{"id":388,"date":"2026-08-19T22:58:24","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T21:58:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.coltivobio.com\/en\/?p=388"},"modified":"2026-08-19T22:58:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T21:58:24","slug":"growing-raspberries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.coltivobio.com\/en\/growing-raspberries\/","title":{"rendered":"Growing raspberries: a guide to growing in containers and in the ground"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this guide, you will find all the basic information you need to grow raspberries, explained in a simple and accessible way even for those starting from scratch. The advice you will read comes from direct field experience and techniques used on professional farms, adapted to the needs of home growers.<\/strong>
\nOne of the greatest difficulties for those approaching this crop for the first time is understanding how raspberries renew their canes and which growth produces fruit. Management differs considerably between summer-bearing and everbearing varieties. <\/strong>This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.<\/p>\n

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Climate and exposure: watch out for high temperatures<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A fundamental aspect is that raspberries are very sensitive to high temperatures<\/strong>, especially when these are associated with intense sunlight and water shortage.
\nIn areas characterized by hot summers, when possible, the ideal solution is to grow raspberries under shade netting<\/strong>, in order to limit excessive sunlight and reduce stress on the plants and fruit.
\nWater availability must be constant. Raspberries have a relatively shallow root system and can quickly become stressed when the soil or growing medium becomes too dry.<\/p>\n

Growing raspberries in the ground<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Raspberries prefer fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soils rich in organic matter<\/strong>. Waterlogging must be avoided because it can promote root asphyxia and root rot.
\nPlants are normally trained along rows using posts and support wires<\/strong> to keep the canes organized.
\nPlant spacing and canopy management are particularly important. Vegetation that is too dense not only makes pest and disease management more difficult, but also complicates fruit harvesting<\/strong>. Fruit produced inside an excessively dense canopy becomes difficult to reach, and flowers located deeper within the canopy may also be less accessible to pollinating insects.
\nIt is therefore important to maintain a sufficiently open canopy by selecting an appropriate number of canes according to the variety and plant vigor.<\/p>\n

Irrigation<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Raspberries require a fairly constant water supply throughout the season, particularly during flowering, fruit set, fruit development, and ripening<\/strong>.
\nDrip irrigation<\/strong> is generally the best solution because it allows water to be delivered directly to the root zone without unnecessarily wetting the vegetation.
\nFor container-grown raspberries<\/strong>, the best solution, also used in professional production systems, is drippers positioned directly in each individual container<\/strong>. This system allows water and, when necessary, fertilizers to be distributed precisely and uniformly.
\nFor raspberries grown in the ground<\/strong>, pressure-compensating dripline<\/strong> placed along the row is particularly suitable. Pressure compensation helps maintain a more uniform flow rate along the line, which is particularly important in professional production systems and longer rows.
\nHowever, the right balance must be found: raspberries are sensitive to drought<\/strong>, but at the same time they do not tolerate constantly saturated soils or growing media. The goal is therefore to maintain a regular water supply while avoiding both water stress and waterlogging.<\/p>\n

Mulching and weed control<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In my experience, weeds are one of the main weaknesses of growing raspberries in the ground<\/strong>.
\nThe problem is also related to the particular way in which the plant renews its vegetation. The root system continuously produces new suckers<\/strong>, which will form the canes for future production.
\nThis makes it more difficult to use mechanical equipment such as string trimmers or mowers directly underneath the plants: while removing weeds, there is a risk of accidentally cutting the young replacement suckers as well<\/strong>.
\nFor this reason, I recommend establishing good mulch from the time of planting. In the field, it is preferable to use a durable, long-lasting fabric ground cover such as Mypex<\/strong>, avoiding lightweight plastic films. Raspberries are a perennial crop, and the mulch must be strong enough to remain functional for several years.
\nAlternatively, organic mulch<\/strong> can be used. One of the most interesting materials is pine bark, which also helps maintain more stable soil moisture. However, this is a realistic solution mainly for small plantings: over areas of several hectares, distributing and periodically replacing large quantities of organic material would become difficult to sustain.<\/p>\n

