The raspberries I planted last year are taking off this year. They’re Heritage raspberries, which can be ever-bearing or fall-bearing depending on how you prune them. I voted for ever-bearing.
Basically, they bear two crops on two sections of the canes. The summer crop comes on last year’s growth, low on the cane. Then it takes a breather and the fall crop comes in on this year’s growth. The cool part is that this means the berries are way up where the new growth is swaying as high as it can reach. It’s much easier to see the ripe ones when they’re overhead with the afternoon sun filtering in between the leaves.
Once they’re done, you cut the canes all the way back to the ground, leaving only the short canes that haven’t even flowered yet. Those guys will flower next year and make the bumblebees very busy. And berry pickers.
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