How to grow Raspberry

Rubus idaeus · red raspberry

A perennial bramble producing sweet, tart berries on biennial canes. Requires structural support and annual pruning to maintain productivity.

Quick facts

Type	Berry
Family	Rosaceae
Light	Full sun
Soil pH	5.5–6.5
Frost	tolerates light frost
Soil for sowing	from 5 °C
Germination	21 days
Sowing to harvest	450 days
Where it grows	Greenhouse, Open ground

When to plant

Planted as a young plant from a nursery while it is dormant — in early spring before the buds open, or in autumn after leaf fall.

Care

Greenhouse

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 4 days	10…25 °C	balanced (NPK), 30 days into the stage
Flowering	every 3 days	15…25 °C	phosphorus and potassium, at the start of the stage
Fruiting	every 2 days	15…28 °C	potassium, 14 days into the stage

Open ground

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	-5…25 °C	organic, 30 days into the stage
Flowering	every 5 days	10…25 °C	phosphorus and potassium, at the start of the stage
Fruiting	every 4 days	10…30 °C	potassium, 14 days into the stage

Growing notes

Light

Full sun for best fruit quality, though can tolerate light afternoon shade in very hot climates.

Soil

Rich, loamy, well-drained soil with a high organic matter content.

Care

Provide a trellis or wires to tie the canes to. Prune spent canes to the ground after harvest for summer-fruiting types, or prune selectively for autumn-fruiting types. Mulch heavily to retain moisture and suppress weeds around the shallow root system.

How to tell it is ripe

Berry is fully and richly coloured for its variety.
Berry looks plump.
A ripe berry comes off with a gentle pull and leaves its white core on the plant.
Ripe fruit feels soft.
Pick every three to four days when the berries are dry, into a shallow container no more than two or three layers deep.

Pests and diseases of Raspberry

Grey Mold
Raspberry beetle
Strawberry blossom weevil
Two-spotted spider mite

Sources

Figures cited from these sources.