Mulching Raspberries

[jtcweb]

Does anyone know if Raspberrie canes will push through a woodchip mulch?

[Pat]

Raspberry canes will push through nearly anything softer than concrete. Seriously, if the mulch is relatively course or at least not packed down, the canes should not be unduly delayed making it through.

I have considerable experience with wild blackberies should you be interested.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Barnboy]

I use woodchip mulch for my blackberries. No problem

[rozett]

The only problem might be the nitrogen. Woodchips consume all of the nitrogen as they break down. You might want to throw down some bone meal to keep things even.

[seaphish]

I am a beginner with raspberries. I have a really helpful book, but I still have a couple of questions. This looks like a knowledgeable group of folks.

First, I have Tayberries, which are a cross between blackberries and raspberries. Do I prune them like a black berry or a raspberry?

Also, I have mulched them with straw that has some chicken manure in it. Thinking that the manure will rot down through the straw before it can burn the berry roots. Does anyone have experience with this?

Thanks!

Seaphish

[Pat]

Are the canes supine or erect? Whichever parent they resemble is what I'd try for a pruning model. With blackberries you'd want to remove all canes that are going to be 4 years old as they are non producing and in the way. Other than that I don't know much about blackberries excep[t picking and eating.

In the last few days I brush hogged oodles of excess wild blackberries, I have reserves far beyond what I would ever pick.

Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[kellenw]

I have quite a bit of experience with raspberries. I have never used chemical fertilizers. I mulched with the old straw I'd remove from my chicken house. The chicken manure was enough to offset the nitrogen consumption of the decaying straw, and the primocanes (first year canes that will fruit the next year) would be 6-7 feet tall and up to an inch and a half thick by fall, and the following year the canes would be THICK with fruit.

[Chuck52]

Kellenw,

What variety did you plant? I'm probably going to add raspberries to my fruit mix this year or next. I may have to put them into the same fenced area I'm going to use for my blueberries because I bet the deer will nip them otherwise. The tame, thornless blackberries I have planted suffer from deer damage.

Chuck

[jmalinow]

I am new to Raspberries als am putting in a small patch I have access to pine bark mulch is that a good mulch to use? I get all I want for free.

[Bird]

I have no experience with raspberries, but lots of experience with blackberries. Several years ago, I got a brochure from my county extension agent and the basic information was that the canes that grow this year will produce berries next year, then die. The dead canes are particularly susceptible to some diseases so it's best to get rid of them. Now that can be done one of two ways. When they are through producing for the year, you'll have lots of canes that grew up this year but won't produce until next year, so you can just prune out all the dying canes, leaving the new growth. That is a daunting task. The alternative is to mow down all of it, then let the new growth start over, and that's what I did each year. When mine were through producing for the year (in June in Navarro County, Texas), I mowed the whole patch with my brush hog, then went over it again with the finish mower to cut them even shorter and mulch or chop them up, then I broadcast pelletized fertilizer and watered it in. Quick, easy, and no other maintenance, work, or expense except for watering and picking berries, and we had a good, big crop every year.