jyoutz
Super Star Member
I initially ordered 150 bare root raspberries, 5 varieties, 30 of each. I planted two 100’ rows. 4 varieties are primocane, 1 is Floricane. That was 10 years ago. They bear from mid-August until first frost in the fall. My experience: I cut back the primocane varieties every winter and every year they produce new bushes about 4’ in height and they stand pretty well without trelliss support. I get about a gallon of berries every 3 days during peak production. These are winners. The floricane varieties aren’t good for my area. The old canes don’t overwinter very well and production is low. I grew tired of selectively pruning the old canes and now I just cut them all down every other year and get some berries on off years. In my climate, floricane berries aren’t worth it. They probably do better in climates with warmer and wetter winters. I’ve thought about doing away with the 30’ of floricane plants, but the only way to do that is with herbicides or root ripping. So I just let them go and enjoy a few berries now and then. Speaking of which, 200’ of berries is too much for personal use, so after I put about 15 gallons in the freezer, and eat them fresh daily for a month, I just let all my friends and neighbors pick them. Management is easy: cut back and dispose of canes in the winter, fertilize in the spring and once in the summer, and till between rows a few times a season to contain the bushes to a three foot wide row.
