I want to enclose the raspberry plants i a 5' x 40' raised bed. What vegetables,(tomatoes,peppers,beans,or melons)are a compnion crop to the plants? |
Brambles are usually grown alone, in part because they sucker and in part because they grow large in the course of the summer which means they shade the ground beneath them; crowding would make it difficult to harvest, too -- both the berries because you might step on the neigbors, and the other crop because the canes are thorny. In a bed only five feet wide, the brambles will need that space for their roots. However, you might be able to grow some relatively undemanding, early season vegetables such as salad greens or radishes alongside them. These would be harvested before the brambles get too big. And, you could experiment and see if vining winter type squashes such as pumpkins do well for you. They could possibly be trained to vine so that you can step around them when you harvest the raspberries. Keep in mind though that each raspberry plant will probably need a five by five foot space. |