We just picked up our spring order from the county, and have 10 plants of each- raspberries (Caroline Red, everbearing), blackberries and elderberries, and will need to start planting tomorrow. My husband mentioned that different types of berries need to be planted separate from each other, but doesn't know the particulars. What is your experience with planting berry bushes? We already have raspberries and blackberries in rows that we can mow between, but I don't know the exact type as they have been in the ground for many years! So I'm not sure if we should add to, or make new rows.

This is the first year I'm really getting into caring for the bushes- the existing bushes have been free form. Any advice would be appreciated!

Edit: I should mention that currently, the raspberries and blackberries are very far apart from each other at the moment. I assume that was on purpose, hence the question. Thanks!!

All those plants take a lot of room. If you don't prune those blackberries and raspberries, in a couple years, the patch will be 20 feet wide. Elderberries are shrubs, maybe trees... It could easily get 20 feet tall and spread 6 to 12 feet wide with multiple stems.

Daisy

Alyssa, you're not supposed to plant different colors of raspberries together, something to do with a disease that transmits, I think. The red and yellow are all right together, it's the "black" or purple raspberries that can cause problems.

But blackberries and elderberries should be fine alongside your raspberries.

Thanks, Elaine. I'm a little behind on planting, still pruning what's never been pruned before! I'll finish up the plans tonight then and start putting them in the ground tomorrow, keeping the existing purple raspberries separate.