I'm trying to sort out my raspberry patch but have got into a complete mess.
They are summer fruiting and fruited very well this year. How do I know
which stems to chop down now? I've cut down all the ones with obvious signs
of having "old fruit" on them but how do I tell whether the others fruited
this year or if they are new stems? they all look a bit tattered, brown and
ragged. Also each "root lump" seems to have several stems coming out of it.
Are they all supposed to have one? The other problem is that there is an
obvious wire support which I assume they should be tied to but the "patch"
has spread so that most stems are a long way from the wire framework. Should
i bend them back to it (it is a major concreted in affair so not easy to
move.) Finally we are on alkaline soil. What should I do about mulching
them/feeding them? Thanks in advance,

--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)