Fertilization<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Raspberries are very demanding from a nutritional standpoint<\/strong>. Detailed fertilization management would require a dedicated article; however, in this guide we can simplify it by describing a practical and easily applicable method.
\nFor field-grown raspberries<\/strong>, before planting it is advisable to incorporate pelletized manure with a high organic matter content<\/strong> into the soil, which is readily available from agricultural supply stores or online (see the end of the article). During the season, management can be simplified by using a standard NPK 20-20-20 fertilizer<\/strong>, applied through fertigation.
\nTo make fertilization slightly more complete, from the beginning of flowering<\/strong>, potassium sulfate can be added to increase potassium availability, an element that is particularly important during fruit formation and ripening.
\nContainer-grown raspberries<\/strong> require greater attention. The limited volume of growing medium reduces the amount of nutrients available, and plants can quickly develop deficiencies.
\nHere too, we can adopt a simple solution: at planting, a slow-release fertilizer, such as Osmocote or equivalent products<\/strong>, can be incorporated into the growing medium. During the season, NPK 20-20-20 fertilizer<\/strong> can also be applied through the irrigation water if necessary.
\nAs with field-grown raspberries, potassium sulfate can be added from flowering onward<\/strong> to support fruit formation and quality.
\nThis represents one of the simplest methods for managing raspberry fertilization without getting into the greater complexity of professional fertilization programs.<\/p>\n

Growing raspberries in containers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Given these considerations, growing raspberries in containers can be easier to manage than growing them in the ground<\/strong>, especially when the growing area is not very large.
\nContainers provide greater control over weeds, the growing medium, nutrition, and irrigation, avoiding many of the difficulties associated with managing the area directly beneath the plants.
\nIt is necessary to use sufficiently large containers and a light, well-drained, organic matter-rich, slightly acidic growing medium<\/strong>. Drainage must be excellent.
\nTo further improve the physical characteristics of the growing medium, adding coconut coir at approximately 20\u201330%<\/strong> can be particularly useful. When mixed with a slightly acidic growing medium, coconut coir creates a light, porous, and particularly well-drained growing medium<\/strong>, while at the same time maintaining good moisture-holding capacity.
\nThe main critical point is irrigation. During hot days, the limited volume of growing medium can dry out quickly, making frequent irrigation necessary. Nutrition must also be managed more precisely because the amount of nutrients available in the container is limited.<\/p>\n

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Raspberry grown in a container. In professional agriculture, relatively small containers are generally used to keep costs down. For home growing, however, larger containers are preferable because they are easier to manage. The photo shows the beginning of sprouting of root suckers that will form the new canes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Supporting the canes<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Both container-grown and in-ground raspberries<\/strong> require a support structure. The canes can reach considerable lengths and, as the weight of the vegetation and especially the fruit increases, they tend to bend and fall toward the ground<\/strong>.
\nThe most commonly used solution consists of a structure with posts and support wires, similar to those used for grapevines<\/strong>. The wires are stretched along the row at different heights and are used to keep the canes upright.
\nThe canes can be tied to the wires or guided and kept between parallel wires<\/strong>, depending on the training system used. This prevents them from falling outward or reaching the ground.
\nCorrect vertical positioning of the canes also facilitates light penetration into the canopy, air circulation, treatments, and especially fruit harvesting<\/strong>, keeping the vegetation organized and easily accessible.<\/p>\n

How raspberries produce fruit<\/strong><\/h2>\n

For those with no experience growing this crop, probably the most difficult part is understanding how raspberries produce fruit and which canes should be kept or removed<\/strong>.
\nThe fundamental distinction is between summer-bearing and everbearing raspberries<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Summer-bearing raspberries<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In summer-bearing raspberries, fruit is produced on woody canes that developed during the previous year<\/strong>.
\nDuring the season, two types of growth therefore coexist on the same plant. On one side, there are generally 3\u20134 woody canes that are producing fruit<\/strong>; at the same time, new root suckers emerge from the base.
\nAmong these, approximately 3\u20135 new suckers<\/strong> should be selected, depending on the variety and plant vigor. These are green, tender, vigorous canes that will not produce during the current season<\/strong>, but they must be allowed to grow because they represent the following year’s production.
\nDuring the summer, they will progressively reach the height of the fruiting canes and, as the season progresses, will begin to become woody.
\nOnce harvesting is complete, the old canes that have produced fruit can be removed at the base. This frees up space and light for the new suckers.
\nDuring the fall, these new canes complete the process of becoming woody. After winter pruning, only the canes that developed during the previous year will therefore remain, now woody and ready to become the fruiting canes of the following spring<\/strong>.
\nThe principle is simple: while one generation of canes produces fruit, the generation that will produce the following year is being trained at the same time<\/strong>.
\nNote:<\/strong> during the first year after planting, summer-bearing raspberry plants generally do not produce fruit<\/strong>. The exception is nursery plants purchased with already developed two-year-old canes<\/strong>, which may produce fruit during the first year of cultivation.<\/p>\n

