Should I prune raspberries in summer? Pruning raspberries in autumn - detailed instructions for young gardeners

If you want to get the maximum yield from raspberry bushes, then you cannot let its growth take its course. If you regularly pick berries without the necessary and proper care, it will produce only 25% of its potential. There is only one way out - to prepare it for winter. Knowledge of how to properly prune raspberries in the fall will help you preserve your plantings and provide yourself with a harvest for next year.

When is the best time to prune raspberries?

Raspberry bushes are pruned to achieve the following results:

thinning the bushes to ensure they receive a satisfactory amount of light and ventilation;
productivity growth;
increasing the resistance of bushes to frost;
preventing pests and fungal diseases from overwintering in shoots;
external neatness of the bushes.

They say that it is better to prune raspberries in the fall rather than in the spring, since fungi and insects remain overwintering in the stems. You can also prune in the spring, because at this time you can see what condition the bush is in and which shoots need to be removed for sanitary pruning.

It is difficult to indicate the exact timing of autumn pruning, but the main signal for the start of the operation is the end of fruiting. Experts recommend pruning raspberries 3-4 weeks before the onset of frost (some gardeners argue that it is more advisable to prune remontant raspberries after the first frost). Consequently, the time for autumn pruning ranges from July to October.

Raspberries need to be thinned regularly to prevent them from spreading out.

Some gardeners also use summer pruning. It is performed to accelerate the formation of young stems and increase fertility. You can limit the growth of a raspberry bush by cutting out all the young stems around the main bush.

Alternative opinion

The Sobolev method of pruning raspberries, named after the Russian founder of raspberry farming, is recognized as the most effective. It does not require special preparation; even a beginner can handle it.

According to this method, pruning dates fall in spring and autumn. The first pruning is carried out in May-June, when the shoots grow to 1 meter. It is not advisable to carry out such an operation later, since the stems do not have time to strengthen before frost. In the spring, the stems are cut to 15 cm, and in the fall - to the base of the soil to prepare the raspberries for winter.

How to properly prune raspberry bushes in the fall

Effective pruning of raspberries in the fall covers the following stages:

Video: Pruning raspberries in autumn

How to properly trim the old one (anti-aging pruning)

Typically, raspberries are grown on the same soil for about 10 years; 15–18 years is considered the maximum period, since the soil is already greatly depleted during this time, especially if it is not fertilized. The productivity of bushes is significantly reduced not only because of the soil, but also because of the aging of the root. The influence of low temperatures, insects and diseases does not allow the buds to form normally, from which replacement shoots and offspring then appear.

Without proper pruning, shoots may appear on the bush, which only create density, but do not increase the amount of harvest.

A gardener often wants to preserve his reliable variety rather than plant another, so the plantation needs to be rejuvenated.

This can be done like this:

In September, it is necessary to bury the shovel near the bad bushes to the full depth at a slight angle to the bush. This operation should be done around the entire bush;
The main roots will be cut, the bush can be pulled out by the roots. You need to make sure that the root shoots are not damaged, because their presence is the essence of the method. You should not dig up all the bushes at the same time; it is better to do this in several visits annually, otherwise you will have to be left without berries at all;
The holes from the bushes are filled with humus or compost and watered. In spring, mineral fertilizer is applied to this place. Thus, the remaining bushes will bear berries, and new shoots with their own roots will appear in the area of the dug ones. In a year they will already have real replacement shoots.

This way, in just a few years, you can rejuvenate your raspberry garden without ceasing to pick berries.

How to properly prune remontant raspberries

Not everyone understands that there is a big difference in pruning traditional raspberries and remontant ones. In the first type, berries are formed on two-year-old shoots; in the remontant type, they are also formed on annual shoots. This significantly affects the way the shoots are pruned.

Remontant raspberries have high yields, improved taste, and adapt well to different weather conditions.

Any bush has approximately 8-10 main shoots, and annual shoots already come from them. To have more of them, you need to pinch the growth point of any shoot, then it will produce another 4-5 shoots. The resulting shoots will also need to be trimmed by 10 cm to obtain new tillering. Next year, the shoots inside the bush are cut out so that it is not too dense, while the outer shoots remain untouched. As a result, from 10 stems you can actually get about 100, and all of them will bear fruit equally well.

The pruning scheme for remontant raspberries includes the removal of old shoots

Dutch gardeners prune raspberries in the fall, as a result of which they have achieved excellent results: 30 kg of berries per bush throughout the season. Here we must not forget about fertilizing and sufficient watering, since significant volumes of berries require a lot of mineral and other components, which are not enough in the soil.

Work in the raspberry field in autumn is carried out only after the bushes reach two years of age. It can be done after the last harvest, when cold weather sets in and the leaves fall off. All large shoots are pruned almost equally with the soil, only small stumps of 5-7 cm are retained, young stems are cut out completely. If you do not prune raspberries in the autumn, then in the spring the bushes will grow stunted, and the variety may completely lose its ability to maintain itself.

