Planting raspberries: timing, soil & procedure

Raspberries from the supermarket are usually tasteless. It is therefore worthwhile to grow raspberries yourself. We show what you should consider when planting raspberry bushes in your own garden.

A summer without Raspberries (Rubus idaeus) is unimaginable for most. But the fruits are quite expensive in stores and the taste is not reminiscent of the sweet and sour raspberries that were once eaten from grandma’s garden. If that's not a good reason to plant raspberries in the garden yourself. Here's how to go about growing raspberries.

There are a few things to consider when planting raspberries. In the following we have summarized the most important information on growing raspberries for you - from the time of planting to the choice of location.

When do you plant raspberries?

Ideally, you should plant raspberries in the fall. This way, the roots have enough time over the autumn and winter months to slowly establish themselves. However, it is just as possible to plant raspberries in spring. Depending on whether you are planting summer or autumn raspberries, it will then take a little longer before you can harvest the first time. With summer raspberries that are planted in spring, fruits cannot be expected in the same year. With autumn raspberries, on the other hand, you can sometimes get the first ones in autumn after planting Harvest raspberries.

The perfect location for planting raspberries

As a location for raspberries, you should choose a sunny and sheltered place. Most varieties do not tolerate drafty and rough locations with winter cold below - 15 ° C. In addition, the raspberry prefers soils that are rich in nutrients and permeable. There it is possible to counteract root diseases that occur on waterlogged soils. However, the soil requirement of the raspberry is rather low overall, it only grows poorly on very stony soils. Raspberry bushes form overgrown roots. Therefore, do not place your favorites too close together to avoid losses due to competition. There should be a planting distance of at least 80 cm between the raspberries within a row. The row spacing should also not be too tight so that the soil is not too compacted during watering and maintenance. So that all plants get enough light and are adequately ventilated, you should choose a distance of at least 1.20 to 1.60 m between the individual rows. This also effectively helps prevent fungal diseases from spreading in the plants, because the leaves always dry off quickly.

Tip: There are upright and trailing raspberry varieties. Vine varieties should not only be planted 80 cm apart, but rather have 2 - 4 m space to the next plant.

Planting raspberries: the right approach

So that Raspberry variety If you choose to feel comfortable in your new home quickly, there are a few things to consider. We will guide you in planting your raspberry in the garden.

This is what you need to plant raspberries

To plant a raspberry, you will need the following materials:

• Raspberry bush
• A spade
• A pair of secateurs
• Plant substrate
• A coconut mat
• A piece of string

Tip: Raspberries with bare roots should be kept moist before planting so that the sensitive roots do not dry out. For example, you can lay the roots loosely in moist soil and cover them - or wrap them with wet fabric.

Planting raspberries: dig a planting hole

It is perfect to loosen up the soil well within a radius of 1 m and then place the raspberry in the middle of this loose soil. If you only dig one planting hole, you should orient yourself to the size of the root ball of the raspberry plant: The planting hole should be at least twice the depth and width. Then you fill the bottom of the hole with a little fresh earth. A special substrate for berry plants is particularly suitable here. A soil activator like ours can also be used to further promote root formation and to make it easier for the plant to grow in the new location Plantura organic soil activator to be added.

Prepare the raspberry before planting

Raspberries are often also available in pots as bare-root plants. In the case of bare-root plants, you should cleanly cut off injured roots. Before you plant raspberries with pot balls, you should scratch the root ball all around and then loosen it with your hands. This promotes the formation of new roots so that the raspberry grows faster. If the root ball seems particularly dry to you, it is advisable to dip it briefly in a water bath until it is completely soaked. If the rods are also unwieldy, they are shortened to 30 to 50 cm. Otherwise, this cut is made after planting.

Insert the raspberry in the planting hole

When the raspberry is ready to move, it can be used. The planting hole is now filled with a mixture of soil and substrate. At the same time, a suitable one can also be used Fertilizer for raspberries be incorporated.
The buds directly at the base of the shoot should be about 5 cm covered with soil when planting. Possible cavities can be closed by lightly stepping on the earth around the root ball. Then the plant is poured abundantly. Because raspberries do not appreciate competition from weeds in their place of growth at all, a coconut mat is now placed around the trunk or another natural mulch material is distributed.

tip: If you plant your raspberry in a warm season, you should now model a pouring edge out of soil so that you can easily support the plant with sufficient water during the growing phase.

Build a climbing aid for raspberries

Many raspberry varieties grow very expansively and form long tendrils. Depending on which variety you have chosen, a raspberry trellis is urgently needed and can help to give the rods stability. When building a climbing aid, it is important to use stable and weather-resistant material. If a garden fence is nearby, individual tendrils can also be attached to it. There are even Raspberry varieties (for example, 'Aroma Queen'), which, thanks to their more compact growth, can do without any climbing support.

Tip: Raspberries are often damaged by fungal leaf and rod diseases. If you don't have enough space to ensure that several plants stand wide, you can install a roof to protect against the rain. At the side, however, the shelter should definitely be open enough to be able to dissolve a humid microclimate - somewhat after watering - through the movement of air.

Planting raspberries - summary:

• Loosen the earth in a one meter radius or dig a planting hole at least twice as large as the root ball
• Put substrate and soil activator in the planting hole
• Moisten the root ball for a few minutes, remove damaged roots from bare-rooted plants
• Shorten rods to around 30 - 50 cm
• Insert the plant
• Water well
• Place mulch material underneath
• If necessary, build a climbing aid

Plant raspberries in the pot

The raspberry is normally purely a garden plant, as it has extensive roots and long canes. In the meantime, however, there are varieties on the market that grow upright and form comparatively short shoots. Nevertheless, you should consider a few things if you want to plant raspberries in the tub on the balcony or terrace:

1. Big bucket (min. 25 liters volume) to ensure sufficient space for roots to form.
2. Planters with a drainage layer (e.g. B. coarse gravel) and drill holes in the bottom of the vessel so that the raspberry roots do not suffer from waterlogging.
3. Choose a location sheltered from the wind to prevent tipping over.
4. Choose a sunny place.
5. It is best to place it in front of a south wall.

Because the raspberry has limited space on the balcony to spread out, the harvest yield is limited. We therefore recommend that anyone who has a garden and can create a bed should better place raspberries there to plant and planters on the terrace or balcony for other, less space-consuming crops like tomatoes, radish, Herbs, Strawberries or the like to use.

Not enough of raspberries yet? Here are 10 professional tips to help the Growing raspberries guaranteed to be successful in the garden.