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Their sweet, great taste and pretty red color are the reasons raspberries are so popular. Fortunately, the delicious fruit can also be planted in the home garden. In order to achieve a high yield, optimal care is very important. This is where pruning plays a crucial role. Without the pruning of the rods, the shrubs would primarily only spread over an area. But when is the best time to cut and what is there to consider?
Pruning as crop protection
Regular pruning - the best plant protection for raspberries
Raspberries are very robust, so healthy plants can cope well with a radical pruning. However, since the shrubs are susceptible to pests and diseases, the canes should never be too close together, but rather more than too few shoots should be removed.
By pruning the shoots, the shrub will continue to bear plenty of fruit next year. When this is done depends on whether they are summer or autumn raspberries. Pruning autumn raspberries is very easy, while summer raspberries are a bit more demanding, so there are a few pointers to keep in mind when pruning.
Cut back fall raspberries
Best time to cut back autumn raspberries:
- last harvest October to November
- then shorten all rods close to the ground
- do not leave any residue (optimal breeding ground for diseases)
- remove diseased shoots during growth
- Cut down shoots that are too long
- Thin out perennials regularly
Pruning back for a second harvest of autumn raspberries:
If a second harvest is desired in spring, it must be blended as follows.
- after the first frosts, do not cut branches close to the ground as with conventional cutting
- only cut the top part that was tipped with the fruit
- Leave the lower parts of the rod (shoots) for another harvest in early summer
However, this harvest is much smaller and shorter. Rods that are left for the second harvest often pose a risk of diseases. In addition, the raspberry plants are significantly weakened by the second harvest and are less productive, so it makes sense to grow autumn and summer varieties.
Cut back summer raspberries
Optimal time to cut back the summer raspberries
The summer raspberries, such as Meeker, Rubaca and Schönemann, are harvested by the end of July. The pruning should take place immediately afterwards. The procedure is as follows.
- Cut canes that have borne fruit back to the ground
- carefully pull them out of the trellis or scaffold to which they are attached
- leave about five young rods from the year and tie them to the trellis
- Cut rods that are higher than two meters to two meters
- Thin out rods that are too close together and shorten them too long
- eliminate weak, damaged and diseased shoots
There should never be more than ten shoots per meter so that the raspberries can spread and no fungal diseases are transmitted. When pruning immediately after harvesting, it is still easy to distinguish the young canes from the old ones, as the young ones are greener than the dark two-year-olds.
Avoid diseases by pruning
Avoid diseases with the right pruning
Despite the robustness of raspberries, the plants can be prone to various diseases, so not too many rods should be kept in one place. These include, for example.
- root rot
- tail disease
A strong pruning reduces the danger. Despite all precautionary measures, illness can still occur. Diseased raspberries must be removed. This should be done with household waste rather than compost to prevent the disease from spreading to other plants. After pruning, the soil should be fertilized.
Cutting the raspberries
What is needed to cut the raspberries?
- sharp secateurs for the thin shoots
- small saw for the thick rods
- protective gloves
- maybe a garden shredder
Tips for pruning
General tips for pruning raspberries
It is important to only use sharp tools and to wear protective gloves. We recommend using ergonomic pruning shears with sharp blades and non-slip handles. The hands and joints are not stressed as much. The tails must not be crushed when trimming.
A smooth cut is important, otherwise it can easily lead to infection with diseases. Blunt blades or saw blades are also a risk of accidents due to the easy slipping. Many raspberry varieties have thorns on the leaf axils that can severely injure the skin. Gloves also protect against the bites of insects that live in the raspberry bushes.
Where do the cut rods go?
- healthy shoots of raspberries ideal mulch material
- shred by hand or, more conveniently, in a shredder
- Distribute under the trees and shrubs as a mulch layer
- Another possible use: as a base for raised beds or loosening material for the compost
- When cutting the autumn raspberries, leave two sticks per meter row, which are placed on the ground above the roots (winter quarters for the useful garden dwellers)
- Dispose of diseased rods (in the normal dustbin or burn)
Gardeners who plant raspberries and then leave the bushes to their own devices quickly run into problems due to the uncontrolled growth. Regular pruning is therefore very important. Here you have to pay attention to whether it is summer or autumn raspberries, because that depends on the optimal time for pruning.
With the summer raspberries it is right after the harvest at the end of July. The perfect time for pruning autumn raspberries is October to November. If you heed the tips mentioned, you will enjoy the raspberry bushes for a long time and enjoy aromatic fruits. Thanks to the ingredients, they are real health and power fruits.