Raspberry plants

[Dom]

Here in W. Montana where I live , the growing zone is listed as 5B. I have three raspberry plants , rated to grow in zone 3 thru 7, that freeze back to the ground every winter. Never see a raspberry. Every spring they grow back , & look very healthy, but never a raspberry. Yes we do get a small amount of -0 temps. My blue berries take it in stride, no problem. A friend 50+miles south of me has no such problems & harvests oodles of raspberries. Any thoughts. Sorry I don't remember the variety of raspberry, other than it is red.

[Winger Ed.]

A lot of those vine type plants are basically glorified weeds that we have found a use for.
They're supposed to be pretty hardy if the climate and soil is right for them to be happy.

In the deep South, black berries grow wild and about take over wilderness areas as the thickets and ground cover.
Raspberries may do that where you are if you keep them 'happy'.

[jonp]

We have a bunch of raspberries and blackberries up north that grow fine where it gets -30 in the winter. Do you fertilize them?

[Handloader109]

Raspberries just like blackberries put fruit on the second year growth. If they die to the ground every year, you won't ever see fruit. We here in NWA had a hard winter last year, froze early and low temperatures before January like normal. Killed lots of trees, shrubs, etc that can take sub zero weather like year before, but they weren't acclimated to the low temps first. My raspberries and lots of wild blackberries and most of my Thornless died back way more than normal and little fruit this year.... what you have are just thorns.

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[Dom]

We have a bunch of raspberries and blackberries up north that grow fine where it gets -30 in the winter. Do you fertilize them?

Do you know the the variety of Raspberry you have?

[barnetmill]

Raspberries just like blackberries put fruit on the second year growth. If they die to the ground every year, you won't ever see fruit. We here in NWA had a hard winter last year, froze early and low temperatures before January like normal. Killed lots of trees, shrubs, etc that can take sub zero weather like year before, but they weren't acclimated to the low temps first. My raspberries and lots of wild blackberries and most of my Thornless died back way more than normal and little fruit this year.... what you have are just thorns.

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This was my thought on it.

Primocane vs. Floricane
“Primocane” sounds a lot like primary, doesn’t it? These are what biennial shoots are called in their first season. These are mainly comprised of vegetative growth and will initiate flower buds in the summer and fall, usually for the next year.

“Floricane” is the name for that same shoot in the second season. It has the root word for “flower” in it, so you’d think the second year would be the season it would flower and bear berries.

https://gardenerspath.com/plants/fruit/primocane-vs-floricane/

[upr45]

We had a fungus type disease kill our patch. still had a few shoots come up for 2 more years. Have has some freeze loss with wet fall, rain and snow and multiple freeze/thaw cycles. They are surprisingly hardy, had we not had them packed so tight the fungus would not have prevsiled. I am at almost 46 N but do not see much colder than -20F for about a week or so. Green shoots this year bear fruit next year, then die.

[MUSTANG]

Dom:

Have you done a soil test? In the Glacial Valley North of Flathead Lake much of the soil lacks calcium in a form that plants can take up. We have to treat the Soil in the garden for some crops - we grind up the egg shells from the hens and supplement the soil where plants need it.

I would start with a soil test, and then see what the local specialized Garden Centers (Not Big Box Stores) recommend.

[Dom]

Thanks Mustang. The Missoula nursery where my raspberries originally came from says they should grow here , just fine. The wild raspberries that grow here don"t seem to be bothered by the cold winters at all. What raspberries I have picked so far , have been wild.They taste great , but on the small size.

[jonp]

Do you know the the variety of Raspberry you have?

Wild stock. Do a forest cut and 2yrs later there they are, enough to make jam.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Here in W. Montana where I live , the growing zone is listed as 5B. I have three raspberry plants , rated to grow in zone 3 thru 7, that freeze back to the ground every winter. Never see a raspberry. Every spring they grow back , & look very healthy, but never a raspberry. Yes we do get a small amount of -0 temps. My blue berries take it in stride, no problem. A friend 50+miles south of me has no such problems & harvests oodles of raspberries. Any thoughts. Sorry I don't remember the variety of raspberry, other than it is red.
Mine freeze [-30º] in Minnesota and do not die [freeze back to ground]...What does happen is the rabbits eat them to the ground. If yours are dead and gone come springtime, Look for rabbit poop.
.
I grow Heritage. They are known to produce two crops on each cane. Minnesota's season is usually long enough to produce red raspberries for a late fall [October] crop on the first year canes, then produce another crop on those same canes the next summer [July]. About the time the second crop of raspberries are ripening, the roots send up the next generation of canes. They do like to be fertilized and now [July] is the time I fertilize.

