Before you learn the best methods on how to plant raspberries, you also need to know important information about raspberries. To grow raspberries, the most conducive time is around July, September or October although there are those that can bear fruit during the summer, depending on the time they're pruned.

Most raspberries can bear fruit but there are those that can produce yellow or white berries. The ones that fruit in summer, pruning can be carried out right after picking has finished. This is when the old canes are being completely cut and replaced by new ones from the perennial rootstock that can bear fruit the following year.

As for varieties that bear fruit in autumn, their fruited canes are cut back throughout the dormant season like in February. The new canes will then appear in spring and bear fruit autumn of that same year.

Before you plant raspberries, remember that they're highly subjective to virus diseases. Nevertheless, the health of most commercial stocks has greatly improved throughout the recent years following the scheme of inspection as well as certification by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. This is the reason why it's extremely important to begin planting only when the canes are obtained from highly reliable sources.

To plant raspberries, make sure their location is under full sunlight but they can also tolerate light shades. The most important factor to consider is the acidity of the soil. As for alkaline soil, it can seriously affect the growth of raspberries due to manganese and iron deficiencies.

When preparing the bed for raspberries, a well-drained soil is essential. However, sandy soils with plenty of organic matter are also good. As a note, raspberries require lots of moisture throughout their growing season.

As sound practice, dig over prospective raspberry beds in the summer before planting. Make sure you pick out the roots of all the perennial weeds that can be encountered. This is since couch grass and bindweed can cause trouble to your raspberry plants since they're shallow rooters. This means, deep cultivation subsequent to planting is necessary.

Generous amounts of rotted garden compost should also be implemented when digging proceeds. Other options are stable or farmyard manure. More of this should be mixed in more sandy soil. For assurance against shortage in phosphates, you can dig a dressing of 28 grams of superphosphate per square meter or square yard.

After you've planted organic matter as well as plant food into the soil, you can maintain it by putting an annual mulch of stable or farmyard manure. The rate should be about 2.5 kilograms per square meter. If natural manure is obtainable, straw or peat can be used in supplying organic matter together with a spring dressing of 28 grams of ammonia sulphate, 28 grams of superphosphate as well as 14 grams of potash sulphate per square meter. This can help provide the necessary nutrients.

In cases wherein there's excessive nitrogen, it can stimulate the growth of the canes but it won't affect increase of the crop. For potash deficiencies, there'll be reduced yields.

To plant raspberries, the canes should be secured by lengths of strong strings tied to staples by the ends of rows (intervals of 46 centimeters). Never plant your raspberries too deep. The roots should be covered without exceeding 8 centimeters of soil. The roots should be spread out evenly and the damaged parts should be trimmed. Afterwards, subsequent pruning is necessary, especially when the raspberry seem to be swelling already. Cut the canes to about 25 centimeters about soil level.

On the first season, avoid cropping. Once the fruits have been picked, you can cut down all the fruited canes to soil level. New canes will spring up from these.