Prune Raspberries: [Importance, Season, Tools, Considerations and Steps]

The raspberry is one of the most valued fruits in the culinary field for its exquisite flavor. Having a plant in the garden is a real advantage because it is able to offer production the same year it is planted.

The detail is that it is a fairly invasive species that needs you to pay close attention to its growth to avoid problems.

And that is just what you will achieve with proper pruning, in addition to obtaining richer and more abundant fruits. Do you sign up to discover all the secrets that pruning raspberries holds? Here we explain them one by one.

Why prune raspberries?

One of the main reasons that leads to implement the pruning of raspberries has to do with the accelerated growth that it usually has.In this sense, when pruning is neglected, what we can obtain as a result is a plant that occupies much more than planned.

This will directly harm the quality and quantity of the fruits since it will have to spend a lot of energy on all the branches. And this is another of the considerations that are taken into account to promote pruning as one of the fundamental cares: the quality of the fruits.

A third reason is oriented to the health of the plant, since in all species it is common for areas in poor condition to appear at some point. Through pruning you will be able to eliminate it and make your plant look and feel in perfect condition.

When is it better to carry out pruning of raspberries?

Pruning this species is recommended during the vegetative rest period that takes place in winter.

It is advisable to wait until the final days to ensure that the rise in temperatures with the arrival of spring will encourage the flow of sap.

Thus, the raspberry plant will begin to heal its wounds quickly and generate strong shoots.

What tools should we use when pruning raspberries?

Being a small plant with rather thin branches, the only thing needed to cut it is normal pruning shears.Remember that it is very important that these are well sharpened and disinfected so that they do not catch a disease.

But since it produces thorns, it is advisable to use gloves and protective glasses to avoid injuring yourself when you are working.

What considerations should we take into account when pruning raspberries?

Raspberries, unlike other species, stand out for coming in two types that are very different in terms of their production system.On the one hand, there are those that generate only one flowering per year, which are the summer ones, and on the other, those that can bloom twice a year, which are the autumn ones.

As they have stems of different characteristics, it is essential to apply a pruning that adjusts to their particular conditions, so it is the main consideration.

How to prune raspberries without damaging the plant?

When the time comes for you to get down to work, you will have to follow the following steps depending on the type of raspberry in question.

Production raspberry in the fall

The main characteristic of this raspberry is that it is capable of generating production twice a year: once in autumn and once in summer.

1. Cut off the thinnest stems sticking out of the ground, these are actually suckers and will not produce fruit. It is important to make the cut exactly flush with the ground.
2. Eliminate at ground level all the stems that have already produced a cycle of fruits because they will not bloom again. Do not leave any residue of them because they can become an ideal place for diseases to develop.
3. Discard stems that are in poor condition, diseased or withered even if they have not produced fruit before.
4. Clean up what’s left of the plant to make room for productive stems. The idea here is to select what is in the best condition, longest and strongest and discard the rest.

Production raspberries in the summer

The raspberries that bear fruit in the summer stand out for emitting a single production in the year. In this case, the pruning task becomes much simpler because it is carried out in order to eliminate the stems that have already generated production.

This is because those stems are already unable to re-bloom so there is no reason to leave them there. It is also necessary to eliminate the suckers and all those that are affected in some way, whether they are withered, dry or weak.

After the plant begins to flower, it is worth cutting some stems so that the plant can focus more energy on the remaining stems and produce better fruit.

If you complement all the pruning work with the rest of the recommended care, you will enjoy excellent harvests every year.