North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Dennis Norton" <dmnorton@royaloakfarmorchard.com>]

We grow several varieties of raspberries here at Royal oak Farm, both summer and fall.  Our pruning on summer berries begins soon after harvest is complete by removing all the canes that fruited. We simply mow them down with a bush hog.  This improves light penetration and air circulation for the canes that will fruit next year. Also, we remove any new canes that are growing outside of the 12- to 18-inch row width, or show obvious symptoms of insect or disease damage. In the spring before the buds break, we thin the remaining canes, leaving only four to five of the sturdiest per foot of row.

Everbearing or fall-bearing red raspberries bear a late-season crop on first-year canes. If they are pruned in the same manner as the summer-bearing types, they will bear two crops per season; one in the summer on the second-year canes, and one in the fall on the first-year canes. Everbearing raspberries can also be managed to produce only the fall crop. 

Simply mow all the canes down early each spring. During the summer, cut down any new canes that develop outside the 12- to 18- inch row width and thin the remaining canes to about six inches apart, leaving the sturdiest. This technique greatly reduces pruning labor, but also eliminates the summer crop. Unfortunately, most everbearing cultivars, such as Heritage, produce the fall crop too late in the season to escape damage from frost especially in most of northern New England.

For black and purple raspberries, pinch off the top four inches of new canes when they reach about three feet in height. Blackberries should be pinched when they reach four feet. This encourages the canes to form side branches, or laterals, which will bear the fruit in the following year. Remove all canes that fruited following harvest. In the early spring, thin the remaining canes, leaving only five to seven of the sturdiest per hill. Cut the side branches back to 12 buds (usually about 12 inches in length) and tie the canes to the wire or post for support.

Remove all plant waste from the field after pruning and destroy it, preferably by burning. Leaving dead canes in the planting will encourage the spread of disease.

 

Dennis Norton
Royal Oak Farm Orchard

----- Original Message -----

From: Bassem Samaan

To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org

Sent: Saturday, December 24, 2005 11:41 AM

Subject: [NAFEX] Prunning Raspberry

I grow an early raspberry variety, It bears in june, and sometimes it bears a light crop in late sumemr. (Not sure of the name). I'm not sure how to properly prune raspberry, I usually pull out the dead canes in early spring. The bush gets really long in the summer. I've heard of people cutting it down in spring so the bushes don't grow too long.

Can that be done with an early bearing variety? Or should I wait until after fruiting to cut them down to the ground?

Thanks

Bass Samaan

zone 6, Bethlehem, Pa

  

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