Replacing beds of raspberries - suggestions?

13 years ago

Hi All-

This is really 2 questions here...

1.) Either late this year, or early next year, I will be removing some of my lesser performing raspberry beds. I love my Preludes, Carolines, Anne's, and KiwiGolds. But, I'm seeing flaws in the other varieties. What's the best way to take out a bed? Round up? Dig 'em out? Both? Is there any way I could collect berries this season, and yet be confident that theyÂre 100% removed in time for spring planting? IÂm guessing not.

2.) Anyone got any suggestions for replacements? IÂm looking for sweeter raspberries, especially for the shadier areasÂ IÂm thinking the shade factor is why my ReveilleÂs taste so dull. Does anyone know where I can find a sweetness/sugar table by variety? These below would likely be my criterion:

1.) Not on my list below. I already know all about them.

2.) Sweetness. I like Âem sweet.

3.) None spreading (like a black raspberry or my Preludes) is a definite (but rare) plus.

4.) Smaller thorns are nice.

5.) I wouldnÂt mind getting some more summer bearing varieties, even though I have to wait longer for Âem.

Thanks,

-Glenn

[edited text from my ÂMy PageÂ]

Raspberries Most are just short 15Â beds, but some are longer. Can we ever eat enough raspberries?

* Prelude Â 2 beds. One of my favorites. Tastes great. Large berries. Just keeps on bearing and bearing. WhatÂs not to like! I like the way they don't spread, and really stay put like the black raspberries.

* Caroline Â 2 beds. Probably the sweetest raspberry. Yum. Very small thorns. A definite keeper.

* Anne (Yellow) Â This is the best flavored raspberry that I know of. The plants arenÂt all that productive, but IÂll get over it.

* Kiwi Gold (Yellow)Â a unique/good tasting yellow raspberry

- Joan J Â Nice that itÂs thornless but the flavor varies from good to bad. Weird how my plants are staying short.

- Autumn Britten Â Good sized berries, taste is ok... sometimes gets a little funky.

Jewel (Black) Â ItÂs a black. Tastes fine.

Royalty (Purple) Â This is my first year to get berries, and I haven't made up my mind on it yet.

Polana Â I donÂt have Âem in a great spot, so itÂs hard to evaluate them. Decent though. Nice that the thorns are very small.

- Heritage Â The classic raspberry. But, the berries are on th e smaller side.

Wild black raspberries Â Yep, we eat them too!

- Reveille Â 2 beds Â I accidentally ordered 2 beds worth of this variety. I've got them in a pretty shady spot. They still give me quite a few berries, but they're pretty bland (not sweet). I'm wondering if this is because the lack of sun? I may take it down to 1 bed next year

Wyeberry Â Hybrid. Had my first one the other day. TheyÂre huge like a blackberry, but ripen at raspberry time. Taste is pretty darn good.

the "-" varieties may come out next year.

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Comments (5)

mr.ed
13 years ago
Mow them down to the ground and cover with plastic (visqueen) for about a weekÂonce dead rototill and add manure or soil improver of choice.

Raspberries you might like;

Polka
Glen Fyne
Cumberland
Brandywine

Blackberry;

Prime-Ark 45
Scott F Smith
13 years ago
Josephine is a very good raspberry if you can find it. It has much larger drupes than most varieties and is much more perfumed in flavor, a bit of rose petals in it. I was just eating some 10 minutes ago.. yum!!

Besides that I don't know of any exceptional raspberries that you don't have already. You may want to duplicate a variety you already have and like, or get some other kind of berry. I was just eating a couple Loganberries and they are pretty amazing if you like some real flavor in your berries. Unfortunately they are not hardy for me, I only get a couple berries each year. Tayberry is a poor-mans Loganberry which is hardy; now that I have given up on my Logans I am thinking about planting more of them. I am also going to be experimenting with some new unreleased Logan types next spring to see if they are hardy. Besides Logan types I would also think about some gooseberries, Poorman in particular. They are vaguely like those crisp red supermarket grapes but with more aromatics and better flavor.

Scott
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I grow everbearing red raspberries here in Madison, Wisconsin. I think the variety is Heritage, and the patch must be 15 years old. Every fall, I cut the canes down, clean up any weeds, and mulch the area with shredded leaves from our Norway maple tree. The refuse goes on the compost pile, and slowly works its way down to the pit under the heap. So far, I am not having virus symptoms. However, the symptoms you describe are common in older raspberry patches, and are thought to be due to a virus infection. I have seen recommendations to cut down the infected canes, burn them, and plant new stock at a new location. That is not a practical solution for everyone, since we have limited yard space, and the original reason for locating the raspberry patch in a specific spot still exists. In your situation, I would consider digging out the raspberries, amending the soil with peat moss and agricultural sulfur, and planting blueberries. Lowering soil pH to 4.5 might drive the nematodes away, and any residual virus would be rendered not infective.
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brookw_gw
13 years ago
We added a half dozen varieties to our existing Preludes and Carolines this year. Of course, it is premature to give a full evaluation, but with the small sampling we have had so far we have been impressed with Himbo Top for an everbearer and Nova for a summer bearer. Both of these are in the shadiest part of the field and have shown the best vigor thus far. We could not get any of our Annes to survive and only a couple of the Kiwi Gold.

I also concur with Scott on the Poorman gooseberry. We've had Pixwell, which are pretty pathetic overall. We added some Poorman and Jahn Prairie, and the few berries we got from each were simply delicious--especially the Poorman.

Brook
joberry
13 years ago
Hi Glenn
I am having good succcess with my Killarney and Himbo Top. I left a few Himbo Top canes grow instead of mowing them down and am getting and early crop from them. If my Killarney berries keep producing, there is no reason for that early crop of Himbo Top. I also have Nova, but they are not in a good area, but I do like the taste. I have an area that I may replace 6 goji and am looking into a yellow raspberry or another red. I have a row of Joan J. All of my rows are 55' long.
swaine
13 years ago
hi glenn,
i always fork out the plants removing all trailing roots, i find thats the best way to remove plants, i dont tend to use sprays anymore,

replacemets is more difficult with living im the uk, so ive looked at allan a swenson berry book,

heritage, everbearer
hilton,(largest red the book states, late midseason)
newburg (good flavour fine quality,)
taylor (excellent for home use, lage berries , tasty)
citadel (vigerous and large berries)
comet( hardy resistant to anthracnose and spur blight)
milton (late, tolerant to mosaic virus, not cold hardy)
madawaska red ( north hardy, midseason, huge berries)
new hampshire (midseason, well flavoured large berries)
boyne (flavourfull fruit, cold hardy, strong canes)
august red ( everbearer, delicious red berries)
ruby red ( jumbo berries, fall bearer,)
dormanred ( big crops of plump berries june)
southland ( highly productive, disease resistant)
titan jumbo (almost thornlessm massive cropping)

BLACKS,
allen, bristol,dundee,huron,jewel,new logan, black hawk

PURPLES
cylde, new york 905, sodus, amethyst

YELLOWS,
amber,

Replacing beds of raspberries - suggestions?

Comments (5)

mr.ed

Scott F Smith

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brookw_gw

joberry

swaine

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