Growing Healthy Brambles Kent Phillips kent.a.phillips@gmail.com
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Warning!!! The Internet is full of resources Make sure the information is for your intended use Use recommendations from nursery Use recommendations from universities Mid-Atlantic Berry Guide from Penn State Information may be for commercial growers, especially pesticide and fungicide treatments Disregard myths and legends.
Topics Brambles 101 Importance of soil prep Growing brambles Running into problems
Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Rosales Family: Rosaceae Genus: Rubus
Characteristics Rubus occidentalis & Rubus strigosus Hardiness zones 3 to 9 Plant costs less than $15/ea and live for ~10 years Minimum 6 hours of sun daily More sunlight = greater fruit production Avoid poorly drained soils Raised beds are great Flowers are a nectar source for pollinators Vigorous & productive Excellent source of antioxidants
Red and Yellow Black and Purple Grow in hedgerows Propagation by the roots Early to summer bearing Fall bearing (everbearing) Mid-June to frost Grow in hills Propagation by from laterals rooting Early summer bearing Mid-June to mid-july Orange color available
Red and Yellow Raspberries
Black Raspberries
Propagation
Bramble Home Production Recommendation University of Maryland Extension June Bearing (June 15 July 15) Black Varieties: Bristol, Haut, Jewel, Allen Purple Varieties : Royalty, Brandywine Red Varieties: Latham, Hilton, Titan, Lauren*,Taylor, Reveille, Newburgh Fall Bearing: (July, August Frost ) Red Varieties: Autumn Bliss, Caroline*, Heritage, Josephine* Yellow Varieties: Fall Gold, Anne* * Released from University of Maryland
Growing Raspberries
Cane names Primocane: 1 st year cane Late summer/fall bearing brambles produce their fruit on primocanes Canes can be cut to a 2-inch stub when fruiting is over Floricane: 2 nd year cane Topped at 3-4 feet start of year 2 Bear in June and cane removed after fruiting Raspberries that produce on both types of canes are known a everbearing
Test your soil. ph of 5.5 to 6.5 is optimal Need a soil with lots oforganic matter Can be planted on raised bed to help with drainage Don t need fertilizer just add organic matter (1 ) in springtime. Use mulch and/or compost around plant to keep weed-free and soil moist. Inspect the plants for disease and injury periodically Need 1 of water a week. Water the roots, not the leaves Harvest time, can be very intensive. June bearing: the period can be 2 to 8 weeks Late summer/fall bearing: the period can be 8 to 12 weeks.
How to plant raspberries Sunny and windy site Weeds need to be controlled 8-10 ft between rows 18 inches wide 3 feet wide 3 feet wide Mid-June 2009 Black raspberry*: dig a hole of 18 wide and 18 deep Red raspberry: dig a trench of 18 wide and 18 deep
Planting Avoid planting raspberries in soils were previous crops included Strawberries & raspberries Solanaceous crops (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers) Plant certified virus free stock Mostly comes bare rooted for nurseries Soak several hours prior to planting Plant about 2 inches deep Plant tissue cultured stock Dormant TC plants can be planted early Leafy TC plants are planted after threat of frost is past Potted raspberries may be available at local nurseries May not be virus free
Pruning and Training depends on what you re growing
Summer (June-bearing) Red Remove floricanes after fruiting ( summer ). Remove floricanes close to ground and disgard. Prevents disease. Thin floricanes (early spring ) Remove weak canes. Space canes four to six inches apart. Confine row width to 12 to 18 inches. Heading back floricanes ( early spring) Head back tall floricanes canes (more than five feet). Head back to 4 ft. or 4 to 8 inches about the trellis wire. Remove winter injury to live growth.
Red late summer/fall bearing (a.k.a. ever-bearing) Ever-bearing raspberries can be grown for fall crop only Fruiting primocanes canes are removed and destroyed in winter Mowing: Cut to the height of 2 or 4 inches New primocanes appear in spring and fruit in the fall. Thinning is not usually necessary but weak and diseased canes should be removed. Keep the row narrow too. Fall harvest technique produces larger crop Everbearing raspberries can yield June and fall crop Treat floricanes like June bearing raspberries Primocanes produce fall harvest become floricanes following fall Expect a smaller crop on floricanes ( 10-25% of the fall one )
Black Raspberries Primocanes require summer pruning New primocanes emerge from crown Pinch off (head) the tips of new canes at 36 inches Induces growth of side branches Train primary, secondary and any tertiiary branches to wire Keep pinching until August Limit canes to 4 to 6 per crown Primocanes can be grounded to produce more plants Floricanes produce fruit in June-July Head back all secondary and tertiary laterals to 8 to 10 inches before buds swell Fruit produced on end of these laterals Remove floricanes after fruiting is finished Prune close to the ground
20-34
Training and Trellising
Training & Trellising Red Raspberries Black Raspberries
Raspberry pests Prune out the infested cane below The borer
Raspberry Pests Raspberry cane bore Hole in end of cut cane Prune out Birds Net plants Japanese Beetles Pick off & crush Aphids Squirt off with hose
Good cultural practices Maintain narrow row width Thin canes to open the plant canopy Avoid excessive fertilization Good sanitation Remove fruited cane after harvest, except everbearing Inspect frequently and remove diseased plants Use sharp pruning tools
Resources Grow It! Eat It! http://www.extension.umd.edu/growit We have all types of practical food gardening tips and information. Check out our popular blog! Home and Garden Information Center http://www.extension.umd.edu/hgic Here you will find factsheets, photos, and videos. You can also subscribe to the free monthly e-newsletter. We answer gardening questions 24/7 just click Ask Maryland s Garden Experts Maryland Master Gardener Program http://www.extension.umd.edu/mg Consider becoming a trained MG volunteer!
This program was created by Nicolas Tariff Prince Georges Master Gardener