What to treat and feed after

Autumn fertilizing is carried out after the raspberries have been pruned and the soil underneath has been dug up.

You can apply the following fertilizers:

place bird droppings in liquid form throughout the plantation;
manure is applied before digging to mix it with the soil. It is not only a fertilizer, but also an excellent way to cover rhizomes in winter. Consumption per 1 square meter - 4–6 kg. You cannot apply manure more than once every 3 years; it is better to alternate it with other fertilizers;
Compost is considered an excellent fertilizer. It is obtained from plant waste (tree leaves, tops, weeds, carrion), which rot over the summer;
You can plant green manure: blue lupine, mustard, vetch-oats. They are planted in June and buried in the ground before winter. They rot and become an excellent fertilizer in the spring;
adding peat enriches the soil of the raspberry tree. This element should be combined with other fertilizers so as not to overdo it;
mineral fertilizers (superphosphates, potassium salt) are applied to the soil at the rate of 40–60 g per bush. Furrows are made between the rows at a distance of at least 30 cm from the bush and fertilizer is poured there.

Nitrogen fertilizers should not be applied, since they lead to strong growth, and raspberries must go into a dormant state after pruning. The thoughtless use of nitrogen fertilizers can lead to freezing of the plant in winter.

Raspberry bushes grow well and produce a rich harvest in soils rich in chemicals

When thinking about how to fertilize raspberries in the fall, look at the appearance of the plants. It will indicate the need to apply certain fertilizers:

poor growth and yellowing from the center of the leaf to the edge indicate a lack of magnesium;
potassium deficiency leads to the appearance of brown edges on the leaves, the bushes do not winter well;
if the leaves are yellowish with green veins, this indicates iron deficiency;
when there is not enough phosphorus, the stems become thin;
if the leaves on the bushes are small and yellowish in color, the raspberries lack nitrogen. Its excess manifests itself in excessive growth of leaves and stems, unripe berries crumble, and yield decreases.

So, autumn pruning of raspberries is necessary for both traditional and remontant varieties. It allows you to properly prepare plants for winter, ensure their cold resistance and resistance to diseases and harmful insects. If it is not produced, then next year the raspberry yield will be much lower.

Raspberry is an aggressive shrub, quickly occupies the entire area allotted to it and is constantly trying to expand its possessions. If you do not prune the bushes and remove excess shoots, the raspberry forest quickly turns into impenetrable thickets. Fortunately, pruning raspberries is not a difficult task, and it should be done at a very convenient time: after harvesting and a little in the fall.

Goals for pruning raspberries in the fall

It would seem, why even come to a raspberry farm with pruning shears? No one does this in the forest, but there are plenty of aromatic, healthy berries for both the forest inhabitants and the people who come with buckets and baskets. However, it is worth remembering how much area of forest thickets needs to be collected and how much time it takes to collect a bucket of raspberries. Yes, it grows on its own, but it grows small and there is not much of it per square meter. And at our summer cottage we want to get large and bigger berries, but we allocate a bed well if it’s a quarter of an acre, and usually even less. Therefore, you have to take care of raspberries: water, fertilize, loosen, prepare for winter and cut out everything unnecessary in time.

The berries in the forest will grow delicious, but without care they will be small, there will be few of them

On an ordinary perennial raspberry, each shoot lives for two seasons: emerging in the spring, it grows intensively, remaining flexible and green until the fall, preparing for the fact that next year it should produce a harvest of berries and then dry up and die. If you don’t touch it, it can stand in a dried state for another year, or even more, littering the plantation. Eventually, it will fall and turn into mulch material. It seems good, but the fact is that most often during this time various bad spider bugs manage to settle in the shoot - raspberry pests and our competitors for the harvest. And even different ailments. So it turns out that the main reason for the need to prune raspberries is clear to us. Fruit-bearing shoots must be removed in time.

The second reason lies in the ability of the raspberry bush to produce numerous new shoots: more than the root system can feed. No, the extra shoots, of course, will not die of their own accord, but they will produce very few berries and require a lot of nutrients. Thus, the second reason to pick up a pruning shear is the excessive density of raspberry bushes and the need for basic thinning. In order for really strong shoots, striving to produce a high yield, to have enough nutrition, water and sun, so that the bushes can be ventilated, so that no unnecessary viruses and bacteria accumulate in the raspberry tree. How can we get through the thorny thickets ourselves with a bucket, picking berries? Therefore, it turns out that when pruning, we take care of the health of not only the raspberries, but also our own.

