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Overview of Raspberries Kelly Givens shares basic information about raspberries. From "Fresh From the Orchard" episode DFFO-103

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The best time to plant raspberries in most climates is in the early spring, after the danger of frost has passed. For warm climates, they can also be planted in the fall.

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	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

Before planting, check your soil's pH as necessary. Raspberries will tolerate soils as acid as 5.8 and as alkaline as 6.8, but they grow best in soils between 6.0 and 6.5. Raspberries cannot tolerate soggy soils, so sites with poor drainage should be amended with generous amounts of an organic soil conditioner (figure B). If your soil is poorly drained and cannot be amended easily, consider planting raspberries in raised beds.

To fertilize, it is best to use the results of soil test; otherwise, sprinkle a cup of all-purpose 10-10-10 fertilizer over the planting bed and work it into the soil.

Cut back the canes of the plants so that they are only about 6" tall (figure C). Also inspect the roots and prune back any bruised or damaged sections. Dig a planting hole slightly deeper than the roots, and wide enough to accommodate the roots when they are spread out. Place the plant in the hole so that the crown, where the roots join the stem, is about 1" below the surrounding soil line (figure D). Unlike most plants, raspberries actually grow better if they are planted slightly below the soil line rather than above the soil line. Backfill the hole about three-quarters of the way with soil, then add water to settle the soil around the roots and to get rid of any air pockets. When the water settled out, finish filling the hole and water again. To finish, put mulch around the base of the plants. Mulch helps conserve moisture and helps keep the weeds down, plus it makes your landscape look finished.

Raspberry Varieties

One popular variety is Dorman Red. Dorman Red is a highly productive raspberry that produces large red fruit. The fruit have a cherrylike flavor and are particularly prized for cooking and for making jams and jellies. Dorman Red, which is very heat tolerant, is one of the best berries for Southern climates. The canes of Dorman Red are loose and floppy and need to be tied to a trellis.

Another great variety is called Nova, so-called because it was developed in Nova Scotia. Although it's cold hardy, it's also fairly heat tolerant: it's rated for zones 4 through 8. Nova is a vigorous raspberry that produces pleasantly tart medium-sized bright-red fruit. It's classified as an erect raspberry with an upright growth habit, meaning that it can be planted in the landscape as a shrub or trained to grow on a trellis.

How Raspberries Grow

Raspberries are perennial plants, meaning the plants live for many years. But the stems, which are called canes, are biennial, meaning they live only two years. The first year of a cane's life, the cane is called a primocane. In most but not all cases, a primocane grows and develops foliage but bears no fruit (see exception below, under Everbearing Raspberries). The second year of a cane's life, the cane is called a floricane. A floricane flowers and produces berries, then dies.

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RESOURCES :

Kilns
L & L Kilns
Website: www.hotkilns.com

Clay
Highwater Clays
Website: www.highwaterclays.com

Extruders
American Art Clay Co. Inc. (AMACO)
Website: www.amaco.com