Hi all,

I have prepared a site for some Autumn Bliss raspberries for the first
time this year. I was surprised to see Dr. Hessayon in his "Fruit
Expert" advise a half topsoil / half peat planting mixture. He says
this is to prevent some kind of "shock" when moving into 100% topsoil.

Does anyone have experience of planting Autumn Bliss or any other kind
of raspberry, for that matter ? I wonder if the peat is essential ? I
don't actually know where I'd get some from if it was, or if there is
now an alternative.

I'd really appreciate some advice on this subject, and where better to
turn than this group of experts ?

Thanks in advance

Tim

: Hi all,
:
: I have prepared a site for some Autumn Bliss raspberries for the first
: time this year. I was surprised to see Dr. Hessayon in his "Fruit
: Expert" advise a half topsoil / half peat planting mixture. He says
: this is to prevent some kind of "shock" when moving into 100% topsoil.
:
: Does anyone have experience of planting Autumn Bliss or any other kind
: of raspberry, for that matter ? I wonder if the peat is essential ? I
: don't actually know where I'd get some from if it was, or if there is
: now an alternative.
:
: I'd really appreciate some advice on this subject, and where better to
: turn than this group of experts ?
:
: Thanks in advance
:
: Tim

No it's not necessary at all. I've grown raspberries for years and always
planted them straight into the soil. A bit of bonemeal mixed in will help
the roots establish and a top dressing of manure or compost will get them
off to a flying start. Then they will spread wherever you let them go

In article ,
(Robert) wrote:

No it's not necessary at all.

What I think IS necessary is taking heed of Hassayon's basic idea - that
plants that have spent time in a container need something LIKE his
"planting mixture" between the soil and the root "ball".

When I started gardening a couple of years ago, I put several shrubs
straight in the soil. When I pulled up the dying plants recently, there
was a very dense lump of roots the shape of the original container.

If you can't find peat locally (Try Wilkinsons), use some sort of
compost instead in preparing "planting mixture"

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

(Steve Harris) wrote in
:

In article ,
(Robert) wrote:

No it's not necessary at all.

What I think IS necessary is taking heed of Hassayon's basic idea -
that plants that have spent time in a container need something LIKE
his "planting mixture" between the soil and the root "ball".

When I started gardening a couple of years ago, I put several shrubs
straight in the soil. When I pulled up the dying plants recently,
there was a very dense lump of roots the shape of the original
container.

I've seen this, but only when there have been other 'causes of death'.
I usually just plonk shrubs straight into a hole in the ground: I think
the only ones I have ever actually lost have been a tender fuchsia (too
cold for it) and a lavender (had one too many, so chanced it in an
inappropriate dark shady spot: bad idea!).

If a shrub dies, it's most unlikely to be because of lack of 'planting
mixture'. Far more likely it was too cold, too shady, too sunny, too
damp, too dry, too acid, too alkaline, or it got a disease or
infestation (often because it was weakened by one of the above).

My suspicion about your shrubs focusses on wetness: either you dug a
hole in thick solid clay (the only soil where 'planting mix' is likely
to make any difference) and it filled with water and drowned the roots,
or you didn't water enough until they'd got going.

Usually shrubs get their roots down into the soil within a year or so,
and you lose the 'pot shape' very quickly (and it's then a git to move
'em if you change your mind about the location!). It may be that using
'planting mix' speeds this up or helps particularly delicate plants
establish more quickly, but it is by no means essential.

You can tease the roots out when you plant to encourage them to go out
rather than round and round. I used to do this, but now I rarely
bother, and it seems to make no difference.

I planted raspberries direct into the soil last year with a good mulch
or bracken and paper, and some manure on the top. They have raced away,
and so, indeed has every other rasp. I've ever planted!

In short: I don't think Tim needs peat.

Victoria Clare

In article . 12,
(Victoria Clare) wrote:

My suspicion about your shrubs focusses on wetness

My soil is very free-draining sand, we've just had a very dry summer and
I've watered them about twice.

You can tease the roots out when you plant to encourage them to go out
rather than round and round. I used to do this, but now I rarely
bother, and it seems to make no difference.

These roots grew prolifically but would not leave the original pot
compost area. The result was a tough mass of root material in the shape
of the original pot that came away from the surrounding soil without
much effort.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

(Steve Harris) wrote in
:

In article . 12,
(Victoria Clare) wrote:

My suspicion about your shrubs focusses on wetness

My soil is very free-draining sand, we've just had a very dry summer and
I've watered them about twice.

There you go then: I reckon your problem is not too much wet, but too
little. A heavy mulch might have helped, or (as you say) including more
organic matter in the hole, or just watering more and for longer. Just
twice, on sand, in a dry year, is definitely on the thirsty side!

I watered mine quite a bit this spring, and it's much wetter here than most
places.

* suddenly struck by a thought *

Are you now talking about raspberries, rather than shrubs generally?
Raspberries are sometimes sold with a whole bunch of canes shoved together
into one pot.

You are supposed to take the bunch out and separate the canes before
planting them, but the instructions don't always make this clear!

If you planted a whole potful of canes without separating them, that would
explain the 'knot of rootball' phenomenon, and they would be unlikely to
thrive packed in like that too.

Victoria

In article ,
(Victoria Clare) wrote:

There you go then: I reckon your problem is not too much wet, but too
little.

Well, the other plants I did later using a planting mixture did fine :-)

Raspberries are sometimes sold with a whole bunch of canes shoved
together into one pot.

The plants in question were sold to mt as Viburnum Tinis and Hebe
cupressoides 'Boughton Dome'

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

Steve Harris wrote:
: In article ,
: (Robert) wrote:

: No it's not necessary at all.

: What I think IS necessary is taking heed of Hassayon's basic idea - that
: plants that have spent time in a container need something LIKE his
: "planting mixture" between the soil and the root "ball".

: When I started gardening a couple of years ago, I put several shrubs
: straight in the soil. When I pulled up the dying plants recently, there
: was a very dense lump of roots the shape of the original container.

: If you can't find peat locally (Try Wilkinsons), use some sort of
: compost instead in preparing "planting mixture"

Mayn recommend teasing out roots from the root ball and preparing any
planting hole with compost etc. This should mena the roots expand from the
pot shaped root ball.

Youy should be using peat for this sort of stuff. You wonder how gardeners
ever managed before the stuff was introduced!