What Can You Use for a Raspberry Fence?

Materials

• Most growers use a trellis system to support raspberry plants that relies on a heavy post, to which twine or wire is attached. Use sturdy wood posts, agricultural fencing posts or even rebar for your main support. Attach wires or twine tightly to the posts to hold raspberry plants upright and simplify harvesting. Some gardeners grow raspberries on a fence made from chicken wire with large holes.

Styles

• The most common raspberry fence is a T-frame trellis. Make two T-frames from sturdy wood and insert them at either end of the raspberry patch 18 to 24 inches apart. String sturdy wire tightly between the posts at 18 inches and 36 inches from the ground. Other gardeners install two posts at either end of the raspberry patch and run two wires between the posts. Tie raspberry canes in small bundles to the wires. A low fence of chicken wire surrounding the raspberries is a simple way to support them.

Considerations

• A T-frame trellis provides a long-lasting, sturdy support for raspberries and allows easy access to the plants for maintenance and harvest. The single post method is usually used as a temporary fencing method and is a bit more labor intensive. Chicken wire fences are simple to install, but raspberries may be difficult to reach.

Recommendations

• For most gardeners, the T-frame fence is the simplest and most convenient. Keep in mind, though, that raspberries don't need to be fenced at all, if you prefer. Fencing them simply makes them easier to control and maintain. If you grow primocane berries that produce one crop in the fall, you'll probably cut the canes back to the ground after the harvest. Consider how you'll accomplish this when planning your fence. Removing the wires from a trellis is usually the simplest way to access canes when cutting them back.