[barnetmill]

I have to opposite problem in that most types of raspberries that I try to grow die due to the humidity and heat of my zone 8b north gulf coast weather.

[Dom]

Good to hear about the Heritage variety. Sounds like the ones i need to plant.

[Wag]

Definitely do a soils test but mulch them with a LOT of straw.

Blackberries will grow just about anywhere but raspberries are a bit more picky. Both are food of the gods when picked fresh! Or made into a pie. Or jam. Or syrup. or or or.

Sorry lost control for a bit!

I grew up on wild berries and this thread is bringing back memories. Store bought just aren't the same.

--Wag--

[MaryB]

Drought has killed my harvest the last 3 years... and the leaf hopper invasion that came with the dry weather. I water them but it isn't enough, would almost need to let a hose trickle non stop as dry as the ground is!

[Dom]

Sorry to hear that " MaryB " . Has to be very frustrating....

[Doughty]

My neighbor here in Missoula has been growing raspberrys apparently since right after they invented dirt. No reported problems with the cold. My wife started last year with starts she got from Lowe's. Nothing last year, but we gots lots now. Supposed to have fresh made freezer jam tomorrow.

[MrWolf]

We've got the raspberries and blackberry growing like crazy. We even have the red raspberry that is supposedly an invasive species but tastes pretty good. We just made a great pie from pickings. They are pretty aggressive and are constantly trying to grow in the yard through the chain link fence.

[Three44s]

Drought has killed my harvest the last 3 years... and the leaf hopper invasion that came with the dry weather. I water them but it isn't enough, would almost need to let a hose trickle non stop as dry as the ground is!

For lack of reliable soil moisture try a soil surfactant. I have agricultural scale experience with one in particular: Wet Sol 233

It is sold by Schaefer Oil and is the least expensive of the different brands that I am aware of.

The recommended rate is one gallon per acre in the spring and a half gallon in the fall. The last I bought was $11.00 per gallon in a 55 gallon drum. They sell in 5 gallon buckets (more per gallon of course).

You can apply it anytime the ground is not frozen and add it by Irrigation injection as I do or spray it on then water it in. It also stretches your fertilizer dollars.

Three44s

[rbuck351]

I live in Eureka MT about 10 miles from the Canadian border and less than 100 miles from Idaho. We have several types of raspberry plants and they all are doing great. Have to keep cutting them back to keep them from overtaking the whole garden.

[Brassmonkey]

I have yet to find one wild raspberry bush, wandering around up here in the last four years. Need to wander more.

[MaryB]

For lack of reliable soil moisture try a soil surfactant. I have agricultural scale experience with one in particular: Wet Sol 233

It is sold by Schaefer Oil and is the least expensive of the different brands that I am aware of.

The recommended rate is one gallon per acre in the spring and a half gallon in the fall. The last I bought was $11.00 per gallon in a 55 gallon drum. They sell in 5 gallon buckets (more per gallon of course).

You can apply it anytime the ground is not frozen and add it by Irrigation injection as I do or spray it on then water it in. It also stretches your fertilizer dollars.

Three44s

All organic here... farmer who's field is 30' from the raspberries is organic so I stay away from chemicals to be nice to him... be a good neighbor! I fertilize with cow and horse manure!

[justindad]

Here in W. Montana where I live , the growing zone is listed as 5B. I have three raspberry plants , rated to grow in zone 3 thru 7, that freeze back to the ground every winter. Never see a raspberry. Every spring they grow back , & look very healthy, but never a raspberry. Yes we do get a small amount of -0 temps. My blue berries take it in stride, no problem. A friend 50+miles south of me has no such problems & harvests oodles of raspberries. Any thoughts. Sorry I don't remember the variety of raspberry, other than it is red.

I had oodles of raspberries in Michigan where temperatures went to -20F every year.