Cultivating organic raspberries has a dual application; berries for eating and leaves for tea. Raspberry leaves can be dried and used for herbal teas and medicinal teas. Growing organic raspberries contains significant amounts of antioxidants that have been shown to improve your overall vascular health. There are two main types to keep in mind when growing raspberries: the June-bearing and the ever-bearing varieties. June-bearing raspberries are picked in late spring typically for approx. 4 to 6 weeks and produce strongly during this period. Still-bearing raspberries do not produce as many berries, some varieties produce fruit through spring and summer, while other varieties produce once in spring and once in autumn.
When to plant raspberries
Raspberry tubes grow for 2 seasons. The first year, a new green cane grows, the primocane; it develops bark, then goes to sleep in winter. The reeds are called a florist in the second year; it produces fruit, then dies. However, the roots still send new primocans annually. Raspberry slides are usually planted in early spring after the soil is thawed in the north. In the south, you can plant raspberry slides in the fall or early spring.
Best places to plant raspberries
Raspberries like full sun. How to plant them in partial shade a few years ago and they simply never grew well. Cold winter areas are preferred for raspberry bearing June. However, new varieties are developing that grow well in the southern climate. Choose soil that drains well, has a high organic content and is slightly elevated if possible. To test drainage, dig a 12 inch deep with 12 inch square hole and fill it with water. If the water drains from the hole in less than 3 hours, your soil drainage is sufficient. Do not plant too close to trees and do not plant your berries where raspberries have been planted recently.
Soil preparation for raspberries
Raspberries prefer slightly acidic soil below pH 7.0. Optimally it should be around 6.0 and never below 5.5. Compost and composted livestock manure provide most, if not all, of the nutrients needed by raspberries. Once you have selected the area you want to plant your berries slides in, prepare the soil by deep mixing several inches of compost or composted fertilizer into the soil at least 12 inches deep in a 24 inch wide row. Place your rows 48 to 72 inches apart from edge to edge. This will make the plant 6 to 8 feet apart. Remember, you want your berries to have good nutrients in the years to come so you can hardly overdo the compost. You can also coat existing sugar cane with composted fertilizer to boost production.
Choosing the best varieties for your area
Raspberries are in the "rubus" family and are known as brambles. There are three berry color varieties you can grow - red, black or a combination of red and black known as purple raspberries. As always, calling your county extension is a wise act if you do not know raspberry diseases in your area. They can advise you on varieties that are resistant to diseases in your local area.
Containerized raspberries
If you have limited space or live in a rental house that the landlord doesn't allow you to have, you can grow raspberries in containers. You want to use a good sterile potting mix to avoid soil pathogens if you want to grow raspberries in containers. Add lots of composted manure to the mix and place it in a 3 to 7 gallon container with several drain holes in the bottom. A five-gallon bucket is about the right size for a plant. Plant the root slide 3/4 of an inch below the soil surface. Add composted fertilizer annually as needed.
Plant raspberries in your garden
In the early spring, after purchasing a variety (or two) you like that is resistant to common diseases in your area from a reputable nursery, you are ready to plant! Soak your plant roots in a compost tea (a cup or two of compost in a 5 gallon bucket of water should work) for about 6 hours before planting. In your labeled rows (prepared according to the instructions above), insert your shovel as deep as it will go into the ground, and with a rocking-back-and-forth motion, open the soil and insert the raspberry plant where the dirt covers the roots . You need to be able to tell where the root ends and the stick starts.
Make sure to spread the roots laterally to give the plant roots a good start. Put a plant every 24 to 36 inches apart in your rows. The distance between the rows should be about 6 to 8 feet. It's a good practice to "peel" your raspberries to prevent them from falling as the sticks go.
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