make sense.I think I'll pop in some autumn ones, not wanting to be a pessamistic but I may not be on the site the year after so I'd want a crop straight away. How many canes would provide a reasonable crop (just the 2 of us!) as it's a new plot it's a blank canvas.

[valmarg]

Gloster, I bought five canes.  As you will imagine being their first year I didn't get an enormous crop, but I was more than satisfied with the crop I got.

Looking in a couple of seed catalogues, they are either supplied in packs of 6's and 12's or 5's and 10's.  I have a Dobies 2007 catalogue which has pack of 5 for £11.95, or 10 for £17.95 "(saving £5.95)".  It also states that Joan J is "The best autumn-fruiting Raspberry", and I certainly would not disagree with that!!  Autumn Bliss has been pretty much the only autumn fruiting variety available, but it is nowhere near as good as Joan J.

With the benefit of hindsight I think I would have bought 10.  There's just two of us, but raspberries (unlike strawberries) do freeze very well, so if you get a glut they are easily preserved.

valmarg

[saddad]

and as Autumn ones have a long season a glut  is less likely... so I'd go for ten..
8)

[glosterwomble]

thanks valmarg and saddad that's helped me a lot, I think I'll be planting Joan J then. Many thanks for your advice.

[MrsKP]

can i jump in and hi-jack for a second ??  all this talk about summer and autumn fruiting rasps, how do I tell which is which.  the Lidle ones never mentoned the variety so how do i know what to do when ?

thanks muchly

[teresa]

MrsKP,
If you have the outer case, it gives you pictures the months of fruiting are done in roman numbers hope this helps.

[MrsKP]

Ah!  Is that what that is ? lAutumn they are then lol  Many thanks Teresa

;D

[teresa]

Its all done to confuse us and it works hee hee ;D