Raspberry-growing workshop
March 29^th 2014
Chelsea Community Garden

Gardeners and local residents gathered on an chilly spring day to learn how to grow raspberries in a workshop run by our own Master Gardener Bob Kowalik! We have many other workshops like this planned for the Year of the Fruit, please visit our website for more information about upcoming events. Thank you to Melissa Shook for the photographs and in the field reporting.

Bob starting the workshop, we hope he can get off those crutches soon!

In case you missed the workshop (or would like a recap) continue reading for the info that was presented: 

Canes

The stems that produce raspberries (and blackberries) are referred to as canes and, in garden circles, are commonly called cane fruits. They are also called brambles. (But note that in the British Isles brambles are blackberries exclusively).

The canes of cane fruits are biennial. This means that they live for two seasons. During their firs year they emerge in the spring leaf out and bulk up. In the second year they produce flowers and fruit. Then they die.

The canes produced in the first year are called primocanes (from Latin primus=first). Those produced in the second year are called floricanes (from Latin flora=flower).

Drawing of a Raspberry

There are varieties of raspberries that are called ‘everbearing’. This is actually a misnomer. The canes do not bear fruit all summer long. Rather the floricanes bear fruit in late spring or early summer as usual. And the primocanes precociously bear fruit, typically from the tips of their canes, in late summer or fall.

Before putting a raspberry bed in order it is important to know which type of raspberry you’re dealing with. In this garden we have an unknown everbearing variety.

Our goal is to create a raspberry bed that bears good and plentiful fruit that is relatively easy to pick., that is resistant to disease and blight, and is under control. –‘Under control’ because raspberries spread vigorously by underground runners when they are happy. Our row will be no more than 2’ wide. Any canes that are growing outside the bed we’ll dig up later and offer for sale during the Art Walk.

David doing some prep work

What we did:

The edging of the bed has been marked out in 2.5 ‘ segments. Work in one segment at a time and then move on to one that still needs attention.

First-remove the dead canes. They have greyish peeling bark and many side branches.

Dead cane, get rid of it!

Second—remove the weak and spindly canes.

Third—decide which of the canes will be removed to leave no more than 4 canes per liner foot or 10 canes in every 2.5’section. When deciding look for canes that are stout and don’t have signs of discoloration or malformation from insects, disease or blight. 

Pass up on canes that look like this if you can

Trim the remaining canes down to about 4.5’. If there are side branches, trim them back to about 3” from the cane.

When we’re done thinning and trimming the canes we’ll erect a row of posts and string 2 wires the length of the bed. One wire will be at about 2’ and the other at about 4’.

Bob B (we have many Bob's)

Fourth and last—tie each of the canes either to the top wire or to the chain link fence behind the bed. This will create a nice V shape running down the length of the bed allowing for good airflow. 

V for Victory

Water will evaporate quickly from the canes keeping blight and disease under control.

We’re done! Admire your work and anticipate a tasty harvest!

Ready to go!

"The Year of the Fruit is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Chelsea Community Fund. Many workshops are being offered through a collaboration with the Chelsea Community Schools and the Chelsea Jordan Boys and Girls Club. Administrative support for Year of the Fruit has also been offered by the Chelsea Collaborative and Commoncove."