Second-Year Pruning for Raspberries

Summer-Bearing Red Raspberries

• Summer-bearing red raspberries are the most common type of raspberries grown in home gardens. Raspberries put up new canes each year. During their first year, the canes, called primocanes, are strictly vegetative, with no flower or fruit production. In their second year, the canes, now called floricanes, produce a heavy crop of fruit. In the spring of the raspberry canes' second year, thin the floricanes to four or five canes per foot of row, keeping the sturdiest ones. Trim the tops of the canes back to 12 inches above their support, but never remove more than 25 percent of the cane to avoid reducing fruit yield. Prevent storm damage by tying the floricanes loosely but securely to their support with soft twine or pieces of old pantyhose -- the floricanes should be able to move but not whip about or bend over.

Fall-Bearing Red Raspberries

• Fall-bearing red raspberries, sometimes marketed as everbearing raspberries, produce fruit on both the primocanes and floricanes. In late summer or early fall of the first season, the primocanes bear fruit on the ends of the canes. Early in the spring of the second season, prune back the floricanes to the last node that produced fruit in the fall, as the ends of the cane won't bear fruit again. However, the bottom of the floricane will produce berries in summer.

Black and Purple Raspberries

• Black and purple raspberries need to be pruned in both their first and second year. During their first season, prune the primocanes back to 24 to 30 inches in height to encourage the production of side branches. In early spring of the second year, before the canes leaf out, thin the floricanes to four or five strong canes per hill, then trim the side shoots back to 12 to 18 inches long. Anchor the floricanes securely to their support.

Yellow Raspberries

• Yellow raspberries are albino sports of red raspberries and are treated the same way as their red counterparts. Both summer-bearing and fall-bearing varieties are available, although the selection is limited. Honeyqueen is summer-bearing, while Fallgold and Anne are both fall-bearing or everbearing.

After Harvest

• Regardless of the type of raspberry you're growing, cut the floricanes back to ground level in the second year, immediately after the harvest. While raspberry roots are perennial and long-lived, individual canes are biennial and won't bear fruit again after their second year. Removing the nonbearing canes keeps the raspberry patch manageable and reduces the risk of disease problems.