Autumn raspberries bear the most fruit on one-year-old wood. Very few raspberries grow on two-year-old canes. In the fall, a complete pruning is therefore announced. But cutting is also part of the care measures in summer.

Prune fall raspberries in fall

Autumn raspberries are particularly easy to care for, especially when it comes to the right pruning. Unlike summer raspberries, you don't need to remember which canes are annuals and which are biennials.

Since autumn raspberries produce their main harvest on the one-year-old shoots, you can simply cut off all shoots down to ground level in autumn.

The shrub sprout again in the spring and bears fruit on the new canes in the same year.

Biological protection against pests

Experienced gardeners advise leaving some of the canes on the ground when pruning down autumn raspberries.

They serve as winter quarters for useful insects such as predatory mites. In the spring, these valuable garden helpers settle back on the plant and devour spider mites and other pests.

Caring for autumn raspberries by pruning in summer

Some autumn raspberry varieties tend to develop very many canes.

As a result, the fruits do not get enough light. They stay small and are nowhere near as sweet as raspberries that have ripened in the sun.

In the case of fast-growing varieties, cut them out in summer to ensure that the shrub does not grow too densely. A maximum of 15 rods should remain on the plant. Just cut off the rest.

Remove or trim weak shoots

Autumn raspberry shoots that seem very weak or are even affected by diseases or pests should be removed regularly.

They do not develop fruit and unnecessarily weaken the root.

If the branches of the autumn raspberries shoot up too much, you can shorten them at any time. The plant does not mind the pruning.

A little guide to pruning autumn raspberries:

  • Thin out shrubs regularly
  • Remove diseased and weak shoots
  • Shorten rods that are too long
  • Cut back completely to ground level in autumn

tips and tricks

By cutting back radically in autumn, you prevent the dreaded cane disease from spreading to the raspberries. It arises on the two-year-old rods. However, since these are cut back in autumn raspberries, the cane disease does not occur.

Category:

Vegetable garden