Black Raspberries...

About 5 years ago, I purchased 5 black raspberry plants. Then all heck broke loose. We started building a house, 2 daughters had major surgery, and now for the past year both my mom and myself have been ill with one malady or the other. During all this, I just threw the berry plants into the ground so as not to lose them. Now, they are growing wild and unkempt, barely prodcing berries, which the birds promptly pilfer. My question is, how best to bring some kind of order-I will need to move them-to these plants and actually try to get them to produce abundant, edible fruit? Any berry experts out there?

Shaz, I've had some good success with berries at my old house in Asheville. Somewhere on my hard drive I have some information and will dig it up.

Found it! I have photos of some trellis ideas but cannot post them because they are not my photos. Email me and I'll send them to you.

Brambles
Planting and Culturing Guide
Raspberries, Black Raspberries,
Purple Raspberries, Blackberries
& Tissue Culture Plants

Brambles have the same general requirements as strawberries--well-drained soil and full sun. If your soil is heavier or not well drained, we recommend planting on raised beds.

Planting Brambles
For summer and fall-bearing raspberries, we suggest you set plants 28-30 inches apart in the row and allow a minimum of 8-10 feet between rows. Black raspberries can be set at 2.5-3 feet apart in the row with 8-10 feet between rows. Set blackberries 3-4 feet apart in the row and allow at least 8-10 feet between rows.

Set nursery mature and bare root plants 1-2 inches deeper than they were in the nursery. The soil line around the stem will indicate their nursery depth. Care should be taken that the hole is large enough to allow the entire root system to be covered. Spread the roots out and set at about 2 inches deep. The fine root system should not be allowed to dry during the planting process. This can happen very quickly on a warm, spring day. We suggest soaking the plants for up to 1 hour prior to planting and keep the plants in a pail of water as you plant. We also suggest the use of a product such as Agri-gel to prevent roots from drying. Special Note: New growth on raspberries may not appear for 4-6 weeks. The cane portion of the plant may never leaf out. Check for root development by gently digging 2-3 inches out from the cane of the plant. During this establishment period maintain soil moisture until plants are growing well.

Weed Control
During the growing season, cultivate regularly around plants, but not more than 3 inches deep, because the root system of raspberries and blackberries is quite shallow. A tool called a scuffle hoe is helpful for this purpose. It is also helpful to mulch plants during the establishment year. Straw or plastic mulch helps to conserve soil moisture and cuts down on weed competition. Do not mulch after establishment year. Please consult your Cooperative Extension service for recommendations on chemical control.

Fertilization
For optimum growth and production, thoroughly incorporate light amounts of fertilizer prior to planting. Home gardeners should incorporate 1/2 - 3/4 lb. per 100 square feet of

Trellises
Training and Pruning
We suggest that all brambles be supported by a trellis. We have been successful using a T-bar trellis for fall-bearing raspberries that supports 2 wires 12 inches apart at 3.0 feet above the ground. See the accompanying Diagram 1. Some varieties which are taller such as Canby, Taylor, and Lauren might benefit from a T-trellis with two wires--one at 3 feet and one at 4 feet. Blackberries are best trained to a four-wire trellis (Diagram 2). A trellis keeps canes upright and fruit off the ground, makes picking much easier, and maintains good aeration throughout the planting which helps with disease control. The laterals are wrapped on the wires.

Pruning
Summer Bearing Raspberries
These varieties carry one crop of berries on the overwintering canes during the summer months. For best yields, prune out the canes that carried fruit directly after harvest. Thin remaining new growth to 4-6 strong, healthy canes per running foot of row.

Fall-Bearing
(Primocane-bearing, Everbearing)
These varieties will have two crops. The largest is borne in the fall on the tips of canes which grew throughout the summer. A second crop is then carried lower on those same canes early the next summer. To have two crops, the planting must be pruned as a summer bearer (follow the instructions).

Most everbearers will produce an even better fall crop if not allowed to fruit in early summer. To treat these plants as fallbearers, mow off all the canes after the canes have lost their leaves in very late fall, or wait until early spring. Be sure to cut the canes as closely as possible to the soil surface, leaving as little stub as possible above the ground. The new, strong canes which grow again that summer will bear an abundant fall crop.