There will be a lot to work on in this raspberry garden

Many varieties of raspberries, if given plenty of food and drink, will grow into very tall bushes. Well, why do we need to pick berries from a stepladder? After all, a raspberry plant that is two meters tall and taller is simply inconvenient. In addition, very long shoots will not have enough strength to produce a crop on all of their branches, along the entire height of the stem. And these branches will be few if the stem tends upward. So the third reason is clear: shortening too long shoots and forming a bush in order to form side branches and obtain berries from them. By correct pruning, we do not destroy the future harvest, but, on the contrary, make it richer.

Many people carry out autumn pruning only in October, in order to still have time to catch warm days. But it turns out that the main work in a regular (non-repair) raspberry garden can be done much earlier! Fruit-bearing shoots should be cut out immediately after collecting the last berries; Obviously, excess, weak shoots should be removed all summer, as they appear (after all, it quickly becomes clear whether he wants to grow big and strong or will only suffer!). The tops of powerful shoots can be pruned as soon as they become taller than the head, and this also does not happen in the fall. Therefore, “autumn pruning” is a rather arbitrary name; only the finishing touches of this action can be left for the fall. These touches should be applied approximately three weeks before the first frost arrives.

Technique for autumn pruning raspberries

Proper pruning of raspberries in the fall dramatically reduces the labor intensity of caring for raspberries in the spring and summer of next year and significantly increases the quality and quantity of berries collected. If the bushes leave in winter containing no more than ten, and preferably 5-6, strong annual shoots no more than two meters tall, the raspberry plant will only be grateful to us for this. If you can walk freely between the bushes to spread humus, work lightly with a hoe, burying it in the ground and loosening it, and when the berries appear you can comfortably sit around the bush, then we have not worked with pruners in vain. In the spring, all that remains is to eliminate the consequences of the harsh winter by trimming the frozen tops and putting aside cutting tools until new unnecessary growth appears.

If we did everything correctly in the fall, in the spring only healthy branches will appear in the raspberry tree and in the right place

So, let’s imagine that in the summer you didn’t cut anything out of the raspberry field, and now September has arrived (or maybe already October), and instead of a cultivated plantation you see a forest of assorted thorny stems. What to do?

Find a good pruner. Most likely, you should have it somewhere. Raspberries do not require any expensive options; with cunning mechanisms, their stems are easy to cut. The main thing is that the sector is serviceable and sharp. And, of course, clean. If suddenly it’s lying in the barn covered in dirt and rust, wash it, clean it, sharpen it. If it squeaks, lubricate it where necessary.
For raspberries, the simplest but most comfortable pruner is suitable for your hand.
Carefully examine the thickets and understand where to start. If it is difficult to get through them, you will have to work “layer by layer”, doing all the trimming work at once. If the situation is not so sad, and you can still squeeze between the bushes, it is better to start by removing last year’s stems, that is, those that bear fruit. They are easy to recognize even for a beginner: they are not green, but brown. Not elastic, but almost dry, woody. Last year's shoots should be cut out as close to the ground as possible, trying not to leave stumps (pests can live in them!). Most likely, when cutting out old shoots, you will also encounter young ones that are clearly unusable (crooked, weak, etc.). If it’s handy, put them under the knife right away. Oh, and of course, put on gloves first. Better yet, wear a canvas mitten on your left hand, and don’t wear anything on your right hand, with a pruning shears.
Fruiting shoots are easy to distinguish from young, green ones
If we have successfully dealt with last year’s escapes, we will proceed to the next stage. Probably, while we were walking through the thickets, the bushes became quite isolated, spaced 70–80 centimeters from each other. If the situation is more complicated, and the forest remains, we will have to decide what we will now consider to be bushes. In each bush you should leave no more than a dozen of the strongest young shoots, but 5–6 will be enough. So, where the largest cluster of such stems is, we will make a bush. We remove everything between the bushes right down to the soil. Of course, the shoots that grow between the bushes can be transplanted to another place - this is one of the types of planting material in a raspberry garden. Having selected the best specimens, you can carefully dig them up along with the roots and start a new bed.
It’s not worth leaving a lot of such growth between the bushes, but transplanting it to a new place will be just right
Now the bushes are isolated. Let's look even more closely. Stems with signs of diseases or pests should not be left in the winter. For a completely inexperienced gardener, there are two main guidelines in finding such stems and urgently sending them to the fire. These are swellings on the stem (sort of spherical growths that occur at any height, but more often closer to the ground). And this is the so-called paniculation: the stem branches into many small branches running in the form of a broom. Such shoots are not just sick, they indicate that the raspberries will most likely have to be treated. But that's another story. At the same time, we will cut out the diseased shoots and those that are clearly broken.
Such stems have no place in the raspberry tree: dangerous pests have settled in this swelling
Having cut out diseased and broken shoots, we again count how many healthy ones remain in the bush. We remember that it is advisable to leave 5-6 pieces, up to a maximum of ten. What if there are already fewer of them? Well, what to do, we started a berry garden. We will improve next year. In the meantime, let’s see if all the healthy ones should be left behind. If good shoots intertwine and rub with each other, those that are worse must be removed. If the shoot is “two inches from the pot,” or rather, only 40 centimeters tall and 3 millimeters in diameter, it has nothing to do in the garden bed. It won't do any good. Cut it out.
And almost the last thing: pruning long branches. How long depends, of course, on the variety and climatic conditions. For some, 1.5 meters may seem like a lot, but for others, they are taller. In general, it is impossible to give a clear answer, but 2 meters is definitely too much. In addition, the tops of the longest shoots will most likely freeze in winter anyway, and in the spring they will have to be cut out one way or another: they very rarely manage to fully ripen before winter, and if they do, they produce weak buds with scanty fruiting. Therefore, we cut the hair “as proportion and beauty dictate,” but at least shorten it by 15–20 cm. By the way, it would also be better to do this in August, and new branches would already appear on the stem.
Often at the end of summer the young tops even bloom. This means that they will not survive the winter, and they need to be trimmed as soon as possible.
All that remains is to decide where to put what was cut out. If you are completely sure that there are no diseases or pests in your raspberry garden, you can cut it into pieces with pruning shears (10–20 cm, as your hand takes) and scatter them under the bushes. There will be excellent mulch and shelter for the roots from frost (even a bear makes a den in an old forest raspberry patch!). But most often there is no confidence in the complete health of the plants, and you have to send the cut to the fire. This is where you need to be careful. Raspberry stems and leaves burn beautifully and provide a lot of heat.
If you live in regions with a harsh climate, then closer to the ground the remaining stems in each bush should be collected in a bunch, lightly tied and bent as low as possible, but not broken. Snow is the best shelter from frost. Well, in the northernmost regions they should also be covered with non-woven material (lutrasil, spunbond) for the winter.

