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Raspberries & BlackberriesPresentation created by Krista Fay (1/30/19)

Revised & presented by Marty Anfang (11/20/19)

Raspberries & Blackberries

Similar growing habits

Raspberries

• Crown & roots perennial -productive 4 - 15 years

• Canes biennial-1st yr leaves (primocanes) -2nd yr berries (floricanes) -die after harvest

• New canes develop each year

Types• Summer-bearing & fall-bearing

• Cultivars differ-fruit quality & appearance-fruiting season-flavor -growing needs-pest & disease resistance

• Red, black, yellow, purple

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Summer Bearing• Most common

• 6 -12’ by end of summer

• 1st year: leaves only (primocanes)

• 2nd growing season (floricanes)-set flower buds in fall-begin flowering early May-begin fruiting mid June

• 50 - 70 lbs fruit / 20’ row

Fall Bearing• 3 - 6’ by end of summer

• Single cane bears 2 crops each yr-tips of primocanes Aug – Oct-lower on floricanes next July

• For 1 crop prune to 2” off ground

• Total yield ~ same as summer bearing

Plant Selection

• Dormant without bud-bare root or container

• Certified, disease-free

• Suckers from old plantsmay be virus-infected

• All are self-fertile

Summer-bearing Raspberries

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Fall-bearing Raspberries Site• Full sun (N – S rows good)

-shade grown plants remain small & produce tart fruit

• Well-drained, weed-free soil

-wet soil leads to root rot

• Avoid frost pocket, wind

• Crop rotation

Planting

• Early spring• Dig 3 – 4” hole, spread root mass• Cover with soil so root tops ½ - 1” below ground• Press firmly, water• Apply 3” mulch; avoid crowns

-weed barrier fabrics do not work well• Cut bare-root canes to 2 - 6” after planting

-DO NOT cut back container plants

Hedgerow System

• Space 3’ apart-overcrowding reduces

yields & increases disease-2’ apart for solid hedge

• Rows 8’ apart

• Allow new primocanes to spread along row

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Hill System

• Space 2 ½ -3’ apart

• Diameter of hills 1-1 ½ ‘

• Cluster of canes develop around single plant

Staked Hill

• Single post ~ 4 ½ ‘ high

• Tie 5 or 6 of the sturdiest canes to post

• Cut smaller canes to ground level

• Top when canes reach above post

• Twine or wire to tie

Trellising

• Keeps canes & fruit off ground

• Reduces wind breakage & fruit loss

• Improves air circulation

• Makes weed control easier

Watering

• 1 – 1 ½ “ water / week-ensure top 12-18” soil is moist-avoid overwatering

• Early June - September- flower buds forming for next year’s crop-reduce water after 1st frost to encourage canes to

harden off• Drip irrigate within the row

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Fertilizer• Base on plant’s growth rate

-8 - 9’ growth with green leaves-primocane growth 4 - 6’

• Soil test to guide amount needed

• Slow release fertilizer

• Avoid chlorides

PruningSummer bearing

• Remove old floricanes in Dec- Jan-allows sun to reach new canes

• Keep 10 - 12 green, healthy primocanes-4 - 6 / row

• Shorten canes to ~ 6’ & tie to trellis

Pruning (cont…)

Fall bearing• Remove top half of cane after harvest

• Will produce summer crop following June on lower half

• For fall crop only: remove canes entirely to ground

-total yield is ~ same as summer bearing single crop

Diseases

Botrytis Mold• Fungus attacks leaves, stems,

flower buds & fruit• Proper pruning & training • Avoid overhead irrigation• Sunny location • Registered fungicide

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Diseases (cont…)

Root rot• Fungus spreads in wet soil

• Persists in soil for yrs

• Hilling, raised bed, drip irrigation

• Plant resistant varieties

Root Rot

Root Rot Verticillium Wilt

• Virus contracted from soil

• Spread by aphids, pruning tools, nematodes

• Crop rotation

• No treatment

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Bushy Dwarf Virus

• Crumbling berries

• Symptoms similar to cultural problems

• No treatment

-remove infected plants

• Does not live in soil, so can plant

new plants in same area

Insects

Spotted Wing Drosophila• Ripening fruit attracts adult flies • Remove fruit on the ground• Same control measures as other berries

Aphids • Decline in cane vigor & fruit quality

Crown Borer• Larvae tunnel in base

of canes & crowns

• Canes wilt & droop

• Remove infected canes

• Registered insecticide

before bloom

Harvest• Collect dry fruit in peak of color

• When picked, ripe fruit detaches easily from the receptacle

-yields hollow-cored berry

• Does not ripen further in storage

• Harvest season 4 - 6 weeks (depending on cultivar)

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Blackberries

• Perennial• Extensive root system• Flowers & fruit larger than raspberry• Core retained with fruit • Primocanes & floricanes grow

simultaneously• Productive for 8 – 12 years

Types

• Trailing, semi-erect, & erect• Growth habit & fruit character differ

-Thorny & thornlessTrailing:• Canes grow to 12’ along ground• Excellent fruit quality & flavor • Smaller seeds• 10 -14 lbs fruit / plant• Season June - July (3 - 4 weeks)

Types continued…Semi Erect:• Thick 10’ semi-arching canes • Firm glossy fruit, large seeds• 25 - 55 lbs / plant• Season July - OctErect:• Stiff, upright, shorter canes• Fruit firm, large seeded, fair flavored • 4 - 6 lbs / plant• Season July - frost

Blackberries

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Planting

• Prepare site same as raspberries

• Tolerate varying soil conditions

• Set 3 – 6’ apart within row -distances vary with cultivar

• Space rows 8 – 10’ apart

Trellis

Trellis

• 4-wire trellis with cross arms

• 3-wire trellis

-6 canes in single bundle

->6 canes split part so

half goes to next plant in row

Freestanding

• Choose 5 - 7 canes • Head back below 4 ½ feet .

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Pruning

• Cut dead floricanes at ground level

in October

• Remove suckers that develop

between rows & hills

• Tip prune semi-erect when canes 5’

• Prune erect when canes 3’

Water & Fertilizer• Irrigate during fruit development &

harvest

• Can stop watering post-harvest

• Base fertilizer on length of primocane growth each year

PestsBrown marmorated

stink bug• Population peaks in

September• Leave puncture wounds

Spotted Wing Drosophila• Approved insecticide• -fly stage

Diseases

Leaf and cane spot• Fungus causes leaf spots

-canes develop cankers • Remove spent fruiting canes

promptly

Fruit rot• Less severe than raspberries• Ensure good air movement

between canes

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Harvest

• Berries are easily damaged

• Pick gently & collect in shallow containers

• Damaged fruit quickly rots

• Blackberries won’t ripen further after picking

Resources

http://pubs.wsu.eduhttp://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/http://cru84.cahe.wsu.edu/Raspberry cultivars for the Pacific Northwest(PNW655)Growing Small Fruits in the Home Garden(EM103E)

King County Master Gardener Programhttps://extension.wsu.edu/king/gardening/

Master Gardener Foundation of King Countyhttp://www.mgfkc.org/

Demonstration GardensPlant ClinicsEducation OutreachScience-based Publications

Gardener Education

Supported by

Thank You to the Issaquah Grange for donating classroom space!

http://www.mgfkc.org/resources/growinggroceries