What's The Best Way to Increase Production of Raspberries?

by Ben
(Okotoks, Alberta)

Raspberry Canes

I have one raspberry plant that the previous owner of my property planted, about a year ago. It produced a few raspberries in the fall, which surprised me. Then it started to send out runners, and this spring, a lot of new rods grew. These, I'm told, will be the fruiting canes for this year, after which I'll cut them down to the ground. I probably need to dig them up and move them into some kind of row, eventually.

My question now is, how do I get them to produce enough fruit for more than just a handful now and again in July? Is it good to fertilize them? Just not sure the best way to go forward with them.

Comments for What's The Best Way to Increase Production of Raspberries?

Click here to add your own comments

Aug 27, 2024

Pinching Raspberries
by: Mary

Thank you Ben for sharing your success!

Very good to know.

Aug 27, 2024

Original Poster
by: Ben

I posted the original question, and followed the advice here to tip off the new growth - Holy Cow! They each branched out several new canes from each one that I topped, and now, amazingly, they're all blooming - at the end of August! I hope they will have time to ripen, and then hopefully I'll also get a crop from them next spring. I highly recommend this method.

Jul 21, 2024

Raspberry Production Ideas
by: Mary

These are wonderful ideas for increasing raspberry production! I did not know about thinning the canes, much less which ones to thin. It's good to know in case I ever have raspberries again.

Jul 15, 2024

Some Ideas
by: Orena

Compost and fertilize (don’t skip this, it made the whole difference for me), cut the tips off of the canes so they produce extra branches full of fruit. Have a few varieties so you have continuous fruit throughout the season.

Lastly find out what varieties you have and prune accordingly, get rid of anything that is growing where it shouldn’t/ any sick dead branches or if they are too congested.

You can even fertilize now (mid summer), to strengthen the new canes (they have no fruit) for next year.

I would also thin them out a bit. But fertilizer will give you taller stronger plants and hopefully more fruit next year. Fertilize in the spring also. I used some 4-4-4 fertilizer I got at Scotia gold garden center (but any fertilizer should work, just read what it does and follow the instructions), I also mulched with pine shavings from my chicken coop (the shavings keep the moisture in and the chicken poop provides nitrogen, as the pine shavings decompose the nitrogen from the soil is "stolen" by the process, however the poop is so nitrogen rich it balances out). That’s what works for me.

Jul 15, 2024

Best Way To Grow Raspberries
by: Deb

Prune them to 4-6 stems per foot. In the fall add compost and mulch to keep weeds down.

Jul 15, 2024

My Best Tip
by: Kirsten

Cut back all the growth that produced fruit this year in the fall, that way they aren't sucking any extra energy from the ones that will be producing next year.

Raspberries also like to stay evenly moist. And fertilize in the fall too.

Jul 15, 2024

My Top Tip
by: Jacki

I've grown raspberries as you outline, with them grown in a row with a trellis to hold them upright, as they tend to want to sprawl. This is my preferred system, just to keep them in check.

The tip here is exactly that; tip off the tops of the canes in July, when you see lots of new lush growth.

This stops the top from growing, and allows buds lower down, in each leaf axil, to break. The result is a lot of shoots which will flower next year, not just one. Do this when the new growth can be pinched off with finger and thumb, no tool needed.

In addition, mulching with grass clippings as they're available, and some compost in the fall will be all they need to start producing a lot of berries, not just a tease.

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Guest Stories.

Update On My Raspberries

by Ben
(Okotoks, Canada)

The huge crop on the raspberries

I sent some pictures of my raspberries last year. Well, this year, they are in explosion mode! I can't believe how many berries there are, after the trimming of the top growth last summer.

This spring, I waited until the winter damage showed enough to see where the dead parts ended, trimmed all those off, and stood back. These plants did not receive any compost, due to an oversight, but they'll be getting some now.

I'll only use well rotted compost, as the berries seem to be able to draw up off flavours from anything like goat manure. So I'll stick with home made compost, or compost tea. There are a few spots that look as though they could use it, as the leaves are a bit pale.

I avoided doing anything with these plants for two reasons; they have the most horrendous thorns, and a pair of song sparrows nested in them.

Can't wait for the fruit to start to ripen! Apparently, based on intensive research, these are most likely Heritage, an older variety. They do sucker a lot, making many new plants, if anyone wants some!

Comments for Update On My Raspberries

Click here to add your own comments

Jun 24, 2025

That's awesome!
by: Jacki

What a bonanza! You'll be able to make jam with those, although you may need to freeze in small batches until you have enough. They ripen by handfuls, it seems.

I know you asked about fertilizer last year - I think you did everything right. I agree with you about strong and fresh manure. Yech. Keep doing what you're doing, Ben!

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Guest Stories.