The most common mistake when pruning raspberries is leaving stumps. As for the rest, it’s hard to make a mistake - we make it comfortable and beautiful

If you care for raspberries systematically, then you are already an experienced gardener, and our advice is of no use to you. Most likely, you appear in the raspberry garden with pruning shears at least once a month and keep it in perfect order, leaving about the same number of shoots on healthy bushes as there were last year.

While the rules for pruning ordinary raspberries are quite simple, the same cannot be said about remontant varieties: they are capable of producing berries not only on two-year-old shoots, but also on annual ones. Therefore, using the general approach, you can accidentally cut out new shoots, since it is clear that they already had berries, and leave yourself without a significant part of the harvest. Remontant raspberries are pruned later, even in November, because they please the owner with a harvest, albeit a small one, until frost. But often the pruning of remontant varieties is postponed until the spring in order to see the results of overwintering.

Experienced gardeners cut out two-year-old stems of remontant raspberries at the root in the fall, but leave most of this year's shoots, pruning them heavily. The remaining stumps, 25–30 cm tall, produce new branches in the spring and manage to produce two harvests. Although this, of course, depends on the climate of the region. Beginners are usually advised to cut all the stems “to zero” in the fall, without understanding: in the spring they will have time to grow new ones and produce a harvest. Or maybe two, weather permitting.

Video: pruning raspberries in autumn

Pruning raspberries is one of the most important stages in growing this healthy berry. Timely pruning guarantees not only a significant increase in yield, but also ease of care for the plantation. By performing it after harvesting, we help the plant gain strength for fruiting next year.

Pruning raspberries is a major part of preparing them for winter. The plant's harvest next year depends on the correctness and timeliness of this procedure. Let's consider when pruning is carried out and what are the rules for performing this process.

Why prune in the fall?

Pruning raspberries is carried out not only to prevent excessive growth of the bush. Combined with proper care, this measure guarantees plant health and a rich harvest.

Did you know? Botanically, raspberries are not considered a berry. It is classified as a polydrupe, that is, the berry is actually a set of fruits with seeds fused together.

Raspberries are pruned for:

increasing resistance to pests;
improving the taste of berries;
improving productivity;
rejuvenation;
adjusting the woody part by thinning.

The development cycle of raspberries is two years. Without timely removal of old branches, the flow of nutrients to young shoots decreases, and the yield of the entire bush decreases.

When to start pruning in the fall

It is important to choose the right time for pruning. If the procedure is carried out too early, the bush may grow and send out new shoots, and if it is too late, the plant will face the winter unprepared.

Depending on the region, pruning is carried out:

in mid-October in the northern part of Ukraine or in November in the southern part;
at the end of September in the Urals;
in early October in the Moscow region.

Important! The weather can bring surprises, so you need to focus on the current weather forecast so as not to miss an early cold snap.

Essential Garden Tools

For the event you will need:

a pair of thick gloves;
pruner;
shovel;
wire;
columns;
wood ash.

Which shoots should be cut out?

To ensure high-quality pruning, it is recommended to evaluate the existing bushes before the procedure.

