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To ensure your raspberry bushes produce abundantly and healthily every year, it’s essential not only to fertilize them properly but also to prune them regularly and correctly. An experienced gardener and raspberry grower shares his proven methods with you.
Pruning raspberries should be carried out in several stages throughout the year. Each of these stages has its specific procedures and goals. The correct cut will ensure not only a bountiful harvest but also healthy and strong plants.
1. Pruning after planting
Raspberries are planted either in spring or in autumn. After planting, it’s important to shorten the canes to 2–3 buds, which is roughly 30–40 cm above the ground. This step helps the plant concentrate energy on rooting and growth. If you plant in autumn, do not forget to heap soil around the roots well so they don’t freeze in winter.
2. Spring pruning of shoots
In spring we begin by removing weakly developed or unproductive shoots. To achieve an optimal yield you should retain about 6–8 strong and healthy shoots per bush. Damaged shoots should also be removed. The final adjustment includes shortening the branches to about 1.5 meters in length and securing the bush to a support so the canes don’t grow uncontrollably.
3. Summer pruning during fruiting
Summer pruning is as important as spring pruning. It is carried out roughly once every two weeks. Its main aim is to limit the growth of canes that extend beyond the row boundary and to remove those on which the fruits have already ripened. This promotes the growth of new canes and prevents the plant from becoming overloaded.
4. Autumn pruning
In autumn it’s time to inspect the bushes and remove all damaged and dry branches that could otherwise damage the plant over winter. Leave only the healthy and strong canes that have the potential to bear fruit next year.
If you follow these tips, you can look forward to healthy, strong, and productive raspberry bushes. As the well-known Slovak fruit-growing expert, Professor Ivan Hričovský, says, proper pruning is the cornerstone of successful raspberry cultivation.
