Pruning of raspberry in autumn

Raspberries, as you know, tend to produce abundant growth (1), which consumes a lot of strength, water and nutrients. But the thicker the raspberry, the less it yields.

Why prune raspberries in the fall

With autumn pruning, we kill three birds with one stone:

• we increase the illumination of the shoots – in thickened plantings they shade each other;
• we reduce unnecessary water and nutrient costs for the growth of extra shoots – as a result, all useful elements are sent to the formation of the crop;
• we reduce the number of pests – many of them hibernate inside the stems.

When to prune raspberries in the fall

There are no clear deadlines here – raspberry pruning can be done at any time from September to November. But it is still desirable to choose cool weather, so that after pruning, shoots do not begin to grow.

And it is also important to do this in dry and sunny weather so that water does not get into the cut shoots – moisture can lead to rotting of the stems.

How to prune raspberries in autumn

Raspberries bear fruit on biennial shoots. In the first year they grow, and in the second they begin to branch. And now flowers appear on the side branches first, and then berries. After the crop is ripe, the shoots die off.

Raspberry pruning is carried out in four stages, removing the shoots in turn.

Bearing fruit. First of all, in the raspberry tree, you need to cut out all the biennial shoots from which the crop has already been harvested this year (2).

Weak. And too thin shoots also need to be cut out – they will not give a proper harvest, and the plantings are very thickened. And besides, they compete for water and food.

Infested with pests. Next, the raspberry must be carefully examined for stem pests. It is easy to notice them – thickenings are formed on the shoots, in which the larvae live. All these stems with thickenings must also be removed. And be sure to burn it.

Superfluous. The next stage is the rationing of the number of shoots. They should be 10 – 12 per 1 sq. m. This is if raspberries grow in continuous plantings. And if it was planted in rows, then you need to leave 30 – 40 shoots per 1 running meter. Anything above the norm should be removed, even if the stems are strong and healthy. Otherwise, they will shade each other and you will not get a good harvest.

– Shoots must be cut so that there are no stumps left – pests, for example, raspberry moths, often hibernate in them, – advises agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mihailova. – And pathogen spores can also remain in the stumps. That is, they need to be cut flush with the soil.

How high to cut raspberries

However, removing unnecessary stems is only half the battle.

“Those that remain should be cut off the top by 5-10 cm,” says Svetlana Mikhailova. – This will stimulate the growth of second-order shoots in the spring, on which, in fact, the crop is formed. Without pruning the tops, raspberries bush much worse and yield less.

Rules for caring for raspberries after pruning

Properly pruned raspberries begin to grow actively in spring – they give lateral branches and young shoots. Therefore, she will need good nutrition. However, she needs a little dressing:

• in late October – early November: 1/2 bucket of humus or compost per 1 sq. m. – just mulch the soil with them;
• in April, as soon as the snow melts: 30 g of urea (3 tablespoons) per 1 sq. m – evenly scatter over the surface of the soil and harrow with a rake.

Complex fertilizers have also proven themselves well: Gumi-Omi berry, Zdraven turbo for strawberries and raspberries, Organic mix for strawberries and berries, Bona Forte berry and Agricola (3) for berries. They are brought in in the spring according to the instructions.

What to do if raspberries do not grow

As a rule, raspberries do not grow when they are very dense – they do not have enough strength, light and nutrition to grow new shoots. Therefore, it is important to prune annually.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about pruning raspberries with agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mikhailova.

Sources of

1. Levoshin V.K. Homestead garden // Saratov, Saratov book publishing house, 1959 – 350 p.
2. Lavrik P.I., Rybitsky N.A., Gavrilov I.S. Gardener’s desk book // L.: Lenizdat, 1972 – 568 p.
3. State catalog of pesticides and agrochemicals approved for use on the territory of the Federation as of July 6, 2021 // Ministry of Agriculture of the Federation https://mcx.gov.ru/ministry/departments/departament-rastenievodstva-mekhanizatsii-khimizatsii- i-zashchity-rasteniy/industry-information/info-gosudarstvennaya-usluga-po-gosudarstvennoy-registratsii-pestitsidov-i-agrokhimikatov/