How to Plant Autumn-Fruiting Raspberries

Clear a sunny, slightly sloping site where tomatoes, strawberries, roses and potatoes haven't grown in the last three years. These crops belong to the same family and may carry the verticillium wilt virus, passing it on to new raspberry plants.

Send a soil sample from your intended site to a local county extension office or commercial soil lab for a soil test. You'll receive a soil analysis that provides useful information, such as the pH of your soil and the amount of organic matter in the soil. The analysis also offers recommendations for improving the soil.

Lay 4 inches of well-rotted manure or compost on the soil. Add sulfur or lime, if indicated by the soil analysis to change the soil pH. Raspberries prefer a soil pH of 6.0, although they tolerate a range between 5.5 and 7.0. Apply 1/2 cup aluminum nitrate and 1 cup superphosphate for every 25 square feet of soil to lower the pH level slightly and add nitrogen and phosphate to the soil.

Dig the soil with a shovel to a depth of 12 inches or till it with a rototiller. Raspberries are long-lived plants that require well-drained soil. You'll only get one chance to improve and loosen the soil, so don't skimp on this step. Rake the area until it is smooth and level.

Dig holes large enough to accommodate the roots, spaced 3 feet apart. Soak bare-root plants in a bucket of water before planting to moisten the roots. Gently set the plants in the holes so they sit 1 to 2 inches deeper than they did at the nursery and cover the roots with 3 to 4 inches of soil. Fill the holes with water and allow the water to drain. Fill the holes with soil to the top and gently press down to remove any air pockets. Water the soil again to moisten it. Water the plants at least weekly to keep the soil moist.