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Baz[_3_] · 20-08-2013, 12:07 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

Paul Luton wrote in
. uk:

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

I will try that. Sounds good. Nothing to lose!

Thanks
Baz