On Sun, 10 Feb 2008 09:06:30 +0000, K wrote:

Bob Hobden writes

Rasberry canes are not normally grown against a wall, they should be cut
down hard now and they will grow new canes from the roots during this year
and these will fruit next year (2009) after which they too are cut down
almost to the ground leaving next years new canes to fruit the following
year...and so on.

Disappointing to have to wait till 2009. Could he not cut down half the
canes and have a few raspberries this year?

Worth saying that one blackberry plant is adequate, but to get a
reasonable crop of raspberries you need several plants.

It depends on what variety your raspberry is, summer fruiting or
autumn fruiting. I have some of both. I cut down all my raspberry
canes to the ground this month and this has given me a good succesion
of fruit through the summer and autumn. Cut your one down and see
what happens this year.

If you can get a few more canes and have room for them, it would be
good, otherwise, as mentioned above, your crop will be very small. One
cane is not enough. You need a row of about 10 canes as a starter,
and more if you want to have real feasts.
Treatment of the blackberry is different, and one plant can soon get
out of hand if you don't prune it and tie it in properly. You need to
read up about it before next year! Is it a thornless variety? That
makes it a lot easier to handle'

Pam in Bristol