In autumn last year I picked up a couple of 'end of the line' plants from a well-known home and garden superstore. Let me just say, I don't usually buy plants from there - strimmer cord yes, all purpose filler yes, but not plants. However, when raspberry canes are on sale for 10p each, it would seem to be a bargain worth snapping up. I mean, what's the worst that could happen? They'd all die and I'll be 30p out of pocket?
So, I took home my new plants and soaked the rootballs in water before potting them up and pruning back the old canes. Then I googled Raspberry 'Malling Jewel' and salivated at the idea of early season summer raspberries.
Fast forward to March/April, I patiently checked for signs of any new shoots but there were none to be seen. Eventually in mid May, they started to break through the surface, slowly yet steadily.
So, we're now heading towards the middle of June, I have my supports in place and the canes themselves are looking healthy but still only about 30cm tall with no signs of any flower buds yet. Somehow, I can't imagine that things are going to be moving so quickly that I'll still have raspberries by July...
What do we think? Is this a case of big company mislabelling/mixing up stock and what I've actually got is an autumn fruiting variety? Or has the cold, cold spring held back the growth? Or were they simply planted too late last year to start producing canes at the optimum time?
This novice raspberry grower would be grateful for all suggestions.
It could just be that everything is so far behind this year because it's been so cold. Fingers crossed that a few weeks of nice weather will move things along a bit :-)
ReplyDeleteI'll be happy if they produce raspberries at any time this year, though looking at the immediate forecast, a few weeks of nice weather could be expecting too much!
DeleteWhatever is going on they are looking better than our summer fruiting canes! Do the original canes have any leaves?
ReplyDeleteUmmm, I actually cut down the original canes when I planted them out. They were looking like twigs so I thought they'd done for the year. Maybe that was the wrong thing to do?
DeleteOnly time will tell but I hope the fruits are delicious whenever they arrive :) What a bargain.
ReplyDeleteHomegrown fruit that is expensive to buy in a supermarket does seem to have a sweeter taste!
ReplyDeleteI hope by now that you've discovered raspberries on your canes! My raspberries (autumn ones) didn't fruit too well in the first year but completely made up for that in the second year. I think you've got yourself a bargain! (Sorry for the late response, catching up!)
ReplyDelete(even later reply to your response…) No fruit at all Caro. I'm now thinking they are early season fruiting but that needs to grow on two year old canes. Thus all the growth they've put on this year should (she says hopefully) should produce fruit in 2014.
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