| Should one cut back/ dig up the new shoot that the raspberry vines put out? Thanks |
| Raspberry vines renew themselves by sending up new shoots from the roots. These new shoots are the ones that will produce berries for you next year so don't dig them up or cut them back. Instead, train them upright. They will be replacements for the old canes. Here's how to manage your raspberry plants: Pruning is a vital part of maintaining a healthy raspberry planting. This practice greatly inhibits the spread of raspberry diseases and improves fruit quality and yield. During the summer months, regularly remove all new canes that emerge outside the desired plant row width of 12 to 18 inches. This improves light penetration and air circulation for the canes in the middle row that will fruit next year. Also remove any canes that show obvious signs of insect or disease injury. In the late winter or early spring, before the buds break, remove all of the old canes that fruited the previous year. These have gray, peeling bark and branches (they are dead and won?t fruit again). Again, remove canes that have emerged outside of the desired 12- to 18-inch row width. Maintaining this narrow row width will assure adequate light penetration and air circulation to promote healthy cane growth and reduce disease problems. Only the most vigorous canes, those with the greatest height and basal diameter, should be left in the row. Continue thinning until only four to five canes per foot of row length remain. These remaining canes should be attached to a trellis wires with twine. Finally, remove all of the plant waste from the garden. Plant waste can harbor diseases and insects that may attack the healthy canes. |
