Because raspberries are a soft fruit, they don’t travel well and are therefore often expensive to buy – A good reason to grow this delicious and healthy fruit at home.

There are many many different varieties of raspberry which can be grown easily in many regions. In fact, in some regions and in the right environment, raspberry plants can become intrusive. Although, with each plant producing up to 100 berries, intrusive could be worthwhile.

Raspberries contain significant amounts of dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals and come in red, black and even golden varieties.

Choose a variety or varieties that grow well in your region -check in your local Garden centre or supplier for the varieties they sell – they’re probably the best to go for. Choose healthy looking canes with well-developed roots.

Alternatively, ask a raspberry growing neighbour if they can spare a cane or two to get you going. Every year, raspberry plants will produce new canes and over a few years you could have a whole patch of raspberries that cost nothing to start!

This dwarf raspberry plant is so tempting! I found it on Amazon (UK)

“A compact dwarf raspberry reaching just 1m high, making it perfect for smaller gardens or a large container or pot for the patio or a balcony. Greenish-white flowers can appear in spring on the multi-branching floricanes.

Superb yields of deliciously sweet berries are ready in June. Thornless stems and a short stature make harvesting quick and easy too. Being low to the ground they can be netted with ease to protect the crops from birds and the sturdy stems won’t need supporting either – perfect for the low maintenance garden.”

Sounds good!

NB: Protect your plants from birds. They can strip a plant of fruit in a single sitting. Use a fruit cage or wildlife friendly netting. Or try hanging a line of shiny objects over your plants to deter birds, such as old CD’s.

We used to use milk bottle tops but milk tends to come in plastic containers these days with plastic lids. CD’s and DVD’s however are still around and often aren’t needed in the house anymore. Hang them in the garden instead 🙂

Happy Gardening!

Linda x

P.S. Parts of this post have been borrowed from the ‘How to Grow Raspberries’ mini-guide..

Download this growing guide to help you get the most from your plants (there are a couple of easy raspberry recipes too)

How to Grow Raspberries

Listed on our Mini Guides page.