Raspberries are sweet, delicious and rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C and antioxidants. Their bright color adds visual appeal to any dessert.
The first raspberries I ever picked were growing on the side of a mountain in Tennessee. My grandfather had taken my sister and me to visit family there and we had stopped by the side of the road at a little spring coming out of the side of the mountain. The water came out of a hole about four feet off the ground and close by were some wild raspberry vines growing there in the dampness of the shaded rocks. The berries were dark red with a frosty glazed look. My first impression was how pretty they looked hanging there on the vine. Then we picked a few and ate them. Delicious with a unique flavor! This was something I wanted to see growing in our yard!
Raspberries are not as common as some other types of berries. They grow wild in the Smokey Mountains but there are also many tame varieties that will do well in your back yard. Some varieties bear all summer and produce large quantities. Getting a row of raspberry sprouts started and maintaining them is fairly easy. They are hearty plants and need little more than sunshine, water and weeding to do well.
There are several varieties of raspberries and three different colors: red, gold and black. The vines are much like blackberry but without the briers. The berries are soft when ripe and have a large core in the middle that pulls out as you remove the berries from the vine. The smell of the berries is light and sweet and they contain antioxidants which help fight off free radicals that can cause signs of aging and damage cells. The vitamins and minerals found in raspberries help keep blood sugar levels stable, promote a strong immune system and decrease the pain of arthritis.
Raspberries grow well in most types of soil, even red clay which is mostly what we have here in the foothills of northeast Georgia. To start our first row of raspberry plants we ordered three Caroline, which is a red, ever-bearing raspberry and three Goldie, a yellow, ever-bearing variety. The first year they grew and did very well. The second year they began to produce abundantly and new little vines sprouted up here and there around the original stalks.
These young vines were transplanted to form a new row. Using the same planting method as with the original raspberries we dug a hole 8 to 10 inches deep for each new vine leaving about two feet in between the plants to allow for growth, filled each hole with water and a sprinkle of plant food. Holding the plant upright in the middle of the hole we poured potting soil all the way around and covered this with the dirt that came out of the hole. We also put a layer of grass clippings around each plant for mulch to keep down weeds and help hold in moisture.
Once the vines began to grow and spread out, they needed some support. I drove up two lengths of pvc pipe, one on each end and attached a length of pipe between them in front of the row of raspberries. As the plants grew tall and fuller I ran a cord across the front of the row just above the pipe rail to add more support and the larger plants are tied back to a fence behind the bed. Stakes made from pvc pipe, broom handles or something similar will work just as well to keep taller plants from breaking under the weight of their fruit.
In the early winter after the second season it was time to the older canes. They were cut out and the new ones pruned back to about 2 feet from the ground. This was to promote healthier, more productive plants and a better yield in the next season. Our original 6 plants were now 12 plants and we had dug up numerous sprouts to share. We began to gather enough berries during a season to have plenty to snack on and some to put in the freezer for later.
You can order raspberry plants online from a number of sites to start your own garden. They can also be purchased at many local farm and garden centers. Choose a variety that grows well in your particular climate zone by checking the map that is usually attached to the tag on each plant or is found
somewhere on the container. You will enjoy being able to pick your own berries and use them in cakes, pies, fruit salad or ice cream. They are a great snack to eat by themselves!
Here is an idea for a gift that your gardening friends and family will love. Dig up the sprouts that will be coming up all around your original raspberry plants and put them in attractive individual containers. Allow them to grow in the container for several days before giving them as a gift to be sure that they will remain green and healthy. You might even include a small container of berries.
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