Homeschool Garden Club - Raspberries
Raspberries are so delicious and easy to grow with just a few simple rules to follow. So, if you have some space for these lovely effortless fruits then you should get started by planting some now. We think, in the Orchard Training Garden Club, these are idea for any one over the age of 7 to grow independently.
Raspberries are a type of fruit called cane fruits because they grow on a long cane. We used a number of catalogues from fruit suppliers to read about and research the best types for our soils. I love both the red and golden varieties I grow, they ave been in the garden for so long, I have forgotten what varieties they were. Now we normally look for ways to cut he costs of homeschooling but here is one area we don't cut costs - we by the best certified virus-free stock were can afford.
Why Eat Raspberries?
Do I need really need to give a reason to eat raspberries - they are fabulous and tasty! They are also a great source of fibre and Vitamin C, which is very handy as they are ripe just as the cold and sneezing season starts. they also contain many other importation vitamins and minerals which support our bodies.
How to Grow Raspberries?
Now is the time to start to prepare the ground for any new raspberries going in. One of our learners is going to give raspberries ago. We have already found an area, which we have dug over and helped remove all the perennial weeds. We made sure it is not soggy but sheltered and well drained. We have also made sure one of the rain catching buckets is close by so they can water with easy in hot weather.
We have been able to get some well rotted compost for free, which we will leave on top for a few weeks before planting each can 1m apart.
We are going to let them take care from here. They will need to keep the area well watered and free of weeds. They will need to take out any suckers out, as these take way from the growth of the main plant.
I don't cover my raspberries and I don't wire them either. I have learnt this from many years of years of using canes, wire and frames. One year, I lost the most of the raspberry canes due to very heavy snow and ice early that winter. I replace them with shorter autumn varieties. Not staking the plants, means the cans flop over all over the place. This doesn't stop the insects from finding the flowers and pollinating them. Later, the leaves cover the berries and make it harder for the blackbirds from getting them. I can cut them all down in February and plant around them with companion plants.
However, if summer fruiting raspberries are better for your ground you can cut back to ground level after harvesting.
How to Look After Your Raspberries
To ensure your raspberries are healthy you will need to ensure they are well watered and that you mulch with well-rotted manure around the base to prevent the canes drying out.
How to Harvest Raspberries
Once the raspberries are rich in colour, they are ready. This will be between June and October. I pick first thing in the morning, most will go in to our porridge. Some will go in to a pudding if we have a big harvest on the day.
The rest are placed on a tray with greaseproof paper in a single layer and not touching. Once they are frozen hard, we pop them in to a bag and use them up over the winter once the harvest is finished. As the blackberries come in we do the same. It is a whole lot cheaper than going to the Pick Your Own. I have four different varieties and 16 canes which gives us enough fruit until late February in the freezer.