The following are subject to removal:

young and weak shoots that are not ready to survive the winter;
diseased or pest-damaged branches;
two-year-old shoots from which fruits have already been collected in previous seasons;
broken or improperly developed stems;
extra thickening branches.

The result of pruning should be a noticeably thinned bush, which consists only of young, but already well-developed shoots. All other stems will only interfere with their proper nutrition.

Scheme for pruning raspberries in autumn

The raspberry sample is carried out according to the following scheme:

Using sharp pruners, remove two-year-old stems at the root.
Cut out immature root shoots.
Adjust the load. Depending on the strength of the bush, 6-10 lashes are considered the norm.
Cut healthy shoots at an angle to 1/3 of the length, and diseased ones - at the root.
When forming a spreading bush, reduce the length of all shoots by 2/3, and leave 2 times less lashes.
At the end of the procedure, sprinkle the cut area with ash for disinfection.
Use a shovel to remove young shoots, if any.
Run a loose, mittened hand along the stem from bottom to top to remove most of the leaves.
Stretch the wire along the bushes, securing it to two posts.

Video: autumn pruning of raspberries

Important! All work must be carried out with gloves and closed clothing to avoid injury from the thorns.

Autumn activities after pruning

For successful wintering, in addition to pruning, raspberries need:

feeding;
mulching;
shelter.

Pay attention to the soil. Before the cold weather, it needs to be loosened and the last fertilizing of the year done. Organic fertilizers are considered the most successful choice for raspberries:, . Avoid or choose two-component ones. Chlorine is contraindicated for this plant.

After fertilizing, the soil is covered with a special mulching material. For raspberries, a neutral mulch made from a mixture of peat, leaves and manure is suitable. Layer height - 5-10 cm.
In regions where there is enough snow in winter, it is not necessary to take care of additional shelter for the bushes. But if the climate zone has insufficient winter precipitation or strong winds blow, the plantation needs protection. Dig in several sheets of plywood on the windward side, and cover the bushes on top with 3-5 layers of woven material.

Important! When the time comes to remove the cover in the spring, do it gradually, one layer at a time, several days apart: this way the branches will have time to adapt to the change in pressure.

Features of pruning remontant raspberries

Remontant raspberries are understood as a specially bred variety that bears fruit twice a season. It is unpretentious and gives a good harvest, but requires more free space than usual.

Video: pruning remontant raspberries

As for its pruning, for annual bushes of remontant raspberries it is enough to just pinch the tops of mature shoots. After this, the bush will stop growing, but the size and taste of the berries will please you. After the second year of life, the shoots are cut off at the root: by next summer the plant will have time to grow new ones.

Did you know? You can make aromatic tea from raspberry leaves. To do this, knead them in your hands and then dry them in the oven.

Although raspberries are not the most demanding plant in the garden, they also need human love and care. Carry out proper pruning in a timely manner, carefully prepare the bushes for winter, and every summer the branches of your raspberry will be bursting with large, fragrant and sweet berries.

Raspberry is a fairly unpretentious plant, resistant to diseases and pests, growing quickly in the designated area. A large number of positive qualities begin to form the idea among gardeners that raspberries do not require care at all. We rejoice at the increase in the green mass of plants, the number of new branches, large foliage and powerful shoots, and all this is actually a path to reducing the yield of the next season and crushing the berries. Caring for raspberries is necessary, and one of the main criteria for obtaining healthy plants and an excellent harvest is proper autumn pruning. It is imperative to prune raspberries, and in this article we will look at how to properly prune raspberries in the fall, as well as the differences between pruning raspberries of regular varieties and remontant varieties.

Why prune raspberries in the fall?

Ordinary garden raspberries have a two-year development cycle - in the first year, young shoots develop, which begin to bear fruit the next year. At the same time, we get high yields precisely in the second year; three-year-old stems bear fruit several times less, so the main task of proper autumn pruning is remove all fruit-bearing branches. This will allow, firstly, to thin out the raspberries, giving young shoots more light and nutrients, and secondly, to reduce the number of pests that actively overwinter in old foliage and dead stems. It is also better to collect fallen leaves and take them outside the raspberry patch - they can cause the spread of mold and various fungi.

Don't be sorry for old shoots! You can't get a harvest from them!

Autumn pruning height

Timing of autumn pruning

Raspberries should be pruned immediately after harvesting; therefore, the timing directly depends on the variety and climatic zone of growth. Don't delay pruning! Young shoots need time to gain strength in order to winter well and actively bear fruit the next year. Old shoots are a place for the active development of diseases and pests, therefore, the faster they are eliminated, the healthier the raspberry plant will be for the next season. The only reason for delaying autumn pruning may be the cultivation of raspberries in warm regions. For example, in the Krasnodar Territory, they are not in a hurry with pruning, because raspberries, after active summer fruiting, can bear fruit again. In autumn, there will be many fewer berries, but who can deny themselves the pleasure of enjoying aromatic raspberries in September or October.

