Raspberry plants

weddingcar.ie

Hi guys I have two raspberry plants in my greenhouse planted this year and have grown about 10ft long but no fruit this. Question is should i cut them back to the ground or leave them this long for next year.

looksee

Yes, you need to cut them back, but why have you got them in a greenhouse? Raspberries are the easiest things to grow and will grow very satisfactorily in the garden - the only problem is birds getting them, but generally there is so much fruit that you can spare the birds a few.

weddingcar.ie

Thanks for that the reason they ended up in the greenhouse is the rabbits kept eating them but might try again next year. Any idea why I got no fruit

redser7

I'd say these are summer fruiting raspberries. So you DONT want to cut them down. They grow the canes in year 1 and produce the fruit in year 2. Once fruited, cut these old canes back to the ground and tie up the new ones that grew that summer which will fruit the following year. It's a long wait for the first crop but after that it's fruit every year. Summer raspberries would need support (post and wire type thing) or they will flop and break in the wind.
Autumn fruiters are easier as they fruit on this year's canes, so it's easier to maintain. Just cut everything back in winter/new year. They are bushier so dont need support. The yield is less than summer fruiters but they produce for more weeks. Personally I prefer them as they are less hastle and like looksee said they are very bountiful anyway and throw up lots of suckers for new/free plants.
But I would get them out of the greenhouse. You could use that space much better for tender stuff, but that's up to you. They like a good watering once the fruit is swelling so I would say are better suited outside to get rainwater. Now's the perfect time to move them. Prepare the site well with compost or preferably manure and plant them shallow. Keep the canes as they are and keep your fingers crossed for them.

redser7

btw - if birds and animals are a problem, pick up some cheap netting in Aldi/lidl and cover them

weddingcar.ie

When i say we didn't get any fruit we got about 10 berries would that make it a summer plant

redser7

It depends. When did you plant it and was it a new plant?

weddingcar.ie

If I remember right I think it was in May or end of April they were bare root and just one stalk about 12inch long. The fruit i think came about early July

redser7

hmm - and did the fruit come from shoots (canes) that grew out of the stalk or were they new shoots that came up out of the ground? Only autumn types could fruit on new shoots out of the ground in the same season.
It's hard to tell to be honest. Both autumn and summer types will bare fruit from an existing cane on a new bareroot plant. If they came out of the existing cane the only way to find out is to cut them back and see how they behave next year. Do you have the name of the variety?

weddingcar.ie

I think the fruit came i think from the stalk. I think i will cut it back and move it outside and see what happens. Thank s for the help