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Everbearing raspberries: how to obtain two crops<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Everbearing raspberry. The photo shows the long canes retained from the previous year, which are beginning to sprout and on which the first crop will develop. At the base of the plant, new root suckers are emerging. These will form the current year’s canes and produce the second crop, approximately from mid-August onward.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Management of everbearing raspberries<\/strong> is different because, with proper pruning, it is possible to obtain two crops in the same year<\/strong>.
\nAt the beginning of spring, the canes retained from the previous year are present. During winter pruning, these have already been topped below the last area that produced fruit<\/strong> during the previous season.
\nAs vegetative growth resumes, flowering laterals develop from the buds on the retained portion. These will produce the first, earlier crop<\/strong>.
\nAt the same time, new suckers for the current year<\/strong> begin to develop from the base. At this stage, they are still small and must be selected and allowed to grow.
\nOnce the first crop has finished, generally during the summer, the woody canes from the previous year (floricanes) that have produced fruit can be completely removed at the base<\/strong>.
\nThis operation is very important because it frees up space within the canopy and allows light to better reach the new suckers. It also reduces competition for water and nutrients precisely when the new canes need to quickly complete their development.
\nToward the end of summer, the current year’s suckers (primocanes) begin to flower and produce fruit on their upper portions<\/strong>. The second crop then begins and can continue through the fall until lower temperatures stop fruit development and ripening.
\nDuring the fall, the new canes progressively begin to become woody. In winter they are retained, but the upper portion that has already produced fruit is removed<\/strong>, making the cut immediately below the last fruiting area.
\nThe remaining portion of the cane will produce the first crop of the following season<\/strong>, while new suckers will once again emerge from the base and provide the subsequent late-summer crop.
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The period between the two crops in everbearing raspberries<\/strong><\/h3>\n

An important aspect is that everbearing raspberries generally have a period of no production or greatly reduced production between the two harvests<\/strong>.
\nThe first crop on the canes retained from the previous year ends before the new suckers are ready to begin producing the second crop.
\nOn specialized farms, this production gap<\/strong> can be reduced by growing summer-bearing and everbearing varieties<\/strong> at the same time. Through proper variety selection, the production period of some summer-bearing varieties can overlap at least partially with the interval between the two crops of everbearing varieties, ensuring greater continuity of harvest.
\nIt should also be considered that, generally and with potentially significant differences among varieties, the second crop of everbearing raspberries tends to be smaller in quantity than the first<\/strong>.
\nFor professional production, it therefore becomes important not only to choose between summer-bearing and everbearing varieties, but also to combine varieties with different ripening periods<\/strong> to spread the harvest over a longer period.<\/p>\n

Main pest and disease problems<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Among the most common raspberry pests are aphids,<\/strong> two-spotted spider mites<\/strong><\/a> and other mites<\/strong>. During fruit ripening, particular attention should be paid to Drosophila suzukii<\/strong><\/em>, especially when very ripe fruit is present.
\nAmong diseases, Botrytis, root rots, and cane diseases<\/strong> can become important, especially when favored by high humidity, waterlogging, and excessively dense vegetation.
\nProper canopy management therefore simultaneously improves light exposure, air circulation, pollination, ease of harvesting, and pest and disease management<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Harvest<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Raspberries are extremely delicate fruit with a very short shelf life<\/strong>. Raspberries should be harvested when they have reached the correct color and the fruit separates easily from the receptacle. After harvest, they must be refrigerated as quickly as possible because they are extremely delicate and perishable.
\nDuring the production period, it is preferable to harvest frequently<\/strong>, preferably during the cooler hours of the day. Avoiding leaving overripe fruit on the plant also helps limit rots and reduce conditions favorable to the development of Drosophila suzukii<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Useful products<\/strong><\/h2>\n