Small semi heated cold frame, think it will work?

drew51 · November 17, 2014

They should produce all over if they are not everbearing. yes you got it right. But if you want you can prune first year canes (primocanes) to a manageable size. With blackberries not raspberries many prune first year canes when they reach 4-5 feet, these then produce lateral branches that will fruit too, thus increasing yield. That 10 foot cane I assume is a blackberry. Yes it should have been pruned at 5 feet, but it will not hurt the plant in anyway not to prune. it's too late to develop laterals now. Sometimes too, if too long berries are small, so keeping to a reasonable size is acceptable. Length varies from cultivar to cultivar some produce 20 foot canes!

You can also prune raspberries to keep them smaller, and not get crazy long.
They usually form laterals on their own, pruning them does not stimulate laterals like it does with blackberries.
A trellis helps as when they form berries the canes become heavy and could droop, even break. If on the ground, snails and such will eat them.
Same with blackberries canes can break if no support. A fence is good, a trellis better. Stakes can work too.
OK, now we have gone over the more detailed pruning.
Usually 2nd year canes (floricanes) start to look woody and rough. So once experienced, it's easy to tell apart.
Avoid pruning late in the year, if you want to clean up, wait till they are dormant. You want them to harden off for the winter, and pruning can stimulate growth. OK to remove spent canes (ones that fruited) anytime.
If you think about it, you are removing the cane, so not stimulated to grow. Pruning for length though can stimulate lateral growth, which you want to avoid late in the year, like right now! Some wait till dormant to prune spent canes. I do not, as when dormant they all look the same, well not really but is harder to tell what fruited and what did not. I can tell easier just after fruiting so I remove right then.

OK one more thing on raspberry pruning.
Many primocanes can form in one year, You should keep them at about 6 inches apart. So when dormant remove primocanes that are too close, keep them at about 6 inches apart (use best judgment, some 4 inches if only ones within a foot are ok to leave), remove weak spindly primocanes too.
Canes too close block light, strain roots to feed all, and produce poor berries. You will have better fruit by limiting canes to 6 inches apart. So you let them grow all year, (the first year primocanes) then when dormant thin to 6 inches.
A lot of work!

Strawberries need special work too. We have everbearing, day neutral, and summer bearing strawberries. How you grow them does vary.

Blackberries form out of the crown as do Black raspberries. It's OK if canes are close together.

Hopefully this all makes sense. You understood perfectly my other post. Obviously you are a good gardener, and catch on quickly!
When raspberries are grown right they produce well! Here are some photos of mine.

These are a friend's yellows.

Here is one of three patches I have. raspberries are the back row to the left. In front is some tomatoes, next year I'll grow something else there. Rotating crops. Between them is blueberries. Strawberries are near the end. Pole beans against that shed. I will rotate them too. Some beneficial flowers here and there.

November 17, 2014	#16
drew51 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Sterling Heights, MI Zone 6a/5b Posts: 1,302	They should produce all over if they are not everbearing. yes you got it right. But if you want you can prune first year canes (primocanes) to a manageable size. With blackberries not raspberries many prune first year canes when they reach 4-5 feet, these then produce lateral branches that will fruit too, thus increasing yield. That 10 foot cane I assume is a blackberry. Yes it should have been pruned at 5 feet, but it will not hurt the plant in anyway not to prune. it's too late to develop laterals now. Sometimes too, if too long berries are small, so keeping to a reasonable size is acceptable. Length varies from cultivar to cultivar some produce 20 foot canes! You can also prune raspberries to keep them smaller, and not get crazy long. They usually form laterals on their own, pruning them does not stimulate laterals like it does with blackberries. A trellis helps as when they form berries the canes become heavy and could droop, even break. If on the ground, snails and such will eat them. Same with blackberries canes can break if no support. A fence is good, a trellis better. Stakes can work too. OK, now we have gone over the more detailed pruning. Usually 2nd year canes (floricanes) start to look woody and rough. So once experienced, it's easy to tell apart. Avoid pruning late in the year, if you want to clean up, wait till they are dormant. You want them to harden off for the winter, and pruning can stimulate growth. OK to remove spent canes (ones that fruited) anytime. If you think about it, you are removing the cane, so not stimulated to grow. Pruning for length though can stimulate lateral growth, which you want to avoid late in the year, like right now! Some wait till dormant to prune spent canes. I do not, as when dormant they all look the same, well not really but is harder to tell what fruited and what did not. I can tell easier just after fruiting so I remove right then. OK one more thing on raspberry pruning. Many primocanes can form in one year, You should keep them at about 6 inches apart. So when dormant remove primocanes that are too close, keep them at about 6 inches apart (use best judgment, some 4 inches if only ones within a foot are ok to leave), remove weak spindly primocanes too. Canes too close block light, strain roots to feed all, and produce poor berries. You will have better fruit by limiting canes to 6 inches apart. So you let them grow all year, (the first year primocanes) then when dormant thin to 6 inches. A lot of work! Strawberries need special work too. We have everbearing, day neutral, and summer bearing strawberries. How you grow them does vary. Blackberries form out of the crown as do Black raspberries. It's OK if canes are close together. Hopefully this all makes sense. You understood perfectly my other post. Obviously you are a good gardener, and catch on quickly! When raspberries are grown right they produce well! Here are some photos of mine. These are a friend's yellows. Here is one of three patches I have. raspberries are the back row to the left. In front is some tomatoes, next year I'll grow something else there. Rotating crops. Between them is blueberries. Strawberries are near the end. Pole beans against that shed. I will rotate them too. Some beneficial flowers here and there. Last edited by drew51; November 17, 2014 at 05:37 PM.