A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum Fruit Forum Please help my raspberry bush

I bought a bunch of vegetables and two raspberry bushes to plant. Unfortunately, one of my raspberry bushes doesn't look like it's doing so well. It actually looks really bad. Is there anything I can do to try to save this plant? It kind of saddens me. I use Miracle Grow and water them already. And yes, if you can't tell already, I'm really new to gardening.

Raspberries are different. Do you know what variety you planted?

Where are you located (just generally)? That information always helps us answer more specifically.

So, I wouldn't use any fertilizer-- except manure or compost-- on them until the plants are established. And I wouldn't use MG at all. (This is another subject.) My experience is that it takes 1/2 - 1 year for the plants to establish themselves... and then look out! There will be raspberries everywhere. You may get some berries right away, and possibly more later in the season. But you won't start getting huge numbers until next year.

What you want to do now for your sad looking one-- and I'll defer to the experts who will no doubt come along shortly-- is be sure that the roots have everything they need so new canes will emerge this fall or next spring (depending on your climate and the variety).

I think what you're seeing is last year's canes (the ones you planted) dying. This is no big deal so long as the roots are doing well. Obviously, you won't get any berries from dead canes, but the plant may send up new canes which might flower and produce fruit later this season (depending on climate, etc.).

My experience is that raspberries are pretty tough plants. Even if this particular plant dies back to the ground, I'd still make sure the soil is evening moist. And I'd definitely mulch the area with some straw. I"d bet money that it will come back.

I live in WI, just north of Milwaukee. I planted them in an area that gets a good amount of sun. That's what it said on the package. I still have the container I got them in so when I can go and get them I'll check what kind they are and get back to you. My MIL used to have raspberry bushes that were planted in the same area as I put these new ones in and they flourished. Then she transplanted them to a different area next to the house and they died. So I think I have them in a decent area. Thanks for the advice.

I will get back to you all with the kind they are asap. Thanks again.

The container says:

Raspberries Heritage (I assume that's the kind?)

Then it says Sun, Summer Harvest, and Tall growing.

This web site has good information about raspberries. http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1421.html

I remember that I bought 3 plants originally. Scrawny things. I planted them a bit earlier than you did (but I was in Cincinnati at the time). One of them seemed not to survive. BUT it didn't matter. By the next year the other two had spread out everywhere. So just keep the area well watered -- a good soaking once a week, not shallow watering every day-- and mulch them with some straw.

Keep us updated on their progress!

Thanks!