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Fruit & Orchards

Oh crap, I pruned the wrong part

17 years ago

I just accidently pruned the wrong part of my raspberry bush. Instead of cutting out a short wooden cane I chopped off one of the most vital parts of the plant at the base of the stem. Is there anything I can do to save the section of the plant I cut off? I feel terrible caring after the plant all summer and then screwing up like this.

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Comments (6)

jellyman
17 years ago
newslang:

Give it a decent burial.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA
0
eric_wa
17 years ago
newslang,

If you like you could try rooting it. May not be worth it! Take the cane and cut it into 12 inch sticks. Strip off most of the lower leaves leaving two or three at the top. You probably need to rub off the buds at the leaf joint at the bottom also. Dip them in rooting hormone, see link below, plant in potting mix. Keep moist. Bottom heat is a good thing too. I've done many currants this way and some raspberries.

You might be back to oh crap! That was a waste of time.

Eric

Here is a link that might be useful: One type of rooting hormone
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Well I am still doing my best to kill this poor thing. Not only did I whack the Hades out of it, I left it out in a torrential downpour we had two days ago thinking rain water would be good for it. Fortunately the severed limbs had hardened by then so maybe they won't rot. The cut I did today I can treat but it already looks like dead wood. But my cocker spaniel is reading over my shoulder and wants me to put the honey on the wound. My cocker spaniel says he will keep watch over the healing process :). When do you think I will see new growth? I live in Naples, FL (SW FL) and we have great weather and sun and this guy is outside so why is it being so stubborn. Thanks for the encouragement and will keep you posted - I hope with good news. Am posting another pic.
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Comments (14)
Thanks everybody. I really am just freaking out here. It looks like you are all agreeing on a reprieve. Like I mentioned before, I missed the first infection and it got to be very, very obvious, so I'm hypervigilant at the moment. I was ready to tear all these bushes out earlier tonight! I'm going to cut off all the weird candelabras (except on Pink Pet) and watch. Spider Mites are possible--they are always a problem here. I can usually see a brown speck or two in the flower when I have thrips. I haven't tried the paper test, but will tomorrow. A few RMV questions--this is the first sign on this rose at year 5 of growth. I was under the impression that RMV was either there from the start, or not--in other words not contagious. Wouldn't this mean I bought it with RMV? Should I contact the vendor? I bought all my Belinda's Dream shrubs at once, so will the others be likely to have it eventually? Finally, is RMV systemic, meaning that pruning off the affected canes will do no good? I am really, really grateful for all of you tonight. I can't say how depressed I was earlier. Thank you!
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Comments (8)
I wasn't very clear, was I? Carla17--does that bit in the bottom photo look bad? It's so hard to tell "good" wood from wood which should be pruned. Yes, these photos are of the portions I removed. I've tied up the one cane--is it cane or stem? which remains. Should I post pictures of it? What parts do you need to see? I was pruning the short bit you see in the top of the bottom photo when I made the "devasting" cut. The bright green bit growing on it can be seen to the left as a bit of foiliage way down at the bottom of the stem/cane in the top photo. The other, yellowish bit supported the stuff in the top picture. (I wasn't paying attention to my camera settings when I took it. Apologies for the painful photo.)
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diggity_ma
17 years ago
Gosh, I wouldn't get too upset about it. Raspberries multiply so abundantly that more canes will come along before you know it and the one you hacked off will be replaced tenfold.

-Diggity
0
plumfan
17 years ago
There is an old carpenters saying:

Measure twice and cut once!
0
newslang
Original Author
17 years ago
I appreciate the mixture of humor and encouragement, everyone.

As for rooting Eric, I may try it just as an experiment. But will it be too late if I order growth hormone online? Do you know how I could preserve the cane in the mean time? And lastly, can I replant them in the same area as the original bush or does it need to be somewhere else?
0
eric_wa
17 years ago
newslang,

I'd only do this for fun and experience. Really, raspberries multiply profusely. They could be dug up and moved.

Rooting hormone can be purchased at almost any garden center. Maybe even the big box stores. If you wanted to store them, I treat them like scion wood. Take a damp paper towel, wrap the 12" sticks, put in a zip-lock bag. Store these in your refrigerator.

I like to space my raspberries about 2ft apart. They will fill in quickly.

Eric
0

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