Raspberry Patch Pruning Demo

In this video we will demonstrate how to prune a small raspberry patch.
First, we will explain how raspberries grow in a cyclical manner. It is important to remove the dead, spent raspberry canes. Next we will remove any thin and spindly canes to make room for next year's new canes to emerge from the center of the patch. Finally, we will tip back canes that are to make it easier to harvest fruit at waste level.
If a raspberry patch is not pruned correctly, you will have more disease, less fruit, and fewer canes will grow next year, compromising future fruit production.

[@WhatWeDoChannel]

I haven’t grown a raspberry patch for a long time! This was a good refresher!

[@fruitpruningchannel]

I'm glad it was helpful!

[@cistern]

My system is very similar. Good to see some vindication.

[@fruitpruningchannel]

Yeah, it should work good!

[@ejfoodguy]

Thanks for the informative video! After watching, I think I have let my patch get too thick. This year I will try your one foot of space between canes guideline and also carve in some aisles about every three feet and see how it goes. Having the luxury of pruning them at any time, I have been waiting until the leaves emerge about ¼ inch in late spring, that makes it easy and quick to see old, spent canes that need to be removed. Not sure if the later pruning would cause any issues?

[@fruitpruningchannel]

Yeah, let me know how it works for you. When the new growth emerges from the living canes they are very fragile. That would be my only concern about pruning late.

[@josephyoung6815]

I believe my raspberries have a cane borer infestation. In an attempt to fight the bugs, I have cut all my canes to the ground. I understand this will reduce my spring harvest to zero, but hopefully will allow me to save the patch as last year we didn't harvest much. Can you speak about pruning raspberries to manage pests?

[@fruitpruningchannel]

It was probably wise to cut the patch down. If you watch for infected canes in spring you can prune out the affected tips and dispose of them.

[@ejfoodguy]

Not sure how many kinds of raspberry borer there are but I had some of these in my patch a couple years ago (google ‘USU Raspberry Horntail’). Basically I watched for any canes tips that started to wilt during the summer. I then cut the cane back to a few inches below the wilt and discarded (if I peeled the wilted cane open, I could see the insect). USU says in northern Utah, inspect and prune out wilted tips 1-2 times per week June to August.

[@suzanneroark8804]

What would you consider the best trellis system?

[@fruitpruningchannel]

I like cables pulled between T shaped posts so you can reach into the center of the patch to harvest berries. Simpler is better.