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Posted by blueberry77 (U14703896) on Saturday, 12th November 2011
I know they are meant to be cut right back in February, but can I give them a bit of a tidy now ? They are looking very straggly.
I always cut mine back as soon as the leaves have dropped. Cut them right to the ground, and they will be fine and come back in spring. My hunch is that having the stems off will encourage the buds to form underground rather than on the stems - it may be that an expert tells me that's wrong but it has always worked for me.
I'd like to know as well! Whether a little haircut will do them any harm before I cut them to the ground in Feb.
Text books may say leave then until February but I tend to cut mine back by at least half before the winter, as soon as they stop fruiting/go dormant (not yet though as mine are still fruiting!). If I don't they take a battering from the winter winds which tend to rock them about in the soil which sets them back somewhat. I then cut them back to ground level come February. This year I may experiment and cut some right back before the winter and see how they compare.
OK, thanks for replies. My instinct was it would be OK to tidy them up a bit, so will go ahead.
Still have fruit on one of them as well.
I have cut mine to the ground already. I do it every year as soon as the fruit has finished and the leaves have fallen. This year has been the best ever for fruit.
, in reply to message 6.
Posted by MuddyMeldrew (U6844617) on Thursday, 17th November 2011
Until last year I've always cut mine back in February. However, last year, as I was to be out of the country for four months I did so in November and they weren't affected. At that time, though, the weather was very cold and all leaves had been shed. I need to do the same this year but dare not do so as they are still fruiting. It's only my opinion but if I were you I'd cut them back now only if they've started dying back.
I did the same - I cut mine back about this time last year instead of in Feb, becasue they looked a bit leggy and dead. They were fine, and did quite well this year, so it doesn't seeem to have done them any harm.
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by capricornbcaroline (U8618227) on Tuesday, 22nd November 2011
There was an experiment in Gardening Which a month or two back where they didn't cut back their autumn raspberries at all. They claimed that they got almost twice the yield depending on variety - this applied to Autumn Bliss, Sugana, Fall Gold and Autumn Treasure. The idea of the double cropping was to allow the old wood to produce a crop in early summer and then cut these older canes down allowing the young canes to crop as usual in autumn. Thought I might try this next year.
, in reply to message 9.
Posted by MuddyMeldrew (U6844617) on Wednesday, 23rd November 2011
That's very interesting. I might well try it out myself as well as mine are Autumn Bliss. Nothing gained by doing nothing, and if it all goes wrong, don't do it again.
I'm glad you reminded me of this. I saw or heard something to the same effect not so long ago and had forgotten all about it. They (whoever it was) suggested taking out only half on the Atumn Bliss canes and leaving the rest, thus spreading out next summer's crop for longer. I think I may give it a try.
And we must all remember to re-convene here in a year's time and report back, OK?
, in reply to message 11.
Posted by capricornbcaroline (U8618227) on Thursday, 24th November 2011
Right, that's a deal (although quite a challenge for the memory!) - frankly remembering not to cut all the canes down will be quite an achievement for me! I've double checked Which and they didn't cut any canes in the winter (though naturally all methods can be adopted in this challenge!). Incidentally they didn't find that double cropping required extra feeding and didn't seem to deplete the plants' vigour. They fed their plants each spring with sulphate of potash, 70g per square metre. I'm pretty sure I used rose fertiliser last year, may be that has s of p in it.
Any one help me how and when to prune early rasp glen moy, this is first year and they gave a nice crop i cut fruited canes back when they finished end aug ,but the new canes which i thought would fruit next year flowered gave me more fruit oct / nov now i'm not sure what to do. l passo
I know they are meant to be cut right back in February, but can I give them a bit of a tidy now ? They are looking very straggly. Any one help me how and when to prune early rasp glen moy, this is first year and they gave a nice crop i cut fruited canes back when they finished end aug ,but the new canes which i thought would fruit next year flowered gave me more fruit oct / nov now i'm not sure what to do. l passo
I think I'd leave them. They probably got a bit mixed up this year, as the seasons were confusing, so they gave you a second crop. If you cut them down now, you'll have no new canes for next year.
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