"Off" years for raspberries?

chalstonsc · May 3, 2010

Do raspberries have "off" years?.... Mine did very well last year, but look weak and pale, while still blossoming....Been in the ground for 4+ years, same fertilizing, etc...thanks...
Tom

habitat_gardener · May 3, 2010

I've been growing mine for 6-7 years and haven't noticed any off years.

Do you prune out the old canes? Mine bear heavily for a month in spring and then less heavily for a couple months in the fall. So I prune out the canes that have fruited in late spring, and then thin out the weakest canes anytime from late fall to early spring. Once they're dormant, I add several inches of homemade compost, and sometimes add more compost in the spring.

You're supposed to thin to a strong cane every 4-6 inches, but I don't get around to that every year.

dustdevil · May 3, 2010

With all the blight and moisture diseases going around last year, the plants may have been weakened or soil tainted. Check for cane borers too.

chalstonsc · May 4, 2010

habitat....thanks. yes, I do the pruning every year, so that's not it. My plants bear similarly. The fertilizer I used this year was a littlle lower nitrogen and maybe that's it...I could also do more compost....got quite a few blossoms and fruit forming, but the plants just don't look as robust as last year

dustdevil....thanks for the possibilities, but don't think any of those

May 3, 2010	#1
chalstonsc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: sc Posts: 339	"Off" years for raspberries? Do raspberries have "off" years?.... Mine did very well last year, but look weak and pale, while still blossoming....Been in the ground for 4+ years, same fertilizing, etc...thanks... Tom

May 3, 2010	#2
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	I've been growing mine for 6-7 years and haven't noticed any off years. Do you prune out the old canes? Mine bear heavily for a month in spring and then less heavily for a couple months in the fall. So I prune out the canes that have fruited in late spring, and then thin out the weakest canes anytime from late fall to early spring. Once they're dormant, I add several inches of homemade compost, and sometimes add more compost in the spring. You're supposed to thin to a strong cane every 4-6 inches, but I don't get around to that every year.

May 3, 2010	#3
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	With all the blight and moisture diseases going around last year, the plants may have been weakened or soil tainted. Check for cane borers too.

May 4, 2010	#4
chalstonsc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: sc Posts: 339	habitat....thanks. yes, I do the pruning every year, so that's not it. My plants bear similarly. The fertilizer I used this year was a littlle lower nitrogen and maybe that's it...I could also do more compost....got quite a few blossoms and fruit forming, but the plants just don't look as robust as last year dustdevil....thanks for the possibilities, but don't think any of those