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Paul Luton[_2_] · 19-08-2013, 05:38 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

On 19/08/2013 15:56, Baz wrote:
(Peter James) wrote in news:1l7shgb.tjd8gd1ttmgxeN%
:

My autumn fruiting raspberries are now in their fourth year and their
cropping level is appalling. The last three years saw no crop apart
from literally four or five fruit. This year maybe a cup full of
berries from eight canes.

Each winter I cut the canes down to the ground in February and mulch
them with compost. I feed them with chicken pellets twice a year.

My inclination is to dig them up and to replace them. On another forum
someone suggested leaving the canes until next year and to treat them as
a summer fruiting variety as it's not unknown for nurserymen to make a
mistake when bundling up fruit canes for dispatch. And yet they do
fruit in the autumn but only a very little. So I'm not sure this is a
good suggestion to follow.

I would be grateful for any thoughts from the regulars on this news
group.

Peter

I am wondering if you have the summer variety. By mistake as you mention.
They are trying to produce fruit on what is left from last years growth.
And you have cut most of it away, by accident.
I would treat them as summer fruiting this year for next year.
Do you know the variety (on the ticket)?
I am fairly sure that yours are summer fruiters.
My advice is to leave them with no pruning, and see what happens. I think
you will be well pleased next spring when you see lots of flowers on them.

Baz

Which ? found that for many autumn raspberries you get a greater overall
yield by leaving the canes that fruited in the autumn to fruit again the
following summer and then remove them. Meanwhile another set of canes
have grown to fruit in the autumn.

paul