Raspberries should be grown in one place for no more than 10 years, then the location of the raspberry plant is changed.

How many shoots to leave when pruning?

Most often, the number of young shoots left will correspond to the number of old ones removed, because initially you formed the number of branches also in accordance with some technology or according to recommendations related to the characteristics of a particular variety. If there was a break in caring for raspberries and it is difficult to figure out how many new shoots to leave, then you can focus on the average numbers for all varieties. It would be optimal to leave 7-10 shoots per bush, with a distance between bushes of 50-60 cm, but if planting was carried out in a trench and we form a row of raspberries, then the density of shoots should not exceed 10-14 pieces per linear meter.

Step-by-step instructions for autumn pruning raspberries for beginners:

Remove all dried branches at the root, as well as shoots that show signs of infection. Raspberries are especially susceptible to fungal diseases, which actively develop in dense plantings, which once again confirms the need for timely pruning;
Remove all broken and damaged shoots at the root. A branch with a break will consume nutrients just like a regular one, but you still won’t get a decent harvest from it. By leaving such a shoot, you will only reduce the number of berries on the remaining branches of the bush;
Remove all fruit-bearing shoots at the root. There is no need to leave stumps. Raspberries produce shoots from the roots;
Remove all growth that has appeared since mid-summer, as well as all weak shoots. These shoots will not have time to grow stronger before winter; most likely, they will die in the winter, but even if they overwinter, they will not produce a high yield;
Prune young shoots according to the recommendations presented in the “Autumn Pruning Height” section of the article;
Burn the cut shoots and fallen leaves. The result of autumn pruning should not be left as mulch. You can end up with an excellent “breeding ground” for diseases and a wintering place for pests, thereby only harming your garden.

Features of autumn pruning of remontant raspberries

Pruning remontant raspberries has a number of features. It all depends on how many harvests we want to get for the next season. Pruning using the technology of ordinary garden raspberries will give two harvests - summer and autumn, but if the remontant variety is pruned completely, at the root, then we will get a large harvest, but only once, only in the fall.

Components of proper pruning:

only a sharpened tool (knife or pruning shears) is used;
pruning is carried out to the very root. If stumps are left, they can rot and become sources of disease, as well as a breeding ground for pests;
cut shoots and fallen leaves are immediately removed from the raspberry tree;
Upon completion of pruning, the earth around the bushes is dug up using half a shovel, and fertilizers are applied to the plants.

Features of autumn pruning of standard raspberries

Autumn pruning of standard raspberries or, as they are also called, raspberry trees consists of removing all two-year-old shoots at the root. Young shoots are not pruned; they had to be pruned in the summer, immediately after harvest, so that the main shoot has time to produce lateral branches, on which the main harvest of the next year will be concentrated. It is the side shoots that we need to trim in the fall so that their length does not exceed 50 cm.

Differences in pruning in the Krasnodar region, Moscow region, Siberia

Different climatic conditions make adjustments to the rules for autumn pruning of raspberries.

In Siberian conditions, autumn pruning is a mandatory agrotechnical practice. Cold winters require the use of covering materials; pruned bushes will allow the covering procedure to be carried out faster and with less material costs;
in Central Russia, in particular in the Moscow region, autumn pruning can be replaced with spring pruning. Long young shoots are easier to tie into bunches and bend to the ground. Bending down will protect from strong winds, icing, and will allow you to use snow cover as a natural insulation. But covering materials in conditions of frequent thaws can play a cruel joke on the gardener - condensation formed inside the shelter can lead to the development of fungal diseases, rot, mold;
In the Krasnodar region, autumn pruning is carried out late, towards the end of autumn, thereby having time to obtain a repeat autumn harvest. The berries in autumn are most often small, the yield of the bushes is low, so there will definitely not be enough of them for canning, but you will be able to enjoy fresh aromatic berries to relieve the autumn blues.

Varietal raspberries need proper care - only in this case will they bear fruit well. And in this matter, pruning raspberries in the fall is very important. The fact is that the shoots of this culture can live only two years. In the first year, raspberries branch, in the second they bear fruit, after which they die. How exactly to trim dead shoots? We'll tell you in our article.

When and why do you prune raspberries?

In the fall, raspberries are pruned in order to increase the yield if the plantings are properly formed. Raspberry roots are perennial, unlike shoots, which bear fruit for only two years. If they are given the opportunity to grow freely, the raspberry bush quickly overgrows, taking over ever larger areas. These dense thorny thickets produce very few small berries, which are also quite difficult to collect.

To prevent this from happening, regular pruning is carried out in the raspberry garden. In the fall, it is carried out until the weather gets cold, which in some places occurs at the end of October. However, you should not delay this event until late autumn - on warm autumn days, insect pests may have time to appear in the raspberry field. Therefore, autumn pruning is best done in early September - immediately after harvesting.

Autumn pruning of raspberries should be done regularly.

