what to do with ex-raspberry site?

[anthea]

Late autumn I dug up an area that had been taken over by suckers from very old raspberry plants. All pretty neglected and heavy poor quality soil. Probably I shouldn't have been digging because it was very wet, but it made it easier to get the roots up  and I thought better to get them up while I had the time rather than let them grow again this spring.

I went to have a look today and dug over the area again. Lots of broken up roots and claggy chunks of soil. I'll be away from mid Jan until mid April and am wondering what best to do with this area. I can try to improve it by putting some manure on it, but is it true that I shouldn't try growing raspberries again on the same spot? Could I grow other foot bushes, say goosberries? or does the rule about not growing same thing twice mean don't grow any fruit on that spot?

And does any one have any advice about how to make the soil better, with all those bits of broken up roots?

[anthea]

[tonybloke]

cover the area with manure (3 - 4 " thick), and leave until you come back in mid april. dig out any roots that have sprouted, and then use the area for squash / pumpkins for this year. possibly plant up with gooseberry / currant bushes in the autumn. ;)

[anthea]

Hi tonybloke, this sounds really manageable and just what I'd like to do. Thanks very much.