How to Grow Raspberries
Rubus idaeus
Raspberries like full sun, moisture-retentive, well-drained soil, and shelter. Plant in rows with support wires and mulch generously. Water in dry spells from flowering to fruit swell. Pruning depends on type: summer-fruiting (floricane) canes fruit on last year’s wood—cut fruited canes to ground after harvest; autumn-fruiting (primocane) fruit on current year’s canes—cut all canes to ground in winter. Net against birds. Pick often—berries spoil quickly once ripe.
Yearly Lifecycle
Care Essentials
Early spring with a general fertiliser. Mulch thickly with compost to suppress weeds and retain moisture.
Watch For
- Raspberry beetle
- Cane blight
- Spur blight
- Grey mould
- Raspberry virus
Companions
Garlic, Tansy, Marigolds, Turnips
Track your Raspberries care schedule — pruning, feeding, and seasonal tasks
Start planning freeCare Requirements
☀️ Light
Full sun with shelter for best crops
Full sun for best cropping. Tolerates light shade but yields drop. Avoid exposed, windy sites — shelter improves pollination and fruit quality.
💧 Watering
Regular watering from flowering to harvest
Water regularly from flowering through to harvest, especially in dry spells. Consistent moisture gives larger, juicier berries and reduces crumbly fruit.
🌱 Fertilizing
Spring feed and thick compost mulch
Apply a general fertiliser in early spring. Mulch thickly with compost or well-rotted manure to suppress weeds and retain moisture.
✂️ Pruning
Cut fruited canes after harvest by type
Summer-fruiting types — cut fruited canes to ground after harvest and tie in new canes. Autumn-fruiting types — cut all canes to ground in February.
🌿 Support
Post-and-wire system with horizontal wires
Train canes along a post-and-wire system with two or three horizontal wires at 60cm, 1m, and 1.5m. Tie in new canes as they grow.
🍎 Harvesting
Pick every few days when berries detach easily
Pick when berries pull away from the plug easily. Harvest every two to three days in season. Refrigerate promptly as raspberries are highly perishable.
Growing Tips
Know your type
Label rows as summer- or autumn-fruiting and prune accordingly.
Support and mulch
Use two or three horizontal wires and a thick organic mulch to conserve moisture.
Water at fruit swell
Consistent moisture gives larger, juicier berries and reduces crumbly fruit.
Pick and chill
Harvest into shallow trays and refrigerate promptly—raspberries are highly perishable.
Pests & Diseases
Pest Raspberry Beetle
Identification: Small brown beetles on flowers. Greyish-brown grubs found inside ripe fruit near the stalk end.
- Hang pheromone traps to monitor beetle activity
- Cultivate soil beneath canes in winter to expose pupae to birds and frost
- Apply nematode biological control (Steinernema carpocapsae) to soil in autumn
- Spray with a pyrethrin-based insecticide at first pink fruit stage (not during full flower to protect pollinators)
Pest Aphids (Raspberry Aphid)
Identification: Colonies of small green aphids on shoot tips and undersides of young leaves. Leaves may curl slightly.
- Encourage ladybirds, lacewings, and hoverflies
- Spray with insecticidal soap in early infestations
- Apply a winter wash to dormant canes
- Spray with a pyrethrin-based insecticide at first sign
Pest Birds
Identification: Pecked and missing fruit. Damaged berries left on the cane.
- Net canes with fine mesh as fruit begins to colour
- Use a fruit cage for permanent protection
- Bird scarers and reflective tape offer limited help
- Not applicable
Disease Cane Blight Paraconiothyrium fuckelii
Symptoms: Dark brown patches at the base of canes. Canes become brittle and snap easily. Leaves wilt on affected canes.
Treatment: Cut out and destroy affected canes at ground level. Sterilise secateurs between cuts.
Prevention: Avoid damaging cane bases during hoeing or mowing. Ensure good air circulation. Thin canes.
Disease Spur Blight Didymella applanata
Symptoms: Purple-brown blotches around the buds on canes in late summer. Affected buds fail to grow or produce weak shoots the following year.
Treatment: Cut out and destroy affected canes after harvest. Thin remaining canes to improve airflow.
Prevention: Thin canes to 8-10 per metre of row. Avoid overhead watering. Ensure good air circulation.
Disease Raspberry Virus Complex Various (Raspberry bushy dwarf virus, Raspberry leaf mottle virus, etc.)
Symptoms: Yellow mottling or mosaic patterns on leaves. Stunted growth. Reduced cropping. Crumbly, misshapen fruit.
Treatment: Dig up and destroy affected plants. There is no cure for virus-infected plants.
Prevention: Buy certified virus-free stock. Control aphids which spread viruses. Replace raspberry beds every 8-10 years.
Popular Varieties
Heritage
A classic primocane (fall-bearing) variety producing medium-sized, firm, red berries. Best managed for a heavy late-season harvest rather than summer crop.
Tulameen
A floricane (summer-bearing) variety renowned for producing extremely large, aromatic fruit with a long shelf life. Requires winter protection in colder zones.
Autumn Bliss
The classic UK autumn-fruiting raspberry. Heavy crops of medium-sized, well-flavoured red berries from August to October on current-year canes. Compact habit suits smaller gardens. Cut all canes to ground in February.
Glen Ample
The most widely grown summer-fruiting raspberry in UK gardens. Spine-free canes produce heavy crops of large, firm, well-flavoured red fruit in July. Vigorous and reliable with good disease resistance.
Glen Moy
An early-season summer-fruiting variety with spine-free canes. Medium-sized bright red berries with good flavour, ripening from late June. Compact growth makes it suitable for smaller spaces.
Malling Jewel
A reliable, compact summer-fruiting variety ideal for smaller gardens. Medium-sized dark red berries with excellent flavour in July. Good disease resistance and tolerates less-than-perfect conditions.
Joan J
A spine-free autumn-fruiting variety producing heavy crops of large, dark red berries from late July to October. Excellent flavour and firm texture. Cut all canes to ground in February for easy management.
Polka
A high-yielding autumn-fruiting variety with large, sweet, firm red berries from August to October. Good disease resistance and excellent shelf life. Increasingly popular for home gardens and pick-your-own.
All Gold
The best golden/yellow autumn-fruiting raspberry. Sweet, mild-flavoured amber-gold berries from August to October with lower acidity than red varieties. A beautiful novelty that also attracts fewer birds.
Caroline
A vigorous autumn-fruiting variety producing large, flavourful dark red berries from August. Heavy yields and good disease resistance. Performs well in both mild and cooler climates.
Boyne
An extremely cold-hardy summer-fruiting variety from Canada. Medium-sized, dark red berries with excellent sweet flavour in early July. Ideal for northern gardens and exposed sites.
Glen Prosen
A mid-season summer-fruiting variety with spine-free canes. Firm, bright red berries with good flavour, ripening in mid-July. Vigorous growth and reliable cropping in UK conditions.
Summer-fruiting
Floricane varieties that fruit on last year's canes in June-July. Includes Glen Ample, Tulameen, and Malling Jewel. Prune out fruited canes after harvest and tie in new growth for next year.
Autumn-fruiting
Primocane varieties that fruit on current year's growth from August to October. Includes Heritage, Autumn Bliss, and Polka. Cut all canes to ground level in late winter for simple management.
Spacing & Planting
| Plant spacing | 60 cm |
| Row spacing | 180 cm |
| Mature height | 150 cm |
| Mature spread | 60 cm |
Plant individual canes at this distance. They will fill in the row by sending up new suckers. The wide row spacing is for access and air circulation.
Log Raspberries in your garden — track growth, care, and harvests year after year
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