Autumn raspberries bear most of their fruit on annual wood. Very few raspberries grow on two-year-old canes. A complete pruning is therefore recommended in autumn. But cutting is also part of the care measures in summer.
When and how do I cut back autumn raspberries?
Autumn raspberries should be cut back completely to ground level in autumn as they bear most of the fruit on annual wood. In summer you can also remove weak shoots, shorten canes that are too long and thin the bush to ensure enough light for the fruits.
Pruning autumn raspberries in autumn
Autumn raspberries are particularly easy to care for, especially when it comes to proper pruning. Unlike summer raspberries, you don't need to remember which canes are annual and which are biennial.
Since autumn raspberries produce their main harvest on the annual shoots, you can simply cut off all shoots in the fall down to ground level.
The bush sprouts again in spring and produces fruit on the new canes in the same year.
Biological protection against pests
Experienced gardeners advise leaving some of the canes on the ground when pruning autumn raspberries.
They serve as winter quarters for beneficial insects such as predatory mites. In spring, these valuable garden helpers settle back on the plant and destroy spider mites and other pests.
Care for autumn raspberries by pruning them in summer
Some varieties of autumn raspberries tend to develop a lot of canes.
As a result, the fruits do not get enough light. They remain small and are not nearly as sweet as the raspberries that have ripened in the sun.
For strongly growing varieties, cut them out in summer to ensure that the bush does not grow too densely. A maximum of 15 canes should remain on the plant. Simply cut off the rest.
Remove or shorten weak shoots
You should regularly remove autumn raspberry shoots that appear very weak or are even affected by diseases or pests.
They do not develop fruit and weaken the roots unnecessarily.
If the canes of the autumn raspberries shoot up too much, you can shorten them at any time. The plant doesn't mind the pruning.
A short guide to pruning autumn raspberries:
- Thin bushes regularly
- Remove sick and weak shoots
- Shortening rods that are too long
- Cut back completely to ground level in autumn
Tips & Tricks
By radically pruning in autumn, you prevent the dreaded cane disease from spreading to the raspberries. It occurs on the two-year-old canes. However, since these are cut back in autumn raspberries, cane disease does not occur.
