Pruning raspberries: step-by-step with Abbie Jury and Lloyd Sorensen
1
Ref: 2834816 FAIRFIELDS 15x2 Ref: 2831941 BIG JIMS GARDEN CENTRE 12x2 www.taranakidailynews.co.nz Friday, June 11, 2010 TARANAKI DAILY NEWS 13 G ARDENING www.taranakidailynews.co.nz Pruning raspberries: a step-by-step guide with Abbie Jury and Lloyd Sorensen Photos: ABBIE AND MARK JURY 1 The timing of pruning raspberries is not critical as long as it happens before they come into growth in early spring. In fact, it is widely recommended that you start taking out spent canes as soon as they have finished fruiting in summer (or in autumn, for the twice-fruiting varieties), but it is far easier when they have lost their leaves and you can see what you are doing. In our experience, it does not matter if we leave it until winter – it does not seem to affect fruiting or plant vigour. 2 We grow our raspberries in a netted cage, which is currently home to some new pigeons who are undergoing six weeks of acclimatisation before release. The pigeons were less than impressed by our intrusion. We have a latched door into the raspberry cage, which is also home to two ringneck doves. They leave the raspberries alone, but we no longer get a blueberry crop. 3 Strong gloves, preferably leather, are recommended for raspberry pruning, as are sharp secateurs. Raspberries are an extremely prickly plant and you need protection. 4 This season’s new canes, which will bear fruit next summer, are red. The old canes, which are dying off, are brown and dry. Remove all old canes from the base of the plant. Thin out any weak new canes. Our raspberries are planted in a long row and the aim in thinning is not just to remove deadwood, but so you can move up and down both sides of the row for easier picking. 5 Shorten the new season’s canes to a manageable length – around 150cm to 180cm. Dig out any suckers that are in the wrong place. Raspberries are dormant in winter, so there is no point in feeding them until they start growing in spring. We will, however, mulch with a good layer of compost. 6 The prunings need to be burned or otherwise disposed of. We clip them to manageable lengths and gather them in a wool bale for convenience of handling. Like rose clippings, you cannot compost prickly old stems. Town dwellers may like to dry them and then burn them on a woodfire or put them out with the rubbish. Ours will go on the burning heap. Camellia lutchuensis In the crowded class of camellia species with small, white, single flowers, Camellia lutchuensis has a special property that sets it apart: the sweetest scent of any camellia. In fact, lutchuensis is the parent of the scented cultivars (some of which are better scented than others, but few are as good as their parent). While not quite into the heady fragrance of daphnes, lutchuensis has a lovely scent that can be easily detected as you walk past the bush. There is nothing blowsy or showy about this little camellia, but some of us like the simple charm of the creamy white cups that, at only a couple of centimetres across, are never going to shout look at me, look at me. The buds are also very pretty. It is best viewed in close-up. Added to that, the foliage (which is smaller than more common japonica camellias) goes a bit yellow in high light levels, so this is a plant for semi-shade or open woodland. It is definitely for those of more refined tastes – but what would you expect from a species native to Japan, that country which reveres simplicity in nature and gardening? It also occurs naturally in Taiwan, which is another island that has given us some really interesting plants across a range of genera. – Abbie Jury quote of the wee k Gardening is civil and social, but it wants the vigour and freedom of the forest and the outlaw. Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)
-
Upload
michael-jeans -
Category
Documents
-
view
2.063 -
download
1
description
The timing of pruning raspberries is not critical as long as it happens before they come into growth in early spring. In fact, it is widely recommended that you start taking out spent canes as soon as they have finished fruiting in summer (or in autumn, for the twice-fruiting varieties), but it is far easier when they have lost their leaves and you can see what you are doing. In our experience, it does not matter if we leave it until winter – it does not seem to affect fruiting or plant vigour
Transcript of Pruning raspberries: step-by-step with Abbie Jury and Lloyd Sorensen
Ref: 2834816
FAIRFIELDS
15x2
Ref: 2831941
BIG JIMS GARDEN CENTRE
12x2
www.taranakidailynews.co.nz Friday, June 11, 2010 TARANAKI DAILY NEWS 13
GARDENING www.taranakidailynews.co.nz
Pruning raspberries: a step-by-step guide withAbbie Jury and Lloyd Sorensen
Photos: ABBIE AND MARK JURY
1The timing of pruning raspberries is not critical as long as it happensbefore they come into growth in early spring. In fact, it is widelyrecommended that you start taking out spent canes as soon as they
have finished fruiting in summer (or in autumn, for the twice-fruitingvarieties), but it is far easier when they have lost their leaves and you can seewhat you are doing. In our experience, it does not matter if we leave it untilwinter – it does not seem to affect fruiting or plant vigour.
2We grow our raspberries in a netted cage, which is currently home tosome new pigeons who are undergoing six weeks of acclimatisationbefore release. The pigeons were less than impressed by our intrusion.
We have a latched door into the raspberry cage, which is also home to tworingneck doves. They leave the raspberries alone, but we no longer get ablueberry crop.
3Strong gloves, preferably leather, are recommended for raspberrypruning, as are sharp secateurs. Raspberries are an extremely pricklyplant and you need protection.
4This season’s new canes, which will bear fruit next summer, are red. Theold canes, which are dying off, are brown and dry. Remove all old canesfrom the base of the plant. Thin out any weak new canes. Our
raspberries are planted in a long row and the aim in thinning is not just toremove deadwood, but so you can move up and down both sides of the rowfor easier picking.
5Shorten the new season’s canes to a manageable length – around150cm to 180cm. Dig out any suckers that are in the wrong place.Raspberries are dormant in winter, so there is no point in feeding
them until they start growing in spring. We will, however, mulch with agood layer of compost.
6The prunings need to be burned or otherwise disposed of. We clip themto manageable lengths and gather them in a wool bale for convenienceof handling. Like rose clippings, you cannot compost prickly old stems.
Town dwellers may like to dry them and then burn them on a woodfire or putthem out with the rubbish. Ours will go on the burning heap.
Camellia lutchuensisIn the crowded class of camellia species withsmall, white, single flowers, Camellia lutchuensishas a special property that sets it apart: thesweetest scent of any camellia. In fact,lutchuensis is the parent of the scented cultivars(some of which are better scented than others, butfew are as good as their parent). While not quiteinto the heady fragrance of daphnes, lutchuensishas a lovely scent that can be easily detected asyou walk past the bush.
There is nothing blowsy or showy about thislittle camellia, but some of us like the simplecharm of the creamy white cups that, at only acouple of centimetres across, are never going toshout look at me, look at me. The buds are alsovery pretty. It is best viewed in close-up. Added tothat, the foliage (which is smaller than morecommon japonica camellias) goes a bit yellow inhigh light levels, so this is a plant for semi-shadeor open woodland. It is definitely for those ofmore refined tastes – but what would you expectfrom a species native to Japan, that countrywhich reveres simplicity in nature andgardening? It also occurs naturally in Taiwan,which is another island that has given us somereally interesting plants across a range of genera.
– Abbie Jury
quote ofthe week
Gardening is civiland social, but itwants the vigour andfreedom of the forestand the outlaw.
Henry David Thoreau(1817-1862)
