Are my raspberries plants dead??

giftbouquets

Hi,
I planted some fruit bushes a few months ago (tayberry, blueberry, gooseberry and raspberry) All except the raspberry are starting to show signs of life, but the raspberries just look like twigs sticking out of the ground. Should they be beginning to shoot now, or do they shoot later than other fruit plants. Not sure whether I should be digging up and replacing, or just be patient. Thanks

Noah'strolly

I've got the same thing with a gooseberry I got from wilkos. I thought I'd better give it a while longer. It's put me off buying from shops - it can't be doing the plants much good hanging around for weeks in plastic bags with no water and electric light.

nickinoodle_2

Hi ya, Ive got a raspberry plant - although it is a year old now, and it is already quite bushy with lots of new leaves coming on it

We brought a blackberry one from Woolworths last year and planted it, and nothing ever came on it, was just a stick in the ground - like u said, so we dug it up last weekend and through it away.

Think the thing to do is try and buy ones that already have buds showing on them if poss

giftbouquets

Hi,
thanks for your replies. I also bought them from woolworths Nickindoodle and like you said Noah'strolly, can't be too sure how long the were on the shelf. Will probably leave them for another week or so, and then look for replacements.

angie_loves_veg

i have two varieties of raspberries that have been in the ground for several years. The two varieties fruit at different times, and the early fruiting one is showing several sets of leaves, looking good, the later fruiting one has yet to emerge..... I keep thinking that there is the tiniest bit of green poking out, but I do know that this is really wishful thinking- it will come, but in its own time, not mine!

soooo.......hang on in there, they may simply fruit later in the season, giving you fab fruit through aug and sept.....

giftbouquets

Thanks Angie Loves Veg, it seems there might be hope:rolleyes: Will try to be patient.

madhouseof4

I too was wondering about this. I also got raspberry canes from Woolies and they definately still look like sticks still. As a matter of fact, I had top put them in pots temporarily but put them in the ground today, even the roots aren't showing any signs of life. I will give it a few more week, but will look at investing in some from elsewhere. Any recommendations on where to get the best fruit plants from?

Trishh_2

Raspberries makes their canes under the ground, have a peep under the soil and you should see signs of life. Mine just looks like a bare twig sticking out of the ground .... but when I had a look, there are new ones growing :j

moonrakerz

A very important thing to know about your raspberries is:- are they summer or autumn fruiting ?

If they are summer fruiting they will fruit on the canes which grew the previous year. After they have finished fruiting you cut off the canes which bore fruit that year and keep the canes which grew that year.

If they are autumn fruiting, you cut them to the ground in the winter, new canes will grow and bear fruit that year.

So - you must know what you have !

I prefer autumn raspberries; they are easier to look after and the fruiting season is longer. Mine are just starting to poke their heads above ground now !

floyd

The plants they sell in Woolies are artificially forced into dormancy because they are sold almost as bare rooted, dry sticks. I bought a lilac tree from there 3 years ago, year 1 it still looked like a twig, year 2 it had 4 leaves on, year 3 it now has its first flowers but is still very small.
I think if you are looking for plants that establish quickly, and in the case of raspberries, bear fruit quickly then spend a little more to buy a slightly more mature plant

JoeyEmma

Floyd-you are far more patient than me! I couldn't cope with a bear stick for 3 years! I'd pick it out and sling it before then!