How to Grow Red Raspberries

Fresh raspberries are used in pies, jellies, jams and juices. Raspberries come in a variety of colors, including black, purple, yellow and red. The red variety is the most popular and is also ripens first. Raspberries grow best in sandy-loam soils rich with organic matter. Purchase plants as dormant bare-root stock or actively growing plants started in greenhouses. Raspberries are subject to virus diseases that inhibit growth and destroy the crop. Careful maintenance and monitoring of plants help to achieve the best crop yields.

Shovel
Water
Plants
Trellis or wire cage
10-10-10 fertilizer
Organic matter, compost or manure
Mulch

Instructions

- 1
  Choose an open area with six to eight hours of sunlight per day.
- 2
  Test the soil. Adjust with lime or sulfur to a pH range of 5.8 to 6.5 for optimal growing conditions for raspberries.
- 3
  Add organic matter to the soil for good drainage for the plants.
- 4
  Dig a hole slightly larger than the roots of the plant 2 feet apart.
- 5
  Set plants 2 inches below the level they were grown in the greenhouse. Place plants 1-1/2 to 2 feet apart. with rows 6 to 8 feet apart. Replace soil and tamp down firmly.
- 6
  Set up a trellis to support plants as they grow. This will keep the raspberries off the ground and reduce the likelihood of disease.
- 7
  Hand-pull weeds to reduce competition for nutrients. Lay a layer of mulch such as wood chips, rotted leaves or bark to help keep weeds from rooting around the plants.
- 8
  Fertilize the plants with 10-10-10 fertilizer at a rate of 2 to 3 pounds per 100 square feet in the March. Give plants another application in May.
- 9
  Irrigate plants during dry periods. Do not over-water.
- 10
  Prune red raspberries twice a year, in the spring and after harvest, removing dried or broken canes and thinning to allow for good air circulation.

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