A raspberry hedge is ideal if you want to direct the growth of your raspberry plants in a specific direction. What you need to pay attention to if you want to enrich your garden with a hedge of delicious raspberries.
How do I create a raspberry hedge?
Creating a raspberry hedge requires selecting suitable varieties, creating a root barrier, planting the raspberries 40-50 cm apart in autumn and setting up a support structure. The soil should also be mulched to promote optimal growth.
Suitable varieties for a raspberry hedge
When selecting the varieties, decide in advance whether you would prefer to grow summer raspberries or autumn raspberries. Well-suited varieties for raspberry hedges are:
Summer raspberries
- “Zewa 2”
- “Glen Ample”
- “Tulameen”
- “Schönemann”
Autumn raspberries
- “Autumn Bliss”
- “Polana”
How many plants do you need for your raspberry hedge?
The rule of thumb is to plant two to three raspberry bushes per meter.
Creating a raspberry hedge
Stake out the row for the raspberry hedge. Make sure the fruits get enough light. You harvest the sweetest raspberries in sunny locations.
Loosen the soil thoroughly and incorporate ripe compost or rotted manure.
To prevent the raspberries from spreading all over the garden, create a root barrier on both sides of the future hedge.
Planting raspberries
The best time to plant a raspberry hedge is autumn. Then the plants have enough time to grow.
Do not plant the raspberries too deep in the ground. Pay particular attention to the root buds. They must not be damaged.
Maintain a planting distance of 40 to 50 centimeters. Shorten the canes to around 40 centimeters long so that they root better.
Attach scaffolding
Raspberries need a support structure so that the long canes do not lie on the ground. After planting, stretch long wires at different heights along the rows. Tie the shoots to this as soon as they are long enough.
Mulching raspberries
Your raspberry hedge will thrive particularly well if you cover the soil with a layer of mulch after planting.
Sprinkle peat, bark mulch, he althy leaves or lawn clippings under the raspberry bushes.
Tips & Tricks
Never plant a raspberry hedge too close to the neighbor's fence. Even if you have created a root barrier, you cannot completely prevent the runners from reaching the neighboring garden. Keep enough distance to maintain neighborly peace.
