Raspberry crop sheet

Activity

Autumn fruiting raspberries are easy to grow and can be harvested at the beginning of the school year. Bare-rooted plants can be planted in winter and container grown plants at any time. 

  • Estimated time: 30 minutes
  • Location: Outdoors
  • School term: Late Autumn, Early Spring
  • Level of experience: No experience needed
  • Subject(s): Maths, Science

Learning objectives

  • Learn how to plant fruit plants
  • Learn what plants need to grow
  • Learn to plant at a specified distance
  • Learn to harvest fruit

Preparation

The soil should have already been cultivated, weed free with a fine, crumbly texture ready for planting.  

Raspberries grow best in a sunny position. Make a simple frame work of four posts with two levels of wires to support the canes when they are in growth.

Equipment needed

  • Rake or hand cultivator
  • Spade
  • Raspberry plants
  • Watering can with a rose
  • Wooden stakes and wire
  • Label, pencil or dibber
  • Gloves and secateurs to prune

Step by step

  1. If you have already made your framework of posts and wire make sure you plant your raspberries between them.
  2. When planting bare-root plants, mark out a straight row and dig a trench around 5-8cm deep.
  3. For pot grown plants, dig a hole larger than the pot, open out the roots and plant so the base of the plant is level with the soil surface. Water well.
  4. Plant the raspberry plants 35-45cm apart and firm with the soil. Immediately cut back the bare canes to 25cm above the soil.
  5. Autumn raspberries fruit on the current season’s growth (1.2-1.5m tall). Harvest the fruit when ripe.
  6. In January and February cut down the old canes to 1cm above the ground and remove any suckers.

Hints & tips

  • Yellow autumn fruiting raspberries are available as well as red fruiting types.
  • Always buy healthy, virus free stock from a reputable source such as a garden centre or mail order specialist.