Raspberry pruning technology for beginners: a step-by-step guide

Before you start pruning raspberries in the fall, carefully inspect the bushes and decide which bushes you need to get rid of and which to keep. Pruning is done with sharp pruning shears, trying to make a neat cut and a small wound. " The scheme is as follows:

Remove old, diseased, broken, or pest-infested branches.
Cut out the weakest young stems that are unlikely to survive the winter.
Get rid of two-year-old shoots that have already borne fruit, otherwise they will interfere with the formation of young branches and shade them. Typically, such branches have hard, dark bark with a large number of branching lateral shoots.
Thin out dense bushes that have grown more than 10 stems. This needs to be done like this: with a sharp shovel, marks are made in the ground in a circle at a distance of 20 centimeters from the bush. After this, dig up the space around the circle, cutting down excess stems and removing weeds.
You also need to trim the leaves, but do not tear them off - otherwise you can damage the buds. Or you can, wearing gloves, run your palm downwards along the shoots. Leaves should not be left, otherwise they will rot and have a bad effect on bud growth.
You cut these branches at a level no more than 30 centimeters from the ground to prevent insects from appearing on them and be sure to burn them, otherwise the raspberries will infest pests that survive under the snow in winter.
It is desirable that the distance between neighboring bushes be approximately 60 centimeters.
Fertilize the remaining stems after pruning with iron sulfate or phytosporin.

When the autumn pruning is over, it can be bent to the ground, which will protect the plant from frost. This can be done using wire. During a winter with little snow, it is worth adding snow under the bushes yourself so that they do not die off.

During the summer, raspberries produce 20 or more strong young shoots. When growing raspberries in bushes, you should leave 8-10 pieces, and in row growing - 12 pieces per meter. How to do autumn pruning depends on the region in which your raspberry tree is located and on future spring care. If you are not going to prune raspberries in the spring, then prepare the required number of shoots in advance. But it’s better to do this in the spring, when it becomes obvious which shoots are the strongest and healthiest. "

What height should you trim raspberries to in the fall?

The tops of young shoots are trimmed so that their height is 1.2-1.5 meters. Weak, thin, easily bending shoots are completely cut out. If the growth is very poor, you can still leave a few weak shoots, cutting them to a height of 1 meter.

Tip #1. If the raspberries are remontant varieties, then autumn pruning may take until the end of the harvest. When the harvest is completed, the tops of the shoots that produced the harvest are cut off.

Branches that no longer bear fruit must be removed

If the raspberries were planted a long time ago, then autumn pruning, rejuvenation of old bushes, and the pruning scheme are the same as in young plantings. Indeed, due to the fact that we are dealing with a two-year-old crop, raspberries can only be called old conditionally.

If the raspberry tree has not been pruned for 3-4 years in a row, then it will be very neglected, overgrown with dead branches that need to be removed. In such a raspberry forest, the young shoots are very thin - they lacked space, air, and sun for growth and development. The weakest of them are cut out, and the remaining ones are trimmed to a meter in height.

Features of autumn pruning in the Moscow region

When the harvest is harvested, the raspberry tree needs to be prepared for wintering in order to get a decent harvest next year. How to prepare raspberries for winter in the Moscow region? Gardeners and summer residents in this region are concerned, first of all, about preventing the buds from freezing and the bushes from freezing.

Their anxiety is understandable: in the Moscow region there are winters when frost reaches 30°C. In such weather, unprotected raspberry canes are unlikely to survive. To prevent this from happening, you need to do the following in the raspberry garden in the fall:

Carry out pruning.
Clean up the raspberry patch.
Complete the placement of the nutrient mixture.
Perform bending (discussed above).

Distinctive features of regular and remontant raspberries

The table shows the differences between remontant and regular garden raspberries:

How to prune remontant raspberries

In order to prune remontant raspberries correctly, you should take into account its characteristics. For varieties that have a two-year fruiting period (Progress, Zhuravlik, September) two methods are used:

Those who want to get an excellent harvest in the first year should not rush into autumn pruning. It can be carried out in late autumn according to the usual scheme.
If you are ready to sacrifice part of the autumn harvest in the first year of cultivation (this damage is about 40%), then in the second year you will not regret it, because you will receive very abundant fruiting. If you prefer this option, in September you need to cut out most of the bush flush to the ground and leave only a few of the strongest and most robust one-year stems. From the rhizome, which by that time will have become much stronger, next spring you will get many young shoots, which will give a bountiful harvest.

Many modern varieties of remontant raspberries (Brilliantovaya, Indian Summer-2, Penguin, Hercules) differ from others (also remontant) in that already in the first year, peduncles form too abundantly in all parts of the shoot. This variety of raspberry trees must be completely cut out after the first frost - then next year on young shoots they will fully demonstrate the qualities of remontantness.

It is best and much more convenient to prune plants with a special tool - a pruner, which will greatly simplify this procedure.

