Raspberries & Blackberries Rubus spp.

Raspberries

We love raspberries: fresh or frozen, in smoothies, jam and especially pie. We even like the foliage—best taken from the first-year primocanes—which makes a delicious astringent healthful tea. Raspberry leaf and fruit vinegar is very high in minerals. The root bark is also medicinal.

Raspberry season in Maine is mid-July through fall. Native to North America, Europe and Asia, they are usually identified as R. idaeus or R. i. var. strigosus. 53 different Rubus species and subspecies live in Maine.

Please note: Raspberries have very fine, fibrous roots. Often they do not sprout from the plant stem after planting. This is normal. Be patient! Keep them well watered and they should all break dormancy, sprout from the roots and thrive for many years to come. (Canes are bare root unless otherwise noted in the description.)

Everbearing Raspberries: Everbearing raspberries bear on first-year canes (primocanes). Particularly desirable for northern growers because they can die (or be cut) to the ground and still produce a sizable crop the following year. In central Maine the first of these ripens in mid-late August and the latest can go through September.

Summer-Bearing Raspberries: Summer-bearing raspberries bear on second-year canes (floricanes). Midseason berries ripen around late July in central Maine.

Black Raspberries: Black raspberries bear on second-year canes. Also called black caps. Contain high levels of antioxidants and anthocyanins, strengthening the immune system when eaten regularly. Freeze excess berries for winter to help combat colds and flu.

Blackberries: Blackberries bear on second-year canes.

Growing Raspberries and Blackberries

• Soil: Well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Avoid planting sites where tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, strawberries or wild brambles have grown. For every 100 row feet, fertilize each spring with up to 100 lb manure or compost (or 8 lb blood meal or 14 lb soybean meal).
• Sun: Full.
• Pollination: You need only one variety.
• Planting: Prepare holes wide enough to spread out roots. Don’t let roots dry out—consider soaking roots in Agri-gel for 1–2 hours before planting. Add plenty of compost. Plant canes 1–2" deeper than the nursery line. Mulch with a thick layer of wood chips. Plants require 2" water per week during growing season.
• Spacing:
  • Everbearing raspberries: Plant 9–15" apart.
  • Summer-bearing raspberries: Space 2' apart. To trellis, run a wire on either side of the 18–36" bed, with wires 3–4" high to support the tall canes.
  • Purple and black raspberries and blackberries: Plant in hills 3–4' apart, 3–4 plants per hill. Tie to a center post if needed.
• Pruning:
  • Everbearing raspberries: Cut all the canes to the ground in late fall or early spring. New first-year canes will fruit in mid-late summer. (In warmer districts, you can leave old canes, which could fruit lightly the following year.)
  • Summer-bearing raspberries: In fall or early spring, prune out the canes that last carried fruit (they will be the branchy ones). Thin the fresh first-year canes to about 3–4" apart. During the growing season cut back canes to 5' if they are bending over severely.
  • Purple and black raspberries and blackberries: In spring, thin to 5–8 canes per hill. In early summer, pinch back tip of first-year canes to 2½–3' tall. This will encourage lateral fruiting branches. You may run a wire between hills for lateral branching but this is not necessary. The following spring, cut these fruiting laterals back to 8–12 buds.