15 good neighbors of raspberries

Raspberry plants grow upright, leaving plenty of space at the bottom of the bed. Various vegetables or ground cover can fill this. These plants ensure excellent raspberries-mixed culture.

mixed culture

A mixed culture means that different plants grow together in one bed. Ideally, good neighbors support each other in growth. It doesn't matter what plant species it is. So can fruit, vegetables, flowers and herbs can be planted together as long as they get along with each other.

Site conditions for raspberries

For a successful mixed culture, good neighbors must be roughly the same site conditions like the raspberries did, otherwise they could take care of themselves. The berries tolerate:

• sunny and warm places
• sheltered from the wind and yet airy
• nutrient-rich, well-drained soil

In addition, raspberries are flat-rooted and are often trellis drawn. This means that other plants should not compete with the fruit in the root area and should preferably stay as low as possible so that the berries can be harvested unhindered.

ground cover and wild plants

There is often a lot of space between the individual raspberry plants. The soil can be mulched to keep the soil from drying out. But ground covers also serve this purpose and look beautiful too. Wild plants, on the other hand, have the advantage that they spread on their own.

wild garlic (Allium ursine)

• Characteristics: green, elongated, rounded leaves, spreads through bulbs and self-sowing, edible, retracts after flowering
• blossom: white star-shaped flowers, blooms in April
• Location: well-drained, not too dry soil, sun, but also good neighbors in the semi-shade
• Care: undemanding, possibly water in case of extreme dryness
• Use: covers the ground in early spring, good culinary herb

Sweet violet (Viola odorata)

• Characteristics: small, kidney-shaped leaves, forms dense, low stands
• Flowers: from March, violet, fragrant
• Location: partially shaded, nutrient-rich, slightly moist soil
• Care: undemanding, water when dry
• Use: dense ground cover, violet flowers are edible

Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea)

• Characteristics: evergreen, creeps along the ground, kidney-shaped to rounded leaves, notched
• Flowers: from March, violet, labiate
• Site: moist soil, nutrient-rich substrate
• Care: undemanding, water if necessary
• Benefit: covers the ground, good for insects

Periwinkle (Vinca)

• Characteristics: evergreen, forms runners, grows to a height of 15 to 30 cm
• Flowers: April to May, violet to dark blue, but also white
• Location: sunny to semi-shady, not too dry
• Care: undemanding
• Use: good ground cover, but can become rampant

Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)

• Characteristics: oblong, dark green leaves up to 20 cm high
• Flowers: white from March, bell-shaped, then red berries
• Location: partially shaded, well-drained soil that is not too dry
• Care: undemanding
• Benefit: should keep pests away

Danger: Lily of the valley are poisonous and can be confused with wild garlic!

Forget-me-not (Myosotis)

• Characteristics: oblong leaves, up to 20 cm high, self-seeding
• blossom: April to June, light blue to pink, white
• Location: well-drained soil, sunny to semi-shady
• Care: undemanding, water if necessary
• Use: to drive away the raspberry beetle

Flower

Flowers are well suited for underplanting raspberry bushes. They beautify the garden and feed insects. Some flowers also bring health benefits to raspberries when mixed.

A notice: annuals summer flowers are also good neighbors for raspberry bushes and are easy to sow with the right seeds.

Garden Pansies (Viola x wittrockiana)

• Characteristics: Evergreen, biennial, low perennial
• Flowering: from March, many different flower colors
• Location: sunny, partially shaded, well-drained, nutrient-rich soil that is not too dry
• Care: water when dry, remove faded leaves
• Use: mainly as a colorful eye-catcher in the garden

marigolds (Calendula officinalis)

• Characteristics: annual, but multiplies by self-sowing, bushy growth up to 30 cm
• Flowers: from June, composite flowers, yellow, orange, reddish
• Location: sunny, nutrient-rich, loamy soil
• Care: undemanding, water a little, fertilize a little when planting
• Benefits: attract pests, ensure soil health

yarrow (Achillea)

• Characteristics: depending on the variety, low, ground-covering habit or medium-tall, clump-forming perennials, finely pinnate leaves
• Flowers: from June, composite flowers forms false umbels, white, yellow or reddish
• Location: dry, sunny, slightly sandy soil
• Care: possibly cut back after flowering, divide after a few years, water little and fertilize
• Use: Cut flower, also good for insects

marigold (tagetes)

• Characteristics: low, herbaceous annual plants
• Flowers: from June, yellow to red, double or single
• Location: sunny to semi-shady, well-drained soil, rich in nutrients
• Care: keep moist, remove faded leaves
• Benefits: helps against nematodes in the soil in mixed cultures, counteracts soil fatigue

vegetables

If vegetables are used to plant under the raspberries, the mixed culture can produce more in the same area. Also, some vegetables benefit the health of raspberry bushes.

French beans (Phaseolus vulgaris var. nope)

• Characteristics: low-growing bean varieties, annual
• Flowering and Harvest: Pea family, various colours, flowers from May, harvest as soon as the pods are thick
• Location: rich in nutrients, well drained, sunny
• Care: Sow from May, protect seeds from bird damage, pile up, water regularly, remove weeds
• Benefits: Beans are nitrogen collectors, roots can remain in the soil

Peas (Pisum sativum)

• Characteristics: likes to climb, with climbing on the raspberry structure, annual
• Blossom and harvest: Butterfly blossom, white, from May onwards, ripe for harvest to varying degrees depending on the variety
• Location: sunny, well drained
• Care: sow in April, protect the seed from birds, do not fertilize, keep the soil loose, water regularly
• Benefits: nitrogen collector, fertilizes the raspberries

Lamb's lettuce (Valerianella locusta)

• Characteristics: forms rosettes, leaves about 10 cm long, hardy
• Harvest: as soon as the leaves are large enough
• Location: sunny to semi-shady, well-drained soil
• Care: Sow from August, keep moist
• Use: covers the ground from autumn to spring, also as green manure suitable

Garlic (Allium sativum)

• Characteristics: bulbous vegetable, annual
• harvest: from August, can be stored for a long time
• Location: sunny, rich in nutrients, profound
• Care: plant tubers from March, loosen the soil frequently
• Benefit: to drive away vermin

Onions (Allium cepa)

• Characteristics: Onion vegetables, annual or perennial depending on the variety
• harvest: from July or the following spring, can be stored for a long time
• Site: sunny, well-drained soil
• Care: stick or sow in spring or autumn
• Benefit: to keep pests away

frequently asked Questions