How and when to plant raspberries

Nothing defines summer better than sweet and succulent raspberries; raspberries are actually very easy to plant, no matter if it is done in hot or cold climates, since the important thing is that rthey get enough sunlight to thrive.

There are red, black and yellow raspberries, each of which ripen at different times of the year and if you want to know how to plant your own raspberries, we recommend you follow the steps below.

Planting the raspberries

Raspberries should be planted in early springIn this way, its fruits will ripen in late summer and early autumn. Preferably you should acquire the raspberry plants that are already 1 year old; You could also buy only the roots that are available in the market and that come in plastic containers with plants grown from tissues.

It is necessary that before buying it, you make sure that the nursery has a certificate proving that it is disease free and that it has already been fumigated against any virus.

How to plant a raspberry from a seed

In mid-winter you should start sowing the seed in a plastic container filled with peat.

You must use sterilized soil with a low nutrient content, put the seeds at least 1 inch, which is equal to 2.54cm, putting them at a ½ inch or 1.27cm distance between them. Cover them with a thin layer of sand and place the container in a cool, dark place inside your home. you need to keep the seeds a little moist using a sprayer.

At times when the temperature is below 15 degrees, you will have to place them outdoors, in a place that gives them equal parts sun and shade.

Once you have placed them away from home, seeds should start to germinate after 4-6 weeks, and when they manage to grow, that they are at least 3 centimeters high and begin to bloom, you must transplant them to the garden. Add at least 10 inches of mulch to keep the soil moist and prevent weeds from appearing.

The leaves, hay and / or bark can be used as mulch. Remember to water the area very well after planting them.

Raspberry care

It is necessary to water them in moderation, since they do not require a lot of water, however, you must keep them hydrated, so you can water every 15 days, except when the weather is very dry.

Raspberries should be prune at least 1 time every year, since in this way the harvest will undoubtedly be much better and it will also be very abundant.

To harvest red raspberries during the summer, you will have to get rid of discolored and grayish branches after they have borne fruit and leave only the branches that are new and healthy. If it is a fall harvest, you will need to cut the branches to ground level once they have borne fruit.

To harvest black raspberries, you must cut the side of the branches that have already borne fruit, once you have collected them. You will have to remove any branch that is weak or looks weak and does not work. If you notice that you have certain branches that do not produce, you should cut them and leave only 4 or 6 strong branches.

When winter ends, remove those weak, small and useless branches, leaving only 6 strong and healthy branches.

It's necessary that fertilize the raspberries when winter is over; For this you could add a few centimeters of compost or organic fertilizer, in order to optimize the health and production of the raspberries. Harvest berries in late summer or early fall, at that time the raspberries should be of a strong color and should be easily plucked.