When it came to winterizing my raspberry bushes, I thought pruning them all back was what I was supposed to do; little did I know- only some types need cut back for the winter! I ended up with NO FRUIT the next summer. :(
There are TWO types of raspberry plants: floricane and primocane. Floricanes are the summer-fruiting type and the other, produces fruit in the fall.
Floricane
- fruit comes from last year’s wood/canes
- these want the old canes from last year (that fruited this year) to be cut to the ground
- best to cut within nov-march time frame for climates alike to zone 6
- new canes that just grew this year can be tied up for next summer
***If these summer-fruiting canes get all canes cut to the ground, they will not produce fruit the next growing season!***
Primocane
- fruit comes from this year’s wood/canes
- these want a hard pruning in winter: all canes cut to ground level
- it’s possible to leave some canes for double fruiting next year, in which case those canes get cut just after the fruit is picked
Other Things to Note:
Help the soil by planting cover crops! (sow early spring and cut-and-drop before it goes to seed)
- buckwheat
- oats
Avoid planting raspberries with blueberries! Blueberries like the soil much more acidic.
Better companions for raspberries include:
- lavender
- nasturtiums
- marigolds
- chives
- garlic
- thyme
English