If you leave unpruned stumps for the winter, the raspberry tree will undergo degeneration and will lose the property of receiving two harvests from it at once. The bushes will grow low, and the risk of infestation by insect pests will increase significantly. "

There are also raspberry varieties that are not remontant, but if the autumn is mild they show similar symptoms. These varieties are Indian Summer, Kostinbrodskaya, and Yellow Giant. These varieties need to be treated in a special way: autumn pruning should be carried out selectively, removing only parts of the shoots that produced a harvest. On the remaining, unpruned branches, you will get a harvest next season.

Tips for autumn pruning of raspberries and answers to questions from novice gardeners

Beginning gardeners usually have many questions about pruning raspberries.

Question No. 1. Is it necessary to prune raspberries in the fall? Or this can be done at other times of the year - for example, in the summer.

Experts say: it is best to prune raspberries in the fall, before the first frost appears. Some gardeners still neglect this advice and prune raspberry shoots after the full harvest, in August. In this case, the plant devotes its energy to forming a larger number of young shoots that can be planted later.

If you are growing remontant raspberry varieties, you should not wait until late autumn to prune. There will be no advantages to this, but pests and diseases will freely attack your bushes. Therefore, it is advisable to start pruning immediately after harvesting.

Tip #2. To prevent the raspberry tree from becoming overgrown, you need to leave the same number of young shoots as you plan to cut out.

A large space between the bushes is welcome: the more spacious the raspberry bushes are, the better the air will circulate between them, the more sunlight will penetrate into them, which means the berries will be able to gain vitality faster, become tastier and larger.

Question No. 2. How to identify unnecessary branches?

Carefully examining the raspberry bush, you will find overly large bushes with many green trunks and dry branches. The plant does not need the greenery that has grown over the summer at all. Begin pruning from old trunks. They are removed to the very roots, not left near the bushes. Old branches are attractive to pests, which will later switch to young, healthy shoots.

A healthy and rich harvest can only be achieved by annually rejuvenating raspberry bushes. The remaining branches need support - don’t forget about this. This is how you prune raspberries in the fall. First, 4-5 healthy branches of the current year are selected. They only cut off the top of the head, which is about 30 centimeters long. The remaining small shoots and greenery are removed. There should be at least 60 centimeters of free space between the bushes.

Question No. 3. Is it necessary to prune raspberries in the fall?

Autumn pruning of raspberries is mandatory, especially in the second autumn after planting. Some gardeners believe that it should not be pruned because the more shoots, the more abundant the harvest. However, it is not. A raspberry tree, which has a lot of shoots and is simply overgrown, produces a meager harvest of very small berries. It is especially important to prune raspberries in the fall.

Advantages and disadvantages of pruning in autumn

In order to prune raspberries correctly before winter, you need to have an idea of how to do this procedure correctly. For beginning gardeners, this can be one of the insoluble problems.

One of the obvious advantages of autumn pruning is that, thanks to it, the raspberry bushes will become less dense, and the berries will not lose their excellent qualities and will grow large. Pruning helps prevent the proliferation of insect pests and the occurrence of diseases. And only new shoots will have enough strength to survive the winter and not die.

Pruning of remontant raspberries is carried out in different ways. At the same time, you will enjoy berries throughout the summer. But the disadvantage is that the plant will be at greater risk of contracting the disease and will be attacked by insect pests. Also, the top of remontant raspberries cannot be cut off, since in this case you can lose a certain part of the berries, which ripen just on the upper third of the shoot.

Scheme for autumn pruning of raspberries

Rubric “Question-answer”

Question. What autumn work should be done with raspberries?

After trimming the raspberries, you need to do the following. The area with raspberries is being dug up. At the same time, the digging depth in the rows does not exceed 10 centimeters. There is 20 centimeters between them, otherwise the root system can be damaged.

In the fall you need to feed raspberries. It can be varied. The options are as follows:

Bird droppings. The most suitable fertilizer for raspberries is chicken manure, which is applied to the raspberry field after harvesting.
Manure. Application in proportion 6 kg/1 sq. m. If fresh manure is introduced, then during digging it is mixed with the soil and serves to insulate the root system of the crop in winter.
Ready-made compost from leaves that remain after weeding and droppings.
Peat. Its advantage is its ability to improve the structure of the soil, which improves the quality and quantity of the crop.
Green manure. Blue lupine or mustard, sown in early summer between the raspberry rows, needs to be dug up in the fall. Until spring they will feed the soil well.
Organic fertilizers. They are applied once every 2-3 years.
Mineral fertilizers. They need to be applied simultaneously with organic ones, or alternating every other year.

You shouldn’t feed raspberries with nitrogen fertilizers in the fall: instead of resting, they will continue to grow, and in winter, most likely, they will die. Therefore, nitrogen fertilizers should be fed to plants only in the spring.