Can You Trim Raspberry Bushes in the Spring?

Early Spring

• Prune raspberry canes in March or April. During late winter and early spring, the canes are still dormant and the buds have not yet begun to open. This is the time to cut back canes that sustained damage over the winter or appear diseased. Leaving only the most vigorous canes results in a higher yield because these canes produce larger berries.

Late Summer

• Cut back summer-bearing raspberry varieties after berries are picked. Prune the fruit-bearing canes down to the ground after the harvest. These canes have served their purpose; removing them promotes air circulation in the raspberry patch. Pruning them prevents the spread of disease caused by overcrowding and makes room for new canes to grow. Leave the first-year canes that did not produce fruit intact.

Red Raspberries

• In early spring, trim diseased or damaged canes to the ground. Inspect the healthy canes and trim off any dead portions on the top of the canes. Ideally, thin to allow six inches between the healthy canes. Removal of nonproductive canes improves air circulation and lessens the spread of disease. Single-crop varieties need pruning in summer following the harvest. Some red raspberry varieties bear two crops, in summer and fall. Prune these varieties in fall, after the second harvest. To skip the summer crop and produce a larger fall crop, prune all canes to the ground in early spring. Pruning all canes in the spring causes the fall crop to develop earlier than in a two-crop system. Yellow raspberries are similar to red raspberries and require the same pruning regimen.

Black and Purple Raspberries

• Black and purple varieties require trimming three times per year. Once canes are thinned in early spring, trim the remaining canes to 8 inches to 1 foot tall. The canes of these varieties grow taller than red raspberry canes. In early summer, trim the top 2 inches off first-year canes. This is called "tipping." Like red raspberries, black and purple varieties should be pruned to the ground soon after harvest. Tipping encourages lateral growth and bud development, which increases the yield.