How to Grow Raspberries

Learn how to grow raspberries for an abundant harvest year after year. A delicious and good-for-you berry, it’s time to add this reliable plant to your home garden!

Growing raspberries brings me so much joy and they’re one of my favorite things in the garden because they’re delicious, easy to grow, and the bees absolutely LOVE pollinating the flower buds. According to Eating Well, raspberries have quite a few health benefits, too:

Raspberries “promote heart health,
support healthy weight management,
may slow down the aging process,
and may help relieve inflammation.” Wow!

There are two main types of raspberries that grow well in zones 3-9; summer-bearing and fall-bearing. Summer-Bearing Raspberries produce flower buds on new canes, producing one crop of berries each year. Fall-Bearing Raspberries produce flower buds on new and old canes, leading to two crops of berries each year. In my garden, I have the ‘Caroline‘ everbearing variety. It produces berries in June, and again from late August all the way until frost.

Where to Grow Raspberries

Raspberries grow best in full sun. If you’re not sure of the ideal placement for raspberries in your outdoor space, check out this post and learn how to use sun mapping to find the best location on your property.

When to Plant Raspberries

Determine your growing zone to find out the best time to plant in your area. Raspberries should be planted in the early spring to allow the roots the time they need to get properly established.

How to Plant Raspberries

For bare root and mature raspberry canes, follow these steps after the danger of frost has passed:

The evening before the day you plant, soak the roots of your raspberry plants in water. It is easiest to use a bucket, but just be sure to not cover any of the leaves with water.
On planting day, loosen the soil in the garden in your planting area. This will make it easier for the roots to take hold, and allow for water to pass through easily. If your soil is sandy or full of clay, add compost to improve the texture.
Measure the proper spacing for your raspberry variety, and then dig a hole large enough to fit the roots of the raspberry plant (do not bend them!) and plant it with the crown at the same level of the top of the soil. If you are planting more than one row of berries, keep each hedgerow 1-2 feet wide to let the sunlight through and to promote good air circulation. It will also make it much easier for you when harvest time rolls around!
Tamp the soil lightly around the canes to secure the plant.
Apply mulch 2-3 inches deep around the raspberries to protect against moisture loss and to prevent weeds. It is best not to cover the crown of the plant, so leave a bit of space around it as you spread the mulch.
Water well and you’re done!

Seasonal Maintenance Tips for Summer & Fall-Bearing Raspberries

Summer-Bearing

Late Winter/Early Spring: Prune and remove all old, weak, and damaged canes to ground level. Do not remove the most vigorous canes, but if the patch is too thick, prune a few of them back so there is adequate spacing for sunlight and air circulation.
Summer: If new canes start growing where you don’t want them to grow (they will) pull the whole cane out of the ground. Don’t bother cutting it off because it will grow back. (You’re going to want gloves for this task!)

Fall-Bearing (Also Called Everbearing)

Late Winter/Early Spring: If you want two crops this year, prune and remove the weakest, damaged canes to ground level as they will no longer produce fruit. If you want one big harvest this year in the fall, cut back all of the canes to a height of 1-2 inches before new growth begins.
Summer: Just like summer-bearing raspberries, if new canes start growing where you don’t want them to grow (they will), put on some gloves and pull the whole cane out of the ground. Don’t bother cut it off because it will grow back.

Delicious Ways to Enjoy Your Raspberry Harvest

We love using fresh berries as a topping on yogurt, oatmeal, ice cream, and desserts, or just eating one after another (after another) straight off the canes. Home-grown raspberries are so much tastier than store-bought. I also make a couple of batches of raspberry jam (stay tuned for the recipe!) and freeze several quart bags full of berries to use in smoothies or parfaits when we are berry-less through the winter and spring.

How to Freeze Fresh Raspberries

Wash them well with gentle water pressure.
Lay them out on a clean tea towel to dry.
Place raspberries in a single layer on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper.
Put the cookie sheet into the freezer for a few hours.
Remove from freezer and put raspberries in quart-size freezer bags. Remove as much air from the bags as possible and freeze.

FAQ

How long does it take for raspberry plants to produce berries?

All varieties of raspberries will produce fruit in their second season. If you plant new plants this year, you can expect them to produce berries next year.

What should/shouldn’t be planted near raspberries?

It is best to keep raspberries away from strawberries and nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, an eggplant. Certain plant diseases can spread easily between this group so avoid this if at all possible!

A few good companions for raspberries are marigolds, nasturtiums, and thyme. They are three fantastic companion plants to have in the garden serving as insect traps or deterrents so make a plan to include them- raspberries or not!

How much room do you need to grow raspberries?

Raspberries grow best in a 1-2 foot hedgerow to allow for sunlight penetration and good air circulation. My plants started in a 16’x2′ space and this year, since I’ve allowed them to spread length-wise, they’ll take up a space of 20’x2′. Speaking of spreading…

Do raspberries spread?

YES. My goodness, yes. They naturally spread under the ground through their root system and you will find canes growing in all directions. You could install a root barrier under the ground, but it’s easier just to pull them out.

Make sure you plant them in a space with room to grow so that they can thrive, but try to keep them pruned to 1′ to 2′ wide hedgerows.

What happens if you don’t prune raspberries?

If you don’t prune raspberries, they will grow out of control and into a wide, brambly patch (see the above paragraph.) Leaving all of the old canes makes it harder to harvest the berries, and it also leaves a door open to disease. It is best to prune the weak, damaged, or diseased canes down to the ground in the late winter or early spring to make room for fresh growth.

Do raspberry plants grow back every year?

Yes! The roots/crowns of the plant are perennials and the canes are biennial. Once the plants are established (year 2) you should have fruit being produced each growing season.