On Mon, 10 May 2004 03:45:53 GMT, gary davis
wrote:

On 5/9/04 12:58 PM, in article ,
"Monroe" wrote:

Gardening outside of Edmonton, Alberta. Moved into this rural
location about 7 years back. Two very healthy red, everbearing
raspberry patches. As the years went by, with the majority of the
years severe droughts, the berry plants continually reduced in numbers
despite watering (mildy sodic water . . . soft, neutral pH . . . Na at
about 300 - 400 ppm), fertilizing (Rapid-Gro), careful management of
canes and mulching with leaves/grasses. With the drought, heavy quack
grass infestation within path (and across entire acreage, for that
matter). But I'm not certain which of these may be contributing or
directly responsibly for the reduction in plant numbers. This spring,
very low cane count (about 20% of original number of plants). I'd
guess that the patches are just about as old as the acreage (20
years). When we moved in in 1997, incredibly dense and healthy
pathches.

Any other gardeners local to this area with any ideas? Thinking about
a grand strategy to rejuvenate the patches. I've read a few quite
different methods, from complete cut down and wait to abandonment of
the patch areas and setting in new plants at another locaiton. I'd
like to use the same areas. Any input would be appreciated. We are
tapped out at this end. The increasing reduction despite tender care
was hard to take.
--

Monroe
Hi Monroe
Dig a trench 1 foot or so deep and wide on either side of your raspberry
rows. Fill with raw manure....any kind. I have used raw chicken s..t from
an egg farmer and dumped it in as I say above. You can use cow, horse, pig
anything like that. Raw is the best because it has more nutrients in it. You
do want to bury it quickly for two reasons:
1. It will probably stink and
2. The sooner it is buried, the less will be the loss of nitrogen into
the air.
The root system of raspberries reaches out not far from the surface of
the soil in all directions. Your raspberries will soon find the manure and
away they will go!
Grass growing up where the stalks are after a few years gets to be a
problem. You can pull it and pull and yet it returns. I move my row every 10
years or so...more or less. The last time I dug the plants out, removed the
grass roots and replanted in the same row. That will work should you want to
keep them in the same place.
If you can find some manure...it will work. For sure!
Gary
Fort Langley, BC



You mention digging the plants out. In an established patch, just how
much of the plant is dug out when one wishes to replant and/or
relocate ie. how much of the root sytem?
--

Monroe