Organic Raspberry Plants

Climate

• Raspberries have adapted poorly to the warm, hot climates of the southern United States. Their tolerance for cold winters is limited. According to David Handley of University of Maine, raspberries are best suited for moderate climates such as southern Washington and Oregon, where temperatures stay above 5 degrees.

Soil

• Brambles such as raspberries are well-suited for many soil types and prefer a PH level of about 6.0 according to Fine Gardening.com. Clay, sand or loam is suitable, but adequate drainage is essential to raspberry plants' health.

Planting

• Plant raspberry bushes in hedgerows 8 to 16 feet apart. Hedges are maintained at heights between 4 and 6 feet. Plant them in the spring time. Dig a hole 1 foot deep and place roots into it. Lightly fill the hole and pack the dirt around the raspberry bush.

Fertilizer

• Fine Gardening offers a recipe for mixing your own organic raspberry fertilizer. In a large horse trough mix 4 parts canola seed meal or fish meal, 1 part dolomitic lime, 1 part rock phosphate and 1 part kelp meal. If you intend to feed this mix to your raspberries just before they blossom, reduce the fish meal by half. They need less nitrogen during this period.

Cost

• Should you consider growing organic raspberries for profit, California Certified Organic Farmers suggests first bearing in mind the cost. The organization's website notes that a single organic raspberry plant can cost between 75 cents and $1.10.