ellis@siemens.UUCP (10/07/86)
I planted five raspberry bushes last year and got a few raspberries out of them, and I was expecting a pretty good harvest this year. In the early spring, there were quite a few flowers, but almost all of them dried up, and there were maybe 15 beriies total. At the end of the summer, no flowers or berries at all. Three of the bushes are golden raspberries which are supposed to be heavy late summer producers. Any ideas on what might have gone wrong? I planted tomatoes, basil and sorrel in the next row -- could that have been a problem?
jld@ulysses.UUCP (Jeff David) (10/08/86)
> > I planted five raspberry bushes last year and got a few raspberries out > of them, and I was expecting a pretty good harvest this year. > In the early spring, there were quite a few flowers, but almost all > of them dried up, and there were maybe 15 beriies total. > At the end of the summer, no flowers or berries at all. > Three of the bushes are golden raspberries which are supposed to be > heavy late summer producers. > Any ideas on what might have gone wrong? > I planted tomatoes, basil and sorrel in the next row -- could > that have been a problem? Raspberries like a VERY acid soil. My guess is that your PH isn't low enough. Try fertilizing with Miracid this fall and next spring and mid season. Jeff David
ajs@hpfcla.HP.COM (Alan Silverstein) (10/16/86)
Another wild guess... I've noticed that the quality (and to a lesser extent the quantity) of red Heritage raspberry yield depends on them getting enough water. Shoots hidden in the back and drying out don't produce well. Come a good rainstorm, and all the shoots have good berries on them for a time afterwards (during the producing season, which here in Colorado is about 9/10 - 10/1, or whenever the first hard freeze happens). Might also be that your plants are just immature. It takes a good year for healthy strong roots to develop that can support a lot of big, well-bearing shoots. Good luck. There's nothing quite like a two-quart bowl of fresh-picked ripe raspberries... Alan Silverstein