When do I prep potted raspberries for winter?

Ginger Blue 10/26/2016, 10:17 am

I'm in need of advice from experienced growers in cold climates. What a Face

Earlier this year, I planted 6 raspberry starter canes, which developed into thriving "first year" (to me) bushes. Two of the six plants produced a small summer crop, but as I type (late October), all of them have buds and unripe berries. Thus my dilemma...

Tonight we expect the first hard freeze of the season. The bushes are in large pots and I can't bury them in the ground, for protection. I know the containers need to be mulched, inside and out, then caged and wrapped in burlap over the winter. I just don't know WHEN is best to do that.

So two questions, off the top of my head:

- Should I cut the tips, buds and fruit off producing canes, then mulch and wrap the bushes, now (today), or wait a few weeks for the fruit to mature, then prune and store the bushes before first snowfall?

- I'd like to harvest summer and fall crops next year. All of the canes on these bushes are new growth, because they were started from bare-root first-year canes this spring. Should I start the dual-harvest cycle now, by trimming the "producing" canes to the ground (for re-growth and harvest next fall), and leave the "non-producing" canes un-cut (for harvest next summer)?

thinking

GB

CapeCoddess 10/26/2016, 12:50 pm

I'd throw a sheet over them for tonight and wait. See if you can eek out some more.

As to your 2nd question, lets wait for someone in the know to answer. I'm a total ball of confusion about raspberries, but I know it depends on what type you have. Mine are from a friend who told me to cut them to the ground at the end of every season so I try to get out there before the snow and ice set in and do it. But I failed last year so did it in spring and have a pretty dismal crop this year.

CC

**trolleydriver** 10/26/2016, 1:19 pm

Mrs TD always cuts down all of our raspberry canes at this time of the year. That may not be the best approach but it is easy.

These links may help

http://www.finegardening.com/how-grow-raspberries

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/care-everbearing-raspberries-35931.html

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When do I prep potted raspberries for winter?

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